Wine Tasting at Douloufakis Winery in Crete: Six Estate Wines

Six wines, one pergola, the vines around you.

Wine tasting at Douloufakis Winery near Heraklion in Crete combines a short winery tour, a walk through the sunlit vineyards, and a curated tasting of six estate-crafted wines under a traditional pergola, with Cretan rusks and cheeses. The experience runs 90 minutes with a live guide in English or Greek. Minimum group size is two people; bad weather moves the tasting indoors to the cellar.

The Experience

What does it take to taste wine the way locals do in Crete? You start at Douloufakis Winery, just outside Heraklion, with a short tour of the cellar and then walk into the vineyards themselves—no sitting in a tasting room, but standing among the vines that produce what you're about to drink. The guide walks you through the rows, talking about the organic methods and the grape varieties that have grown here for centuries.

The tasting happens under a traditional pergola, where you'll taste six estate wines in 60ml portions each, with Cretan rusks, cheeses, and water to pace the afternoon. The whole thing takes 90 minutes, so it's not a marathon—it's the time it takes to move from the vines to the glass to understanding what you're holding. If weather turns bad, the tasting moves into the cellar, so the experience doesn't cancel; it just changes rooms.

You can book a Saturday departure or choose between noon and 2 p.m. starts on other days. The guide speaks English or Greek, and the minimum is two people—solo bookings may be rescheduled. Bring your own transport or arrange it separately; the winery sits a few kilometers from the city center.

What’s included

• Six estate wines in 60ml tasting portions.
• Cretan rusks and cheeses.
• water.
• a guided tour of the winery and vineyards.
• the traditional pergola setting.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcome

Operated by Οινοποιείο Δουλουφάκη

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to taste wine in the vineyard itself rather than in a tasting room—the walk among the vines and the pergola setting are what make this different from a cellar tasting. The 90-minute format fits a half-day outing from Heraklion without eating up a full day.

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Top questions

How many wines do you actually taste at Douloufakis?

Six estate wines, each in a 60ml portion, tasted under the pergola while you're still standing in the vineyard.

What's included with the wine tasting besides the wine itself?

Cretan rusks, Cretan cheeses, and water come with the tasting; you're also sampling the traditional food that pairs with the region's wines.

Can you do this if the weather is bad?

Yes—if conditions turn poor, the tasting moves into the winery's cellar, so you still taste the six wines but indoors instead of under the pergola.

How long does the whole experience take?

The tasting runs 90 minutes from start to finish, including the short winery tour and the walk through the vineyards.

What time can you book, and do you need a group?

Departures run on Saturdays or at noon and 2 p.m. on other days; the minimum is two people, and solo bookings may be rescheduled.

Is there a minimum age for the wine tasting?

Yes, you must be at least 18 years old to participate in the tasting.