Surrounded by the gleaming blue waters of the south Aegean Sea, Crete is the largest and most populous island in Greece. The island’s long history of winemaking is believed to reach back to the Minoan Civilization; the Minoans are currently the earliest recorded civilization in Europe and are believed to have been crafting wines since before 1600 BC. Although Crete is more famous as a tourist destination than a breeding ground of great wines and winemakers, one particular Cretan producer stands heads and shoulders above the rest of his peers.

 

Yiannis Economou is known and revered by fellow winemakers as well as wine geeks around the globe. His wines are a secret gem and something almost transcendental to discover. Originally from Crete, Yiannis graduated with an enology degree from Alba before he went on to learn besides the greats in some of the most lauded wine houses in the world. From Château Margaux in Bordeaux to cellar work across Germany to Ceretto and Scavino in Piedmont, Yiannis learned under the best in the business. Although he had ample opportunity across France and Italy, Yiannis knew he could do something rare and pure in his home soil. So he returned in 1994 and breathed new life into his family vineyards’ 35 to 70 year old, ungrafted vines of indigenous varietals along the Ziros Plateau in eastern Crete. Yiannis only releases his wines when they are ready, not when it's convenient commercially. Today’s 2006 Liatiko is drinking in its beautiful peak this very moment; this wine offers something akin to a great old Italian red at a fraction of the price with a unique character all its own.