Lyrarakis Winery

“Lyrarakis” is the family name of brothers Manolis and Sotiris, who founded the winery on the island of Crete, Greece in 1966. Today, Lyrarakis Wines is run by the second generation of winemakers, supported by an extended family of skilled professionals. From the start, we have focused on reviving rare Crete grape varieties; our portfolio features more than 11 indigenous varieties, three of which were saved from extinction.

Dafni and Plyto, now well-known Cretan varieties, were first planted in 1992 in the “Psarades” family vineyard. Our latest rescue, Melissaki, found its home in the “Gero Deti” vineyard in 2010.

We continue to explore Crete for forgotten varieties and unique terroirs, aiming to produce wines with distinctive character. As sustainability advocates, we transitioned to organic viticulture in 2020, with a significant percentage of our cooperating farmers making the same shift.

As part of our regenerative approach, we have stopped plowing the soil and now use our own fertilizer made from organic waste from our kitchen, the winemaking process, and nearby oil mills. To adapt to climate change, we are moving to higher altitudes and converting trellising to the lyre system, among other measures.

Each year, we evaluate both ourselves and participating farmers in terms of water, soil, pest and ecosystem management, air quality, and community impact. Our yearly performance is publicly available through our Message-In-A-Bottle project.