Plyto is one of the few indigenous varieties managed to survive over the years that condense the strength and finesse of Cretan vineyard.
by Konstantinos Manouras, Winemaker of Th{eros} Wines Collectiva
Plyto, two syllables that condense the power and finesse that can be produced by Cretan vineyard.
Plyto is one of the few indigenous varieties of Crete that has survived thousands of years on the island. Despite its huge cultivation requirements and its great sensitivity to diseases of the vine, has succeeded in proving that nothing can destroy it. It was one of the dominant ones plantings for hundreds of years in the Prefecture of Heraklion and Lasithi but in the last 50-60 years was in the midst of the transformation of the Cretan vineyard and thus 99% of the plantings were destroyed.
Only in the last 20 years with the assistance of romantic visionary winegrowers was saved and not eliminated. How does a forsaken variety come back to the fore? Most basic of all are its features. Plyto is a lively and productive variety that produces grapes of irregular shape, medium round golden yellow pods has very concentrated sugars (210gr/lt), moderate acidity (5.5-5.7 gr/lt) and moderate ph up to 3.6. Practically these characteristics can produce wines of high value, as the management of such a grape in the winery can yield wines of great finesse, that do not tire and do not chatter.
Plyto
“It was a forgotten variety…Nowadays, on the spotlight”
Also, the reason that Plyto is coming back to the fore is the tendency of new winemakers to escape common varieties and revive forgotten rare varieties. After all, Crete is not limited to Vidiano and Kotsifali, but there are also other rare varieties such as Katsano, Lagorthi, Ladikiano, Melissaki, Begleri, Tsilores, Chardana, Siriki, Petrachladi, Platani, Acominato, Achladi, Valaitis, Voidomatis, Gaidouria, Dafnato, Diminitis. All these varieties , although long forgotten, in just a few climates of every region in Crete, will find their way to the top and over the years will be able to find themselves in the spotlight.
Finally, Plyto, like all the indigenous varieties of Crete, is the cornerstone for preservation of the Cretan vineyard which has been in a significant downward trend in recent years’ production due to climate change.
Plyto, although extremely sensitive to sunburn, survived the centuries and it was adapted because through observation the earlier cultivators recognised the sensitivity and did not defoliate the vineyard, but left the grapes to ripen in their shade, this is why the wines from Plyto give the sensation of fresh citrus fruits, such as lemon, unlike most modern Cretan wines, whose fruit status is from overripe to jammy.
“One of the few indigenous varieties of Crete, which survived thousands of years on the island”
From local stories, we know, that the older cultivators during the defoliation period, the work of the labourer was processed by geese, which consumed the fresh leaves from the underside plant. In addition, due to the susceptibility of the variety to diseases, most old cultivators did not plow the vine, so as not to raise its fungal diseases soil.
In summary, according to my own observation and management of the Plyto variety, I recognise the cultivation and winemaking difficulties that this variety has. But Rome was not built in one day and no struggle is in vain, as long as the cause is just and noble. The global markets seem to be turning more and more towards small winemakers, rare varietals and in endeavours with character. This also answers the initial question, “Why Plyto?”.
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