2024 Douloufakis "Aspros Lagos" Vidiano Crete Greece

Douloufakis is one of the standard-bearers for quality winemaking on Crete, and Vidiano is a grape I think more people should know. I visited the estate years ago and had the chance to do a vertical tasting of his regular Vidiano bottling — half a dozen vintages side by side — and the evolution of the grape in bottle was astounding. It's another one of my top picks for varieties to watch. "Aspros Lagos" — White Hare — is the bigger, barrel-aged expression, and it shows. Sourced from vineyards in the Dafnes region at elevation, where cooler nights help preserve the grape's natural acidity, this version is succulent and full, with real weight and a lovely waxy texture that never loses its freshness — apricot, honeysuckle, and a faint nuttiness that gives it real complexity for the price. A wine built for the table: think roast pork, creamy risottos, or aged Cretan cheeses.