Field notes № 03 · Crete, Greece
We came
for the wine.
The harvest
had other plans.
Karapidakis Family Winery · Alagni
Go to photo album01 / The welcome
A tasting appointment.
A village harvest.
We thought we were visiting Karapidakis Family Winery for a tasting. Instead, we arrived in the middle of harvest. Local growers were arriving from every direction with truckloads of grapes to press. It felt like an extra-crazy Friday night at Yanni’s, only with more grapes and fewer reservation calls.
Every direction.
Every truck full.
02 / In the middle of harvest
New machines.
Old ways.
Karapidakis has the latest equipment, but the family still protects the good old-fashioned parts of winemaking — especially the fermentation process. We watched grapes arrive and move toward the crusher while the work stayed personal and close at hand.
Leonidas, 82 when we visited, started this work in the early 1980s. The official Karapidakis Winery began in 2020. He works alongside his son Giannis, who has mostly taken over, with Dimitris and Nikos also part of the family operation.
03 / The family
We were welcomed
like relatives.
Leonidas and his daughter-in-law Dimitra brought us straight in to sit and talk with the family. We met Maria, the matriarch; Giannis and Dimitra; their son, Leonidas Jr., who quickly became the star of the day; and their sweet daughter Angeliki.
All around us, the winery kept moving. Growers came in to pay their respects and say hello. Giannis poured grapes into the crusher. Leonidas Jr. poured raki and opened bottles of wine. The whole place had the energy of a family gathering that happened to be processing the village harvest at the same time.
04 / At the table
The search
ended here.
We first learned about these wines in March, at a restaurant in Agios Nikolaos. Yanni was drawn to the blend and pleasantly surprised by how delicious the young wine already was. That first glass sent us on a small quest: find the winery, meet the family and taste the rest of the lineup.
Today was the day. We sat down with the family and tasted each wine. Somehow, every one was better than the one before it.
ISKIOS WhiteVidiano · Muscat of Spina
ISKIOS RoséKotsifali · Muscat of Spina
ISKIOSSyrah · Kotsifali, 50/50
05 / Raki and raisins
Of course we
bought the raki.
Not only do they make incredible wine, they also make raki and distill it themselves. We saw bay leaves drying for a sultana-raisin mixture and the kazani, the still used for the distillation. Of course, we bought a bottle of raki, hoping it makes it all the way back to San Diego.
We were blown away by the wines. We’re hoping there is a way to get them imported to San Diego, because a bottle that tastes this good should not have to stay on the other side of the ocean.
06 / One last stop
A little sweetness
for the road.
After we left the winery, we developed a bit of a sweet tooth and stopped for an affogato. The barista wasn’t familiar with it, but she was so kind and willing to indulge us. With their homemade ice cream, she made a wonderful affogato — then gave us another delicious little treat for the road.
That is Crete, too. People make room. They try. They send you on your way with something good in your hands.
Another beautiful day, forever etched in our memory.
See you at Yanni’sThe complete photo album
Twenty-five photos from Alagni.
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