PDO SITIA

 In the regional unit of Lasithi, Crete, the PDO Sitia zone developed in two stages: the
red was established first, in 1971, and mainly concerns the slopes of the
northeastern part of the Sitia region (such as Sitia, Agios Spyridon, Myrsini,
Piskokefalo, Tourloti, etc.). Many years later, in 1998, the white PDO wine was also
established, with the main cultivation zone being the Lefki plateau in the center of
the prefecture, around the villages of Ziros, Chandras, Armeni and other small
settlements at an altitude of approximately 620 m. Traditionally, Sitia was based on
red varieties —mainly Liatiko— which in the region produces grapes with smaller,
more concentrated fruits, giving intensity and personality to the wines. The
cultivation of white varieties began more recently and remains limited in volume,
although the combinations of Vilana and Thrapsathiri perform exceptionally in the
region. The PDO Sitia today expresses both the historical red identity of Liatiko
(often in combination with Mandilaria) and the dynamic of the white local varieties.
Sweet wines made from 100% Liatiko stand out for their concentration, elegance
and traditional finesse.