OiNotika 2026 (Cretan Wine Exhibition)

OiNotika 2026 (Cretan Wine Exhibition) is one of the wine festivals that anchors the Crete calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year. It is held at International Exhibition Center of Crete in Gournes, in the heart of one of Greece's most distinctive wine areas. The festival has been running since 2007 and reaches its 18th edition in 2026, giving it one of the longer track records among wine events of its kind. 500+ wines from Cretan and international varieties; flagship event for Cretan wine sector. Wine festivals across Europe typically combine producer tastings with food pairings, live music, and a strong sense of place. Visitors can expect access to wines from a range of producers in the appellation, alongside food stalls offering regional specialities, masterclasses or vineyard walks for those who want to learn more, and an opportunity to buy directly from producers at cellar prices. Many events run across multiple days or weekends, allowing visitors to sample different parts of the programme according to interest, and combine well with the area's wider tourism offer. The event is organised by Wines of Crete (Network of Wine Producers of Crete), which sets the tone and direction of the programme each year. Crete is one of Europe's southernmost wine regions, with a continuous winemaking tradition dating back over 4,000 years to the Minoan civilisation. The island has four PDO appellations: Peza (the largest, producing reds from Kotsifali and Mandilari and whites from Vilana), Archanes, Sitia and Dafnes. The indigenous grape varieties — Vilana, Vidiano, Thrapsathiri, Kotsifali, Mandilari, Liatiko — are unique to the island. Modern producers including Lyrarakis (credited with rescuing several near-extinct local varieties), Douloufakis, Manousakis and Diamantakis have pushed Cretan wine into international quality territory. Heraklion produces around 70% of Cretan wine, with the Peza region just south of the capital the main viticultural zone. The 2026 edition is scheduled for 27 February - 1 March 2026. Festival access is ticketed: Yes (€8 advance / €10 on-site). Full programme, ticketing and updated information are published on the official site at winesofcrete.gr. Visitors are advised to check directly with the organiser for the latest schedule, as festival programmes are sometimes updated close to the event date. Crete is reached via Heraklion (HER) or Chania (CHQ) airports, with Heraklion the natural base for the main Peza wine region (15-30 minutes from the centre). The island combines its wine offering with the Minoan archaeological sites (Knossos, Phaistos, Malia), the spectacular Samaria Gorge, the historic harbour towns of Chania and Rethymno, and the Aegean and Libyan Sea coastlines. Cretan cuisine — a Mediterranean diet reference point recognised by UNESCO — pairs the wines with dakos, kalitsounia (cheese pies), apaki (smoked pork), hortopita, and the island's olive oil, snails, mountain herbs and farmhouse cheeses including graviera and mizithra.