Winemakers of Crete Shine at ProWein

• Winemakers of Crete present Cretan wines at ProWein, Düsseldorf’s major wine fair (March 15-17);
• Event support from the Region of Crete and the Chamber of Heraklion;
• Over 5,000 exhibitors and 45,000 professionals from more than 130 countries attended ProWein;
• Eight Cretan wineries shared their stories and bottles at the unified Crete booth;
• Visitors sampled labels from 36 wineries at a bustling wine bar, guided by expert sommeliers;
• Informational displays highlighted Cretan grape varieties, protected zones, and the island’s striking landscape.

Crete’s Winemakers Pour at Prowein

Let’s start with the numbers because numbers only begin to tell the story. This year, ProWein—a word that will make any oenophile’s heart beat faster—gathered more than 5,000 exhibitors. That’s a global swirl of bottle-laden tables and polished glasses under the rattling lights of Düsseldorf, Germany. Over 45,000 professionals from at least 130 countries swarmed the halls, hunting for discoveries, tasting dreams in stemware, or simply talking shop. Among them was the unmistakable spirit of Crete, led by the Winemakers of Crete, which carried on the robust shoulders of eight wineries from across the island.

Their appearance didn’t happen by chance. Backed firmly by the Region of Crete—with a polite but effective nod from the Chamber of Heraklion—these winemakers brought a taste of the Mediterranean soil to Northern Europe. At the unified “Wines of Crete” pavilion, eight proud wineries lined up their bottles in an act of collective hospitality: Silva Daskalaki, Diamantakis Winery, Douloufakis Winery, Zacharioudakis Winery, Idaia Winery, Louloudis Winery, Dourakis Winery, and Strataridakis Winery. Their personalities differ, but each pours from the same heritage-rich cup.

The main event? Visitors crowded the bright Cretan wine bar—think laughter, clinking glasses, maybe a little controlled chaos—hosted by the ever-knowledgeable sommelier, Iro Koliakoudaki (Dip WSET, for those who collect certifications the way others collect corks). There, guests tasted nearly three dozen labels from Crete, some familiar, others ready to surprise your palate and stretch your assumptions about what an island vineyard can produce. Along the walls, colorful displays mapped out everything: native grape varieties, protected wine regions (the official acronyms POP and PGI for the true grape geeks), and the hilly, sunstruck geography of the island itself. For a brief moment, Düsseldorf will become a little Mediterranean.