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Cretan wine is wine from the Greek island of 
In late medieval Europe, in the 14th to 16th centuries, ''vino di Candia'' (
Crete
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...
. It has a long history since wine was certainly being made by the Minoans since the Bronze Age. Wines from Crete
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...
are not listed among those specially prized in classical Greece, but under the Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
in the 2nd century AD Crete was known for a sweet wine, ''protropos'', which was exported to Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
.
In late medieval Europe, in the 14th to 16th centuries, ''vino di Candia'' (Heraklion
Heraklion or Iraklion ( ; el, Ηράκλειο, , ) is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete and capital of Heraklion regional unit. It is the fourth largest city in Greece with a population of 211,370 (Urban A ...
is modern day Candia) and ''Crete'' are wine names listed as highly valued in several sources from western and northern Europe; they were sweet and "hot" wines (hot in a dietary sense). Within the current classification of Greek wine there are several Cretan appellations, including Peza, Archanes, Dafnes and Sitia.
Soil
The combination of particular varieties placed in a unique terroir results in original flavour and perfume to Crete wines. This distinct terroir is a result of calcisol soils in mountain ranges and characteristic Mediterranean climate: the limestone lands range from denser clay to sandy loam, allowing the vine roots to grow deep, reaching water and mineral resources in depth; the weather provides hot and sunny summers and mild, rainy winters. Finally, the north of Africa provides hot winds while the Aegean Sea in the north, the cooling breezes.See also
*Ancient Greece and wine
The influence of wine in ancient Greece helped ancient Greece trade with neighboring countries and regions. Many mannerisms and cultural aspects were associated with wine. It led to great change in Ancient Greece as well.
The ancient Greeks p ...
* Cretan cuisine
Cretan cuisine ( el, Κρητική κουζίνα) is the traditional cuisine of the Mediterranean island of Crete.
Background
The core of the Cretan cuisine consists of food derived from plants, whereas food of animal origin was more peripher ...
References
Greek wine Ancient wine Medieval wineWine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
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