Crete has been making wine for around 4,000 years. In the Minoan site of Vathypetro, close to Heraklion, a wine press was found that is more than 3,500 years old, said to be the oldest in the world. Today the Heraklion region is still the heart of Cretan wine: more than two thirds of the island's vineyards are here, on the Peza and Archanes wine routes, where the vines climb to around 800 metres.
If you spent your day on those routes, you have tasted a lot and eaten very little. So where do you finish the evening?
The natural next stop after your wine tour
Winery tastings are generous with the wine and light with the food: some olives, rusks, a little cheese, a tomato. You leave with the taste of Vidiano in your mind and an empty stomach.
Analipsi is on the north coast road between Heraklion and the Hersonissos resorts, so there is no detour. Nikos and Eleni opened Sirtaki here in 1993, and today their three sons run it with them. Great wine deserves food cooked with the same care, and that is what we try to do.
1. Real food to match the wine you tasted
A tasting is a good start. A table is where the wine opens up.
- Vidiano is often called the queen of the Cretan whites: peach, green apple, lime and quince, with juicy acidity and a long finish. It is lovely with fresh salads and starters, such as our Cretan salad and the dips.
- Vilana, the most planted white on the island, is crisp and citrusy. Think fish, grilled octopus and lighter dishes. If you tasted one, ask us whether we have a similar white open tonight.
- Kotsifali is a round red with blackberry and spice, and tannins that are soft and ripe. It is made for our 25-day dry-aged Black Angus steaks and the charcoal grill.
- Liatiko is lighter, with black cherry and a juicy finish. It is a good partner for moussaka, the slow-baked kleftiko and graviera.
2. Recognise the Cretan wine you tasted
If you visited Lyrarakis for rare varieties, or the historic Minos-Miliarakis in Peza, the names on our list will feel familiar. Our cellar has Cretan bottles from Douloufakis, Diamantakis and Stilianou, and the grapes are the ones you met that day: Vidiano, Kotsifali, Liatiko and Mandilari. The list changes through the season, so ask us what we are pouring tonight.
Tell us which wine you liked in the morning, and we will suggest a bottle and a dish that go together. You can also browse the wine list first, or read our wine guide.
3. Unwind in the garden
After a day in the car and the cellars, you want to sit down somewhere calm. Our garden is shaded and open-air, with the warm Cretan evening around you, and the pace is slow. Our poodle Reina may come to say hello, and dogs are welcome too.
Exhausted after your tour? A balcony wine night
If the day has been long, you do not have to dress up and go out. Order from our online takeaway page, collect your food in front of the restaurant, and eat it on your balcony, with the bottle you carried back from the winery. If you would like another bottle, ask us when you collect your order: takeaway bottles are 10% off the wine list price. Our excursion takeaway guide explains how it works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sirtaki on the way back from the Heraklion wineries?
Yes. Analipsi is about 25 km from Heraklion, on the north coast road towards Hersonissos and Gouves.
Can I bring the bottle I bought at the winery?
Please ask us at the table. We would love to hear what you tasted, and we have more than 100 Cretan and Greek labels if you want to try something else.
Can I take a bottle back to my hotel?
Yes. Ask our staff. Takeaway bottles come with 10% off the wine list price.
Do you have food for vegetarians?
Yes, there are many vegetarian dishes. See our vegetarian and gluten-free guide.
More answers are in our FAQ.
Cretan wine has travelled for a long time. Minoan amphorae carried it across the Mediterranean, and a Roman amphora found at Pompeii is said to be marked "CRET EXC", Excellent Cretan. We think the wine you tasted today deserves a proper table. Come hungry.
