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Welcome to That Useful Wine Site!
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Liatiko is a red-wine grape originating on the Greek island of Crete, and not found outside Greece. It is today grown only on Crete, and even there, not in large quantities—which is quite a downfall, as the grape was hugely important in the Middle Ages, when the Venice ruled Crete. (Though there seems now to be a small revival movement afoot.) Indeed, wine-making has been a major enterprise on Crete for thousands of years. The Dafnes appellation, one of four on Crete, requires all wines bearing that appellation to be 100% Liatiko.
Liatiko is vinified in several ways, from dry red table wine to sweet dessert drinks (some think that that is the best expression of the grape, but we here deal only in table wines).
The wines are generally pale in color, with a sweet-ish fruity nose. The taste seems to remind people of some of the elegant Italian wines, notably Nebbiolo. Nonetheless, they also exhibit what is usually described as “power”, though controlled with elegance. All in all, this seems like a variety that, with a little good luck (and marketing) could become a world-class winner.
Factoid: The name Liatiko is a short-form of the Greek word for July; Liatiko grapes ripen quite early (but not actually as early as July).
“Liatiko has a relatively low color intensity, verging on the garnet. Liatiko wine is intense, with rich, ripe red fruit and sweet spices. The palate is full, with high levels of alcohol, low and very soft tannins.…Liatiko is found all over Crete, but the best wines are found in Heraklion, in the PDO Dafnes zone, and in Lasithi, in PDO Sitia, where 20% of Mandilaria can be added. Liatiko is the epitome of the warm weather found in certain areas around Crete –dry versions are round, full and soft…”
“The wine is somewhat remeniscent of Pinot Noir, quite a bit of Nebbiolo, and even of Sangiovese. It is immensely dry, with linear tannins, but an explosion of sweet herbs, tart and dried cherries/raspberries, and flowers (a bit of rose character there). There is just a hint of leather on the nose and it expands more on the palate, giving a bit of a glimpse into this wine’s future. And while it will only lose color, and become brick red or garnet…the high acid and fierce tannins will allow this wine to age and show more of those layered tobacco, leather notes.”
“Almost forgotten in the 20th Century, Liatiko stepped out of the shadows in the last couple of decades thanks to the work of several dedicated producers from Crete. Today, with about 400 hectares of plantings, this grape is regarded as a Cretan treasure and the rising star of the island winemaking. Liatiko grapes are rich in natural sugars, therefore they are often used for production of sweet wine. However, this unique variety really shows its best when vinified dry. The style of dry Liatiko wine can be compared to the famous reds from Piedmont. Just as their northern Italian counterparts, Liatiko wines are powerful, with plenty of weight and firm tannins. And just like Piedmontese reds, they display bright aromas of fresh and dried cherries, cranberries and hints of herbs. These are enhanced by captivating notes of Asian spices – cardamon, cumin and cloves – a signature trademark of Liatiko wine. Full-bodied and fresh at the same time, these wines have a warm character and a distinctive, recognisable personality.”
“The colour of the wine is typical for the variety, bricky red even in youth. It has the seductively sweet aroma of Liatiko, with notes of fresh red fruits as well as dried cranberry and red cherry. The chalky/dusty tannins, sweet-sour red fruits and deep-seated freshness set this up as benchmark unoaked Liatiko: the complete opposite of an anodyne red that could come from anywhere. The alcohol is unobtrusive at 13.5%. This could come from nowhere but Crete, where Lyrarakis have proved their mastery of Liatiko even if the easy drinkability of the wine belies the complex organisation involved in making it on an island with so many small-scale farmers, many of whom are in their 80s. ”
“The berries are thin-skinned and produce wines with low-color intensity, low acidity, and high levels of tannin.…The dry wines are ’intense, with rich, ripe red fruit and sweet spices‘ on the nose and high levels of alcohol and low levels of soft tannins on the palate.”
“[Liatiko] produces wines of silk and cashmere. Wines that can be enjoyed in their youth but can improve with cellaring. Although very dark-skinned, it makes relatively pale wines that tend to turn to brick orange fairly quickly. Its appearance resembles Nebbiolo…But the grandest Liatiko emerges as a dry version when its generous tannins have been extracted from the skins and balance its natural sweetness. It is this game of sugars versus tannins that can craft memorable wines.…Its aromas are like walking into an Asian spice shop full of cardamom and cumin, around a core of tar and dried cherries. Its dry wines are full of flavour, character and texture. It also shows the scent of figs and raisins in the sweet versions. Full-bodied, with soft tannins and moderate acidity. Like a hug.”
“The grape has great clonal diversity, with more than ten biotypes identified in (Greek) vineyards.…Although very dark-skinned it makes fairly pale wines. Wines can be enjoyed in their youth but are absolutely capable of ageing.”
“While it is a very dark grape, it is notoriously difficult to extract Liatiko’s naturally deep red hues. In fact, all the but the most robust harvests often ’brick‘ quite early during production, taking on orange or ’earthenware‘ colorations, despite the best efforts of the wineries.…On pouring, the wine was initially quite dark, almost ruby-like. However, hints of orange and earthy brown became quite evident as I swirled the wine. On tilting the glass, the contrast became quite stark. The deeper portion of the wine towards the back of glass was dark and ruby-red, while the portion catching the light was earthen in tone. Quintessential Liatiko. Off the top of the glass ripe fruit essences were immediate, but grounded in vague savory notes. Towards the middle of the glass, the fruit essences largely carried over, but were perforated by sharp prongs of spice. Into the middle of the glass, the spice predominates, laced in herbal overtures. A very pleasant bouquet overall. On sampling, the wine features a very subdued texture and acidity. The fruit of the bouquet largely carries over, chiefly ripe red fruits contrasted with savory herbal notes throughout.”
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Some Descriptions of Liatiko Wines
“Liatiko has a relatively low color intensity, verging on the garnet. Liatiko wine is intense, with rich, ripe red fruit and sweet spices. The palate is full, with high levels of alcohol, low and very soft tannins.…Liatiko is found all over Crete, but the best wines are found in Heraklion, in the PDO Dafnes zone, and in Lasithi, in PDO Sitia, where 20% of Mandilaria can be added. Liatiko is the epitome of the warm weather found in certain areas around Crete –dry versions are round, full and soft…”
“The wine is somewhat remeniscent of Pinot Noir, quite a bit of Nebbiolo, and even of Sangiovese. It is immensely dry, with linear tannins, but an explosion of sweet herbs, tart and dried cherries/raspberries, and flowers (a bit of rose character there). There is just a hint of leather on the nose and it expands more on the palate, giving a bit of a glimpse into this wine’s future. And while it will only lose color, and become brick red or garnet…the high acid and fierce tannins will allow this wine to age and show more of those layered tobacco, leather notes.”
“Almost forgotten in the 20th Century, Liatiko stepped out of the shadows in the last couple of decades thanks to the work of several dedicated producers from Crete. Today, with about 400 hectares of plantings, this grape is regarded as a Cretan treasure and the rising star of the island winemaking. Liatiko grapes are rich in natural sugars, therefore they are often used for production of sweet wine. However, this unique variety really shows its best when vinified dry. The style of dry Liatiko wine can be compared to the famous reds from Piedmont. Just as their northern Italian counterparts, Liatiko wines are powerful, with plenty of weight and firm tannins. And just like Piedmontese reds, they display bright aromas of fresh and dried cherries, cranberries and hints of herbs. These are enhanced by captivating notes of Asian spices – cardamon, cumin and cloves – a signature trademark of Liatiko wine. Full-bodied and fresh at the same time, these wines have a warm character and a distinctive, recognisable personality.”
“The colour of the wine is typical for the variety, bricky red even in youth. It has the seductively sweet aroma of Liatiko, with notes of fresh red fruits as well as dried cranberry and red cherry. The chalky/dusty tannins, sweet-sour red fruits and deep-seated freshness set this up as benchmark unoaked Liatiko: the complete opposite of an anodyne red that could come from anywhere. The alcohol is unobtrusive at 13.5%. This could come from nowhere but Crete, where Lyrarakis have proved their mastery of Liatiko even if the easy drinkability of the wine belies the complex organisation involved in making it on an island with so many small-scale farmers, many of whom are in their 80s. ”
“The berries are thin-skinned and produce wines with low-color intensity, low acidity, and high levels of tannin.…The dry wines are ’intense, with rich, ripe red fruit and sweet spices‘ on the nose and high levels of alcohol and low levels of soft tannins on the palate.”
“[Liatiko] produces wines of silk and cashmere. Wines that can be enjoyed in their youth but can improve with cellaring. Although very dark-skinned, it makes relatively pale wines that tend to turn to brick orange fairly quickly. Its appearance resembles Nebbiolo…But the grandest Liatiko emerges as a dry version when its generous tannins have been extracted from the skins and balance its natural sweetness. It is this game of sugars versus tannins that can craft memorable wines.…Its aromas are like walking into an Asian spice shop full of cardamom and cumin, around a core of tar and dried cherries. Its dry wines are full of flavour, character and texture. It also shows the scent of figs and raisins in the sweet versions. Full-bodied, with soft tannins and moderate acidity. Like a hug.”
“The grape has great clonal diversity, with more than ten biotypes identified in (Greek) vineyards.…Although very dark-skinned it makes fairly pale wines. Wines can be enjoyed in their youth but are absolutely capable of ageing.”
“While it is a very dark grape, it is notoriously difficult to extract Liatiko’s naturally deep red hues. In fact, all the but the most robust harvests often ’brick‘ quite early during production, taking on orange or ’earthenware‘ colorations, despite the best efforts of the wineries.…On pouring, the wine was initially quite dark, almost ruby-like. However, hints of orange and earthy brown became quite evident as I swirled the wine. On tilting the glass, the contrast became quite stark. The deeper portion of the wine towards the back of glass was dark and ruby-red, while the portion catching the light was earthen in tone. Quintessential Liatiko. Off the top of the glass ripe fruit essences were immediate, but grounded in vague savory notes. Towards the middle of the glass, the fruit essences largely carried over, but were perforated by sharp prongs of spice. Into the middle of the glass, the spice predominates, laced in herbal overtures. A very pleasant bouquet overall. On sampling, the wine features a very subdued texture and acidity. The fruit of the bouquet largely carries over, chiefly ripe red fruits contrasted with savory herbal notes throughout.”