Making a bold leap out of her comfort zone of wine and viticulture, Alexandra Manousakis does it again. A decade after taking over the winery built by her father Ted, she is evolving and innovating the winery into uncharted territory by adding a traditional Cretan spirit once reserved for the villagers’ barns and artisanal distilleries.
The closest description of Tsikoudia to the non-native drinker is moonshine. It is made by distilling the pomace or pieces of grapes (sometimes including the stems and seeds) that have been pressed for the winemaking process.
It is a potent drink that contains large amounts of alcohol and is served in Crete after a meal in small glasses. Other regions of Greece and elsewhere in the Balkans offer similar varieties of this drink, but in Crete it is part of the heritage of the place and the people.
For a winery known for producing some of Greece’s best wines, adding Tsikoudia to its catalog is a bold move. Founded by Ted Manousakis, a Washington DC businessman who returned to his native village of Vatolakos, outside Hania in western Crete, Manousakis Winery has taken great pride and care in developing a range of wines which quickly brought international attention to Crete.
Backed by a 93/100 rating from wine guru Robert Parker, Manousakis has focused on quality at every stage of his winery’s development.
That’s when Alexandra enters the scene, the wind of inspiration and innovation who arrived in 2007 to take over from her father. After finishing her studies at New York University, her next step was to trade Manhattan for a Cretan village, as she sought to reconnect with her father’s birthplace and take the helm of a family business started by her father that meant more to her than numbers – it was her legacy.
Alexandra has made Manousakis Winery a destination, inviting hundreds of visitors to the winery each year to learn about Greek wine and share ancient winemaking techniques with people from around the world. She also showcased her love of art, often hosting exhibitions of her own work alongside wine tastings.
In 2010 she took a bold step and planted a vineyard with an ancient, almost forgotten Cretan variety called Vidiano and also introduced a range of sea salt and extra virgin olive oil called Terroir, the profits of which benefit a Local charity for disabled children located nearby. and dear to Alexandra’s heart.
In November, Alexandra launches Manousakis Winery’s Tsikoudia, created and distilled with the same passion and quality as all their wines and with a strong connection to the history and heritage of the thetsik1 spirit while using fresh design and innovative.
Alexandra tapped award-winning designer Marios Karystios to create the label and packaging, which pays homage to Tsikoudia’s history as a healer of various illnesses. Tsikoudia has a long history in Crete and is used not only as an appetizer, but also for its healing powers attributed to it by locals. Traditionally, most households produce this strong spirit and enjoy it either at room temperature or straight from the freezer.
The packaging is inspired by the pharmaceutical bottles of yesteryear which contain this mysterious liquid which has been more or less a local secret for thousands of years. The overall concept was developed by Alexandra herself to bring together Tsikoudia folklore, flavor and tradition.
The label is illustrated by Antonis Choudalakis and depicts the Minotaur planting a labyrinth of vines and wearing traditional Cretan costume.
