REGION: Crete

The Alexakis family is one of the most important representatives of Cretan wine. The wines draw on a deep understanding of the Cretan vineyards; years of collaboration have allowed the family to choose the most suitable vineyards and the best growers, to produce the highest quality wines on Crete.

We are excited to introduce AÔRI, a project rooted in the remote mountains of western Crete and driven by a commitment to minimal-intervention winemaking and local indigenous varietals. Founded in 2021 by former sommelier Aimilios Andrei and winemaker Dimitris Skouras, AÔRI, which means “mountains” in the local dialect, began when Aimilios was out hunting pheasants near the village of Spina.  …

In 1930, Dimitris Douloufakis became one of the first winemakers in Crete to produce wines professionally in his traditional winery. His grandson, Nikolas, now runs the winery using traditional practices but with more modern facilities; the privately owned vineyards are 100% certified organic.