Antigone Red Dry from Domaine Economou is considered the estate’s flagship wine and a distinctive expression of eastern Crete, produced mainly from very old Liatiko vines, often complemented by a small proportion of Mandilari, grown on low-yielding, often ungrafted vineyards in the Sitia region, and crafted through a slow, low-intervention approach that includes fermentation with indigenous yeasts and extended oxidative aging in large neutral oak barrels followed by long bottle maturation before release; in the glass it presents a pale garnet color with evolved, tawny hues, while the aromatic profile is complex and layered, combining red berry notes such as cherry and currant with dried herbs, leather, spice, cedar, and subtle oxidative tones of honey and tobacco, and on the palate it shows refined structure, polished tannins, balanced acidity, and notable freshness, leading to a long, persistent finish, with a style often compared to aged Pinot Noir or traditional Barolo and a strong capacity for further aging.
Producer
Domaine Economou is one of the most distinctive and unconventional wineries in Greece, located on the Ziros plateau in eastern Crete, where winemaker Yiannis Economou has developed a highly individual approach since the mid-1990s, shaped by his experience in Bordeaux, Piedmont, and Germany, while remaining deeply rooted in local terroir and indigenous grape varieties such as Liatiko, Mandilari, Vilana, and Thrapsathiri; the vineyards lie at elevations of around 600–650 meters in a rugged, wind-exposed environment, with old, often ungrafted vines that yield low quantities but high concentration and character, and the winery follows an organic, minimal-intervention philosophy with complete independence from commercial pressures, releasing wines only when deemed ready, often after extended aging in barrel and bottle, resulting in a recognizable style marked by complexity, subtle oxidative notes, pronounced minerality, and exceptional aging potential, positioning these wines as cult, small-production labels sought after by collectors and enthusiasts.