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📍 Heraklion (Peza, Archanes)

Appellation ✔ Checked: 10.2026 · sources: 6 Updated:

The centre of the island, Crete's main wine zone.

Heraklion is the central part of the island of Crete and its main wine zone. It has the two best-known appellations, Peza and Archanes; Dafnes lies nearby. The district is part of Crete. Knossos is close by, and winemaking in these parts is linked with Minoan civilisation.

Peza and Archanes are PDO appellations. In Peza, white wines are made from the local Vilana and reds from Kotsifali and Mandilaria. Vilana is the main white grape of Crete and gives fresh wines with light floral notes. Reds from Kotsifali and Mandilaria can be light or full and go well with meat. Archanes also makes reds from Kotsifali and Mandilaria. In Dafnes the red grape Liatiko is used too. Vidiano, a white grape with bright aroma and body, is also grown.

Cretan wines were already exported to northern Europe in the Middle Ages and sold at high prices. Malvasia was especially prized, a sweet red wine from Liatiko, Mandilaria and Kotsifali that Venetian traders carried abroad; today there is also a protected Malvasia Chandakas-Candia.

kind of📍Crete→📜Dafnes→📜Archanes→📜Peza→📜Handakas – Candia→📜Malvasia Chandaka…main grape of🍇Kotsifalimain grape of🍇Mandilariamain grape of🍇Vilanamain grape of🍇Vidianomakes🍷Red winemakes🍷White winemakes🍷Rosémakes🍷Still wine📍towardia.com
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How it connects to Wine

📍 Heraklion (Peza, Archanes) ← main grape of ← 🍇 Vidiano → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine

Part of
📍 Crete
Related to
📜 Dafnes, 📜 Archanes, 📜 Peza, 📜 Handakas – Candia, 📜 Malvasia Chandakas-Candia
Grapes
🍇 Kotsifali, 🍇 Mandilaria, 🍇 Vilana
Main grapes
🍇 Kotsifali, 🍇 Mandilaria, 🍇 Vilana, 🍇 Vidiano
Wines
🍷 Red wine, 🍷 White wine, 🍷 Rosé, 🍷 Still wine

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Heraklion wine district?

In the central part of the island of Crete.

What appellations does Heraklion have?

Peza and Archanes, with Dafnes nearby.

Which grapes are grown?

The whites Vilana and Vidiano, and the reds Kotsifali and Mandilaria.

What to read next

  • 📜 Handakas – Candia — A label for wines from the area around Heraklion, bearing its old names Handakas and Candia.
  • 🍷 Still wine — Ordinary wine without carbon dioxide bubbles.
  • 📜 Malvasia Chandakas-Candia — A revived historic Malvasia wine from around Heraklion on Crete.
  • 🍷 Red wine — Wine from dark grapes that ferments with the skins and takes its colour from them.
  • 🍷 Rosé — Wine from dark grapes kept briefly with their skins, so the colour is pale pink.

Similar

📍 Chania · 📍 Sitia · 📜 Peza · 📜 Rethymno · 📍 Crete · 📍 Campo de Borja

⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.

Sources

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