As the world continues to discover amazing selections from Greece produced by native grape varieties, Vidiano from Crete is making an emerging presence. At one point, this thought-to-be-extinct Cretan variety was accidentally discovered by local farmers almost twenty five years ago. This white grape was growing in abundance during the 13th century when the Venetians occupied Crete. They began transporting wines made from Vidiano throughout Europe by boatloads. But over the centuries this popular variety mysteriously disappeared.
When the discovery was official back in the early 1990s, farmers and winemakers began planting this forgotten grape throughout Crete and parts of the mainland of Greece. Vidiano produces a more textured wine with a nice balance of floral aromas, stone fruit flavors, and slightly lower acidity levels. Vidiano is still a work in progress and winemakers are planning to work with it in other regions and microclimates to test its abilities. So far they have seen that Vidiano loses its structure and flavors in high yield productions. So for the time being, most wineries are producing small amounts of it to control the quality that the grape has to offer. Hopefully in time that will change and we will have access to an abundance of Vidiano.
Vidiano is an interesting and refreshing white wine that is a must try. It pairs fabulously with most light foods that have a healthy amount of salt, oils, and fats. Whether you are a Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, or Sauvignon Blanc lover, Vidiano can please a variety of palates. Here are some of our favorite selections from our collection of Vidiano on Greekazon.
Stin Ygeia Sas!