📍 Sitia

Sitia is a wine zone in the east of the island of Crete, around the town of Sitia. It is the easternmost and one of the driest parts of the island. Summers are hot and rain is rare, so grapes grow on hill slopes facing the sea and the wines are concentrated.

The main red grape is Liatiko, whose name is linked to July: the variety ripens early. It makes reds with soft tannins and notes of prune and spice, and sweet wines from dried grapes. The main white is Vilana, giving light, fresh wines with floral aromas. There are also Malvasia Sitias and Lasithi, separate names within the zone.

Sitia is part of the Crete wine region, on Greece's largest island. Life moves slowly here, and wine is part of the home table.

If you know Crete for olive oil and cheese, Sitia shows that the island can make interesting wine too. Vilana suits fish and salads, and Liatiko lamb and Cretan cheeses. The name Sitia on a label shows that the grapes grew in this very area, which makes it easy to look for similar wines.