DOULOUFAKIS WINERY
Located on the picturesque Crete, in the appellation of Dafnes, this family winery champions indigenous Cretan varieties and makes stunning award-winning wines with a sense of place. Douloufakis pioneered Vidiano grape in modern Greece and brought international attention to another Cretan variety, Liatiko.
About Douloufakis
Douloufakis wine comes from one of the oldest modern Greek wineries. It was established in 1930 by Dimitris Douloufakis. Today, the estate is run by the third generation winemaker, Dimitris’ grandson, Nikos Douloufakis.
Nikos took over the family business in 1993, after studying oenology at Alba’s Oenological School in Piedmont, Italy. He quickly became one of the most renowned winemakers not only in Crete, but in all of Greece.
From the very start, Nikos embarked on a big renovation program, adopting modern techniques both in the vineyard and the winery. Particularly, he invested into state-of-the-art machinery, equipping the winery with stainless steel tanks, modern presses and crushers.
In addition, Nikos saw his mission in promoting native Cretan grapes and making world class wines out of indigenous varieties. He increased the plantings of Liatiko, one of the ancient local black grapes which dates back to 3rd-2nd Century BC.
From Vines To Wines
Nowadays, Douloufakis Liatiko wine (Dafnios red) is one of the most renowned expressions of Liatiko grape. It is an elegant wine with firm tannins and aromas of cherries, cranberries and herbs, enhanced by captivating notes of Asian spices.
In 2000, Nikos turned his attention to the white grape Vidiano, another Cretan variety, which by that time had become almost extinct. He planted new Vidiano vineyards and pioneered this grape in modern Greece. As a result, Douloufakis Vidiano wine (Dafnios white) became the estate’s flagship, winning many international awards. It is a rich and complex wine, with striking vibrancy and layers of fruit aromas.
Today, Nikos Douloufakis holds 20 hectares of vineyards, located in the heart of the wine-growing zone of Crete, in Dafnes. Vines are planted on hill slopes at altitudes of 350 – 450 meters. This beautiful and ancient terroir boasts limestone soils, which are associated with high quality wines because of the light water stress. Most of Douloufakis vineyards are organically farmed and certified organic.
