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Douloufakis Vidiano grape wine

"Dáfnios" White
Douloufakis Dry wine


Rich | Pure | Elegant

Pale golden colour. Peach and apricot aromas are dominant and quince traces. There are floral notes of chamomile, jasmine and herbs. Rich flavour with the same dominant aromas. On the palate well-balanced acidity, full-bodied with a fine finish.



Protected Geographical Indication "CRETE"


VIDIANO


100%


"Dafnios" White was released in 2005. Its label was redesigned in 2010 and the last one in 2022. "Dafnios" derives from the name of our village, Dafnes.



#DafniosWhite #DafniosDouloufakis #Vidiano
Douloufakis Dafnios White Dry wine



Serving Dafnios White wine

Should be served at a temperature of 9-10°C; it would be a fine accompaniment to fish, like sole "meuniere", John Dory, grilled mackerel and weakfish. It would also accompany pork with celery, the traditional Cretan pork with leeks, lamb "fricassée" with lettuce. It would also make an ideal companion to chickpea soup with lemon sauce or salad of boiled chickpeas with herbs.

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Dafnios White Wine Vinification

Classic white vinification with fermentation in stainless steel tanks, at a temperature of 18°C. There is no barrel usage in either fermentation or maturation.


Alcohol : 13.0% vol
Residual sugar: 1.8 gr/lt
Total acidity: 7.3 gr/lt
Total Sulfur: 122 mg/lt
pH: 3.30
It can be aged up to 5 years. It develops a surprisingly different character over time. Fresh fruity aromas morph into butter, dense apricot, melon, wax, but also flintstone notes.
750ml, 1.5 lt, 3 lt

Dafnios White Awards

Year Country Competition/Degustation Vintage Distinction
2023 U.S.A. Wine Enthusiast 2021 91/100
2023 Greece Παύλος Γκέγκας, Wine Critic 2020 89(+)/100
2023 Greece Thessaloniki I.W.S.C. 2022 Silver medal & Spec. Dist. as the Highest scoring wine from Vidiano grapes
2021 Greece Thessaloniki I.W.S.C. 2020 Gold medal
2021 Greece Thessaloniki I.W.S.C. 2019 Bronze medal
2021 Greece Thessaloniki I.W.S.C. 2018 Silver medal
2021 Greece Thessaloniki I.W.S.C. 2016 Gold medal
2021 U.K. Jancis Robinson - Julia Harding MW 2019 16.5/20
2021 U.K. London, IWSC 2020 88/100
2021 U.S.A. Wine Advocate - Mark Squires 2017 89/100
2020 U.K. Jancis Robinson 2018 16/20
2020 Greece Thessaloniki I.W.S.C. 2019 Bronze medal
2020 Greece Thessaloniki I.W.S.C. 2018 Silver medal
2019 U.S.A. Wine Advocate - Mark Squires 2018 88/100
2019 Greece Thessaloniki I.W.S.C. 2018 Silver medal
2019 U.S.A. Wine & Spirits 2018 90/100
2019 U.K. Jancis Robinson 2016 17/20
2018 France Tasted 100% Blind - Andreas Larsson 2017 90/100
2018 Greece Thessaloniki I.W.S.C. 2017 Silver medal
2017 U.S.A. Wine Advocate - Mark Squires 2016 90/100
2017 U.K. Decanter 2016 Silver medal
2017 U.S.A. TEXSOM 2016 Silver medal
2017 U.S.A. Wine & Spirits 2016 87/100
2017 U.K. Jancis Robinson - Julia Harding MW 2016 16/20
2016 U.K. Decanter 2015 Bronze medal
2016 U.S.A. TEXSOM 2015 Silver medal
2016 France Tasted 100% Blind - Andreas Larsson 2014 87/100
2016 U.K. Jancis Robinson - Julia Harding MW 2015 16/20
2015 Australia The Real Review - Huon Hooke 2014 Bronze medal
2015 U.K. Decanter 2014 Silver medal
2015 U.S.A. Wine Advocate - Mark Squires 2014 89/100
2015 France Tasted 100% Blind - Andreas Larsson 2014 86/100
2015 U.S.A. Wine & Spirits 2014 86/100
2014 Canada Wine Align - John Szabo, MS 2013 89/100
2014 U.S.A. Wine Advocate - Mark Squires 2013 89/100
2014 U.S.A. Wine & Spirits 2013 86/100
2013 U.S.A. Wine Advocate - Mark Squires 2012 89/100
2012 U.S.A. Wine Advocate - Mark Squires 2011 88/100
2011 Greece Thessaloniki I.W.S.C. 2010 Gold medal
2009 Belgium Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2008 Silver medal
2008 Belgium Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2007 Silver medal
2008 U.K. London, IWSC 2007 Silver medal
 

Dafnios White Tasting Notes

Tasted in Country Tasted by Published on Vintage Wine tasting notes
2023 U.S.A. Emily Saladino, Writer, Editor & Recipe Developer www.wineenthusiast.com 2021 From an esteemed Cretan winery comes this lemon-colored Vidiano, an ancient, near-extinct indigenous grape revitalized by historically minded producers like Douloufakis. It has bold lychee and cantaloupe aromas, followed by citrus and floral notes on the medium-bodied palate. Aged entirely in stainless steel, this food-friendly wine has a crisp, acidic finish.
2022 Greece Παύλος Γκέγκας, Wine Critic www.gegas.gr 2020 Βαθύ λεμονί. Λίπος και πυρηνόκαρπη θέλξη στην μύτη, όπου βάζει να αναμετρηθούν το λάδι του αβοκάντο και το βούτυρο από διάφορα εσπεριδοειδή curds, με μιά απαλή βερυκοκκένια επίφαση. Υπεργινωμένα λουλούδια καλέντουλας και πικραλίδας, με αναπόδραστη αίσθηση ανθόμελου, το ευρύ μπαχαρένιο περιβάλλον κρίνεται ως αρκούντως πικάντικο με κακουλέ, μαχλέπι και τζίντζερ, ενέχοντας σαφείς βοτανικούς συνειρμούς. Ανθυποψία αρχής πετρόλ. Σφριγηλό στον ουρανίσκο, νόστιμο μέσα στην ελαιώδη και λιπαρή του υπόσταση, και κρατώντας ακόμα δυνάμεις και ελαφρά υπόνοια γιά ίσως ένα κλικ εξέλιξης ακόμα, φωτογραφίζοντας πιθανή πετρόλ εισροή. Ηπίως γεμάτος, βουτυρώδης όγκος, καίριας ωριμότητας φρούτο με απευθείας ανάθεση από το οσφρητικό μετερίζι που μπιζάρεται καλά από τονισμένα επίπεδα οξύτητας, ενώ βεβαιώνεται ο απολύτως πικάντικος προσδιορισμός του, όπως και η εν γένει θερμή συμβολή του αλκοόλ, μην αγνοώντας την επίδραση του θειώδους. Ίσως λίγο βαρύ σαν στυλ. Πολύ καλή επίγευση με ένα φευγαλέο ορυκτό πέρασμα, πολύ απαλά φαινολική αλλά και πολύ πικάντικη, σχεδόν καυτερή. Υπάρχει μία κιτρώδης έκπτυξη που υπογραμμίζει την οξύτητα, ενώ τα τσουρουφλιστά μπαχάρια και βότανα προστίθενται στον καύσο του αλκοόλ και του θειώδους.
2021 U.K. Julia Harding, MW www.jancisrobinson.com 2019 This is pale gold, a bit darker than I expected. Fabulous and already has a complex aroma of spice and cedar (not oak derived as there is no oak here, as far as I know), a lovely woody sort of freshness. On the palate, this isn't bone dry and in fact it tastes sweeter than I expected but it is still a relatively dry food wine. Intense, deep and flavourful. This is a fine example of the sort of quality that Crete is capable of today. It is spicy, golden, full bodied but not heavy. Flavours of apricot and orange but also the tangy freshness of quince. Concentrated and mouth-filling and still beautifully fresh. Beware of the very slight sweetness if you like your wines bone dry but I find this powerful, well balanced and delicious.
2021 U.S.A. Mark Squires, Wine Journalist www.robertparker.com 2017 The 2017 Vidiano Dafnios is unoaked, near bone dry and comes in at 13.5% alcohol. When last seen, this showed great. It still does, but it has some signs of maturity right now as well. That hint of fairly quick aging notwithstanding, this shows more complexity today, and the juicy finish is delightful, as well as invigorating. I like this more in theory than when I first saw it, but I do wonder if it will continue to age well. It's in a great place now. That's a hint.
2020 U.K. Jancis Robinson www.jancisrobinson.com 2018 Deep straw colour with green highlights. Lemon sherbet with leafy notes though a relatively light nose. Quite full and fruity on the mid palate but with quite enough acidity. A little bite on the end suggests this won't fall off its perch in a hurry. A little more robust and less sleek than the Alpha Malagousia 2019 just tasted.
2019 U.S.A. Mark Squires, Wine Journalist www.robertparker.com 2018 The 2018 Vidiano Dafnios is unoaked, dry and comes in at 13% alcohol. This has beautiful purity of fruit, as always, a sense of elegance and a fresh feel. I'm not sure it has as much power and depth as in some years, but it seems like the essence of the grape. The finish is long, tasty and delicious. At the price point, you can't go wrong.
2019 U.S.A. W&S staff www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com 2018 This is a refreshing, delicate vidiano, with an herbal, artichoke-like flavor. It’s a light white to pour with vegetable-based dishes all summer long.
2019 U.K. Jancis Robinson www.jancisrobinson.com 2016 Herbal nose – fresh green herbs rather than dried. Big and bold. Chock-full of personality. Real structure and grip. So great that varieties like these are now available internationally. This three-year-old wine has held up superbly.
2018 France Andreas Larsson, Best Sommelier of The World 2007 www.blindtasted.com 2017 Medium deep straw colour. Pure nose offering some yellow fruit, ripe citrus, some stony and floral hints. The palate has medium weight with good purity and generous fruit, peach and pear flavours with a bright freshness. Good density and length, nice character, purity and freshness.
2017 U.K. International Wine Competition www.decanter.com 2016 Honey and quince of the nose. Sweet fruit on the palate, juicy with mid palate concentration. A long finish showing good complexity.
2017 U.S.A. Mark Squires, Wine Journalist www.robertparker.com 2016 The 2016 Vidiano Dafnios is all Vidiano, unoaked and coming in at 13.7% alcohol. As clean and fresh as this is, it also showAuthors fine solidity in the mid-palate and a nice finish. Granting that it is a bit tight in its youth, its purity of fruit is rather glorious. This is not, to be sure, a wine (or grape) with much personality. It leans more to a dry, clean Chardonnay. It finishes with very little in the way of fruitiness--on other vintages, I've noted more--but it still manages to grip the palate, at least now and in its youth. It should open up a bit if you give it a few months in the cellar and it might be better in the spring of 2018. Finally, the winery and the importer advise that this can age for over 10 years, maybe as much as 15. How gracefully it will age and develop, as opposed to merely holding on, is still a question to me, though, and given variable storage conditions, let's go slow and be conservative. Take it in stages.
2017 U.S.A. W&S staff www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com 2016 Named for the bay laurel that grows around this vineyard, this smells deeply herbal, the sappy green spice overlaying a broad, waxy base of citrus flavor. It’s soft and a little spicy with alcohol, wanting a chill before serving with rice-and-herb-stuffed vegetables this summer.
2017 U.K. Julia Harding, MW www.jancisrobinson.com 2016 Fragrant, herbal, dry and chewy. Lots of character here with subtle fruit in terms of fruit flavour, but it has depth and concentration even without very definite fruit flavours, just herbal citrus on the finish. Stony, mineral and with a touch of spice. Tight and well structured.
2016 U.K. International Wine Competition www.decanter.com 2015 The darling grape of Crete. Smells ripe and fruity with a peach and floral nose. Outstanding value at this price. A convincing answer to Viognier with racy acidity.
2016 France Andreas Larsson, Best Sommelier of The World 2007 www.blindtasted.com 2014 Quite good intensity here, light golden colour but still youthful, so it has a green tinge. Quite tropical nose. There is ripe fruit here, a bit more ripeness than some previous examples. More in the direction here of yellow fruit, stone fruit. There is still a good presence of fresh citrus, like lemon or lime. Really floral, with hints of apricot, yellow plum. Perhaps a bit of oak, but in that case very discreet. There is a slight hint of nuttiness or something that reminds me of something roasted. Nice palate there. Medium weight but quite broad on the palate. With lush yellow fruit, underlined by lemon and lime zest, fresh almond. The acidity is well-integrated. Quite high acidity, good sensation of freshness on the palate. Medium towards long finish. Well-rounded, really juicy with a good purity of fruit. Good drinkability today and over the few coming years.
2016 U.K. Julia Harding, MW www.jancisrobinson.com 2015 Highly aromatic, mostly herbal, bay leaf and with some similarity to Sauvignon Blanc. On the palate it has that same herbal character but also a more stony side. Lots of tension and freshness and almost peppery on the finish (white pepper, like Grüner Veltliner).
2015 U.K. International Wine Competition www.decanter.com 2014 Mineral driven vibrant and fruity nose with charm and freshness. The big fresh fruit palate is balanced by really good juicy acidity, and has herbal tea hints adding complexity, long and really well balanced, lovely wine.
2015 France Andreas Larsson, Best Sommelier of The World 2007 www.blindtasted.com 2014 Medium deep straw colour, some hints of sweet citrus, almonds and nuts, good structure on the palate, pure and fresh yellow fruit with fine length and balance.
2015 France Markus Del Monego MW, Best Sommelier of The World 1998 www.blindtasted.com 2014 Bright yellow colour with green hue. Discreet nose with restrained fruit, hints of citrus fruit, apple and pear. On the palate well structured with good mouthfeel, medium weight and length.
2015 U.S.A. Mark Squires, Wine Journalist www.robertparker.com 2014 The 2014 Vidiano Dafnios is unoaked and comes in at 13% alcohol. This opened a bit on the piercing side, but as it aired and warmed, the texture became more velvety and caressing, while the fruit seemed surprisingly rich and sappy. Bursting with flavor, this is a tasty treat that is fruit-forward, but not merely fruity. It is a very nice bargain, too. If it is not quite as much of an overachiever as the winery's Femina (which has become one of my can't-miss favorites), it is no slouch in the value-for-money category. However long it theoretically holds, drink it young and fresh for best results. The more I taste wines from Douloufakis, the happier I am with them. They all seem to be overachievers. They taste great and the prices run from nice to amazing.
2014 Canada John Szabo, MS www.winealign.com 2013 Produced from 100% vidiano, one of the top white varieties on the Island of Crete, by one of it's leading proponents. The 2013 is somewhat subtle on the nose but the palate is explosively fruity and fullish, substantially flavoured and very ripe, with mostly yellow orchard fruit and some mango-guava-papaya tropical fruit. Very good length. A fine, fruity unoaked wine that runs in the same style spectrum as, say, viognier.
2014 U.S.A. Mark Squires, Wine Journalist www.robertparker.com 2013 The 2013 Vidiano Dafnios is a wonderfully fresh Vidiano with persistent flavor and lovely texture. Lively and clean, it is simply irresistible just now, completely charming and quite delicious. This is a relatively new winery on our shores, but every time I taste their whites in particular, I'm sold. When you see how fresh, enchanting and clean this Vidiano is, you may wonder why some are oaked (yet oak often does work). Each to his own, to be sure, but I think this is far more charming than the winery's own oaked Vidiano, also reviewed this issue. Drink now-2017.
2014 U.S.A. W&S staff www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com 2013 Plump and peachy, this is a soft, easy white for chicken souvlaki.
2013 U.S.A. Mark Squires, Wine Journalist www.robertparker.com 2012 The 2012 Vidiano Dafnios is quite charming, pure, solid and powerful, with a lingering, crisp finish. This is a grape most don’t know, but it does pop up on Crete in various versions. It looks like it has some potential for the future. I loved the earthy, minerally undertone and its focused persistence on the finish. Tightly wound and relatively full bodied, it shows beautifully, another winner from this newly arrived (on our shores) winery and a nice deal. Drink now-2016.
2012 U.S.A. Mark Squires, Wine Journalist www.robertparker.com 2011 The 2011 Vidiano “Dafnios” is all Vidiano, indigenous to Crete. I’ve seen it elsewhere on Crete, although this is the first time seen from this winery. It is clean and crisp with a slight lemony tinge early on. With sufficient body for its price range and nice persistence on the flavorful and juicy finish, this is a wine with good purity of fruit that is refreshing, but reasonably solid and round in the mid-palate. It should function well as a summer weight white, but it can also match up to some foods. It won’t reward cellaring. Drink it young and fresh. It should be great in the summer of 2013. Drink now-2015.

 

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