Manousakis Winery farms clay-rich hills outside Vatolakkos and makes the Nostos range in Chania, Crete.
The producer
Manousakis Winery farms the clay-rich hills outside Vatolakkos in Chania, Crete. Its original plantings use Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Roussanne, with plot-specific organic work performed mostly by hand. Leguminous cover crops and organic manure are part of the soil management, and the vineyards are not irrigated. The Nostos range spans rosé, red and white wines, alongside Tsikoudia, the local grape distillate.
Known for
Nostos wines from Vatolakkos
Notable facts
The first vineyards were planted in 1993.
The vineyards outside Vatolakkos are planted at 350 to 650 metres above sea level.
Vineyard work is plot-specific, organic and performed mostly by hand.
The vineyards are not irrigated.
The story
The Thermometer In The Tank
During the first harvest in September 1997, adviser Pascal Marchand saw a mercury thermometer fall into a fermentation tank. He needed to retrieve it before the thermometer could break. Marchand undressed and entered the tank to his neck, then recovered the instrument. The winery was constructed and the first Nostos harvest occurred in that same year. He did it calmly but quickly.
The Thermometer In The Tank
During the first harvest in September 1997, adviser Pascal Marchand saw a mercury thermometer fall into a fermentation tank. He needed to retrieve it before the thermometer could break. Marchand undressed and entered the tank to his neck, then recovered the instrument. The winery was constructed and the first Nostos harvest occurred in that same year. He did it calmly but quickly.
From the atlas
Manousakis Winery
Manousakis Winery farms the hills outside Vatolakkos in Chania, Crete, where it cultivates Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Roussanne.
At A Glance
Field
Detail
Place
Vatolakkos, Chania, Crete
Vineyard area
13 hectares, 350 to 650 metres above sea level
Main varieties
Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Roussanne
Range
Rosé, red and white wines, plus Tsikoudia
Farming
Plot-specific organic farming, mostly by hand
The Producer
Manousakis Winery planted its first vineyards in 1993. Alexandra Manousakis moved from New York City to Crete and joined the winery in 2007, when annual production was around 35,000 bottles. The winery now produces 150,000 bottles yearly.
The vineyard team works plot by plot. Weed removal, leaf thinning, stem thinning and harvesting are performed mostly by hand. Leguminous cover crops and organic manure are used in the soil, adding fertility and maintaining soil aeration and nutrient availability.
Place
The vineyards lie on hills just outside the village of Vatolakkos in Chania, Crete. The ground is predominantly rich in clay and argil. The vineyards are not irrigated, so the roots grow deeper in search of water.
Wines
The range contains 12 wine labels, covering rosé, red and white styles, alongside Tsikoudia. Nostos Pink is the rosé. The red wines include Nostos Grenache, Nostos Blend, Nostos Syrah, Manousakis Winery Nostos Alexandra's and Nostos Mrs. The white wines include Nostos Romeiko, Nostos Vidiano, Nostos the Journey Roussanne, Nostos Assyrtiko, Nostos Muscat of Spina and Manousakis Orange Muscat of Spinas.
Nostos Syrah is a varietal Syrah. The range therefore includes both named grape wines and bottles whose names describe a broader house style or cuvée.
In The Glass
Nostos Syrah has dense aromas of black fruit, tobacco, black pepper, ink and coffee. It is full-bodied and intensely tannic, with high alcohol softening the tannins. Black berries, black pepper and wild mountain herbs follow on the palate, and the finish combines freshness with richness.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose Nostos Grenache. It is an organic dry red carrying the Protected Geographical Indication Chania. The wine is ruby-coloured, with mature aromas of red-fruit juice, chocolate, vanilla and sweet spices. It has volume and depth, ripe smooth tannins, and a long finish of ripe red fruit.
Final Word
Nostos means a yearning to return to one's homeland. Manousakis Winery also produces Tsikoudia, the local grape distillate.