New Wine Paths Opened by Romeiko | Anoskeli Winery Showcases the Local Cretan Variety
Since 2019, Stone Wine has been produced in 300 numbered bottles using the Solera method, blending five different vintages in a way that harmoniously highlights the unique characteristics of the variety. The result is a complex wine, with an intense amber color and red highlights, ripe tannins, medium acidity, intense aromas of plums and quince, and a long spicy finish. This year, Stone Wine received two important distinctions: a Silver Medal at the Thessaloniki International Wine and Spirits Competition and a Gold Award at the Cretan Taste Awards, thus rewarding the effort to upgrade the special Cretan variety Romeiko.
Anoskeli SA was founded in 1983 by the seven siblings of the Mamidakis family and took its name from their birthplace, Anoskeli, a small semi-mountainous village a few kilometers outside Chania. Growing up in the village under difficult conditions and bleak prospects for the future, the siblings decided to move to Athens in search of a better future. Over the years, the family, led by the great visionary Kyriakos Mamidakis, became active in various sectors, such as petroleum trade, shipping, and hotels.
In parallel with their business successes, always maintaining a high sense of locality, heritage, and tradition, the family invested in agricultural activities in Anoskeli, focusing on olives and olive oil. Over time, the company evolved into a modern olive mill and standardization unit, producing superior quality and award-winning olive oil products, which have been established in the Greek market and abroad.
In 2009, the company invested in the construction of a modern boutique winery, utilizing the privately owned vineyards located in the wider Anoskeli area. The Anoskeli boutique winery now produces limited quantities of quality wines that highlight the rich terroir, local varieties, and history of the place. Since 2013, the winery has been experimenting with a special vinification of the indigenous Cretan variety Romeiko, a favorite wine of the founder Kyriakos Mamidakis, which accompanied every family meal, thus honoring him and his vision to promote his homeland.
Published in Wine Trails Annual Issue, Top 50, December 2021
