The Whole Universe in a Glass of Wine at Dourakis Winery

Our story begins here in Alikampos. Our father, Andreas Dourakis, always envisioned his own winery in the village where he was born. His odyssey spanned from Germany where he studied winemaking to wineries in northern Greece where he honed his skills. His return home in 1988 marked the birth of Dourakis Winery. Logari, the first wine he produced here at the winery, was the privately bottled wine in Chania. We continue his vision for innovative and authentic wines that reflect our core values and the land around us. After years away studying and making wine for others, our father felt it was time to follow his dreams. In 1988, when we were young children, our family moved to Alikampos into our grandparents’ house.
It was there our father laid out the plans and his vision for Dourakis Winery. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the love and support of our mother, Eleni. At this time in the late 80’s, it was a huge risk to start a private winery in Crete. Most of the wines on the market were cheap bulk wines from the co-ops.
Our father had to convince a whole generation that quality wines that respected the Cretan soil and reflected our land were worthy of their attention. It wasn’t too long before Dourakis wines created a buzz for their quality and became very popular in the community. We continue to push the boundaries of what is possible; no dream is too small.
Visit our winery in the magical mountains of Apokoronas. Stroll through our botanical garden filled with Cretan herbs. Learn the winemaking process as you wind through the labyrinth of rooms including the sparkling wine room, cave cellar, store room built into the side of the mountain. Taste our delicious wines in our courtyard or indoors by our winemaking and folklore museum. We host stargazing nights, cooking classes, art exhibitions, concerts, and precious family moments like weddings and christenings. Plan the event of your dreams at our winery.

TOUR AND TASTING

Come and get to know the winery up close and indulge in the magic of the mountainous Apokoronas. Enjoy a heady tour to the botanical garden, the ancient winepress, and the verdant valley. Visit the production, bottling, and aging facilities. Taste the richness of the wines in the specially designed tasting room and don’t miss out on the folklore museum and art gallery.
Travel to the stars of Greek Mythology with Christos Sotiropoulos, a member of the Crete Astronomers Friends Club. Through a powerful telescope, observe the constellations that are connected to wine from Dionysos to Ikarion and Stafylos. We weave the thread of mythology through the constellations in the summer sky. Weather permitting, we will also observe the red planet, Mars, and the lord of the rings, Saturn.