PDO MALVASIA HANDAKAS – CANDIA

The PDO Malvasia Handakas-Candia zone, established in 2011, is one of the largest in
Crete and is a twin wine entity with the PDO Handakas-Candia. It extends across
almost the entire regional unit of Heraklion, embracing a wide variety of soil and
microclimatic characteristics, except for a few areas at its edges. Reviving the
tradition of the famous medieval “Malvasia” wines exported from Crete to the West,
the modern PDO Malvasia Chandakas-Candia concerns exclusively white sweet wines
from sun-dried grapes. These wines can be either naturally sweet or fortified, with a
required aging of at least 24 months in oak barrels. Their base is an aromatic and
structurally complex blend of Cretan varieties —Assyrtiko, Athiri, Vidiano,
Thrapsathiri and Liatiko (with white vinification)— at a rate of at least 85%, while a
small participation (up to 15%) is allowed of Muscat Spinas and Malvasia di Candia
Aromatica, enhancing the fruitiness and bouquet of the wines.