Wine brings people closer, it promotes conversation, civility, and fascinating feelings.

Come and enjoy a tour and organic wine tasting at one of Crete’s top organic wineries nearby Heraklion Town (35km away) in central Crete.

Gavalas family is welcoming and do their best not only to make you feel welcome but to make you live a completely different experience as far as wines are concerned. Cretan hospitality at its best ...

The Gavalas Winery is a family winery located in Vorias Village among typical Cretan privately owned vineyards and follows the certified organic farming system DIO and ISO.

It cultivates international and mostly indigenous grape varieties. The varieties of red and rose wines are from Kotsifali, Syrah, and Cabernet sauvignon and white wines are from Moschato Spina and Sauvignon blanc.

Guests have a choice between three tour options. 

You could combine it with a visit to the old monastery of Saint George, Epanosifi, 10 minutes before the Vorias village.

The Story 

Emmanuel Gavalas planted the first vineyards in 1906. At that time he would use the Minoan dressed stone treading tank that used to be at the village of Agios Thomas, where he came from, to tread the grapes. The must was fermented into big storage jars. He transported the wine into leather flasks and he sold it to taverns and stores. Some years later he settled down at Vorias, a village 15km away from Agios Thomas where he planted new vineyards. He used to take the grapes to well-known wineries. Nikos ( current winemaker) grandfather Nikolaos Gavalas and his father Emmanuel continued the planting and the cultivation of the vineyards. In 2001 the vineyards became part of the organic cultivation system, as he believes that the organic products protect the environment from the pesticides’ contamination as well as the consumers, the cultivators and children. In 2004 he set up a most modern winery into the vineyards. Every stage of the vinification from the production to the bottling is done in a verticalized, modern unit. Nikos loves his job and will be glad to inherit it to his children so as not to be lost!

1.Classic Winery Tour

Price: 10 € per person
Includes : 
Guided tour of the winery, presentation, and explanation of the winemaking process and tasting of three organic wine labels ( "Efivos" white 2021, "Efivos" rose 2021 and "Efivos" red 2018) served with traditional Cretan cheese pies of grandmother, Cretan cheese "Kefalograviera", olives and breadsticks.

2. Winery & Vineyards Tour

Price 22 € per person
Includes : 
Guided tour of winery, presentation and explanation of the winemaking process, bottling, aging of wines, information on the cultivation of
vineyards and walk in the vineyards. 
Tasting of four organic wine labels  (Vidiano 2021, Vilana 2021, Mantilari 2018, Kotsifali 2019) served with traditional Cretan cheese pies of grandmother, Cretan cheese "Kefalograviera", olives, roasted sliced (served cold), baked potatoes and Cretan salad.

General Notes:

- The winery is open daily from 09.30 to 16:30 and on weekend after appointment.
- Max. Number of Persons per Winery Tour: 1-25 
- Duration: Approx. 40 min.
- All tours available in English and Greek
- Private parking is available on the Estate premises.
- Rates include all taxes.

PS. Please clarify in your request, which one of the above tours you would prefer to join. Many thanks!