DOULOUFAKIS WINERY
Deep roots, traditions, and an innovative vision
Deep roots, traditions, and
an innovative vision
“If wine is just a word for you,
for me it is the life I’ve chosen!”
“I belong to the third generation of winemakers, following the footsteps of my Grandfather and Father. Wine for me is much more than a simple word… It is my profession, my hobby, my pleasure! Engaged with wine, I am a part of a tradition and a culture that goes back more than four thousand years in this place.”
– Nikos Douloufakis
“If wine is just a word for you,
for me it is the life I’ve chosen!”
“I belong to the third generation of winemakers, following the footsteps of my Grandfather and Father. Wine for me is much more than a simple word… It is my profession, my hobby, my pleasure! Engaged with wine, I am a part of a tradition and a culture that goes back more than four thousand years in this place.”
Nikos Douloufakis
The prestigious Douloufakis winery, located in the village of Dafnes, has a significant history spanning three generations and is now heading into the fourth generation with great success.
In 1930, grandfather Dimitris Douloufakis began professional winemaking in traditional facilities.
In 1960, Dimitris’s son, George Douloufakis, took over the family winery.
Phylloxera appeared in Crete for the first time around 1977 and destroyed most of the island’s vineyards. Replanting began in Dafnes in 1980 and lasted almost a decade.
In 1993, Nikos Douloufakis, representing the third generation in winemaking, took over the management of the company after completing his studies in oenology at the State Agricultural Technical Institute “Umberto I” – Viticulture and Oenology, in Alba, Piedmont, Italy.
In 2013, the red wine “Aspros Lagos”, 2010 vintage, won the “Grand Gold” medal at the Thessaloniki International Wine & Spirits Competition.
In the following years, it received other recognitions, such as the international wine competition “Sakura” in Japan, the British wine magazine “Decanter,” and later the American wine magazine “Wine Enthusiast.”
The recognition of Douloufakis wines continues to this day.
Nikos Douloufakis continues the reform of the private vineyards started by his father, developing not only mono-varietal vineyards with native Cretan varieties like Liatiko, but also planting international varieties like Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay.
Nikos Douloufakis introduces modern cultivation techniques, modifying some traditional methods, such as pruning and adjusting harvest dates.
Certified organic farming methods are applied to the private vineyards, supervised by a competent organization, and since 2006, five labels have been certified as organic products.
