2018 Domaine Economou "Odyssey" Crete Greece
98DC
$74.99
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98
Decanter
Reviewed February 2026Giannis Oikonomou, a solitary figure on the Ziros Plateau, crafts wines that feel less made than discovered. After working at top estates from Château Margaux to Piedmont, he returned to Crete to work with ancient, ungrafted vines. His 2018 Odyssey Thrapsathiri reflects patience and a masterful touch of oxidation. Layered with honeyed richness, soft nuttiness and a profound depth. A wine that whispers of an older, more mysterious age, carrying you back to the days of the Venetians who once ruled this corner of Crete. (TK)
Staff Reviews
KM
Review Date: 07/2026
The Odyssey is made from Thrapsathiri, a grape indigenous to Crete, from old, own-rooted vines, aged in a long, evolved barrel style. Fans of the equally mythological Lopez de Heredia whites will find a kindred spirit here — cut from the same cloth, or maybe woven by the same thread. A crystalline texture carries dried apricot, dried lemon zest, toasted cashew, and praline. The wine finds its loudest voice after a few hours of air — a decant wouldn't be unwarranted. I tasted it across multiple bottles and multiple days, and it never let up, always pulling me back for one more sip.
Notes
Yiannis Economou is one of Crete's most revered and unconventional winemakers. After honing his craft at leading estates including Scavino and Ceretto in Barolo and Château Margaux in Bordeaux, he returned home in the mid-1990s to revive his family's old, own-rooted vineyards. Working primarily with indigenous Cretan varieties such as Liatiko, Thrapsathiri, Mandilari, and Vilana, he follows an intensely individual approach, often aging his wines for a decade or more before release. Every cuvée is guided by intuition rather than formula, resulting in wines of remarkable complexity, individuality, and a profound sense of place.
Details
| Origin | Greece |
|---|---|
| Type/Varietal | Other White Wines |
| SKU | 1921026 |