The nose is characterised by herby aromas, like rosemary, pine and the signature laurel, which is called “dafni” in Greek.
The mouth is also dominated by herbal sensations, with a finish that displays the flavours of the same rosemary, pine and laurel that welcome you on the nose. The long lingering aftertaste has a savoury character and a citrus fruit background.
This wine shows how major wine producers, which sometime are blamed for destroying the uniqueness of indigenous grapes, can also play a key role in rescuing unique varieties that are on the verge of extinction. Most big producers own the resources to do it, but not all are led by passionate men ready to invest what is needed.
One positive example is the encounter of Lyrarakis and Dafni, a family and a white grape of Crete. In fact, Dafni, one of the island oldest and rarest varieties, was brought back from the brick of extinction in the 90s by the dedication of Manolis Lyrarakis, who founded the company in 1966, but only started bottling wines under the Lyrarakis family brand in 1992 (until then all the production was sold in bulk to major wineries of Greece or abroad).
I got this bottle for 12.90 EUR in a tourist shop in Chania on the island of Crete. Although not immediately seductive to the average palate, it is a complex and characterful white wine, which should be tasted at least once, if nothing else for its uniqueness. Thank you Lyrarakis for preserving this and other unique Cretan grape varieties!
Another ancient Cretan white grape variety preserves by Lyrarakis Winery is Plyto. I bought a bottle of Psarades Plyto 2017 for 9 EUR at Crete airport upon departure and tasted it home. Plyto is a lively, acidic wine, with a lemony character, accompanied by herbal and mineral notes.
Country: Greece
Region: Crete
Grapes: Dafni
Type: White
Vintage: 2017
Producer: Lyrarakis Winery
Price range: Medium (15-30 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 3/5