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FO L LOW / C r e t e DEEP TERROIR small vineyard he kept in Lampini, Rethymno. What sustained

me then, and continues to guide me now — because challeng-
es persist and always will — is the love I have for what I do.
In southern Crete, a young winemaker,
It is what I hope to leave behind, in my own way, for the next
Iliana Malihin, cultivates and vinifies historic generation. It is also the desire to support the people involved
in this collaboration, along with the deep sense of responsibility
vineyards, shaping a practice where memory,
I feel towards them.
land, and craft quietly converge. The ungrafted vineyards of Melambes are a living piece of
history. Do you also feel like a guardian of this tradition?
Interview by Despoina Sampson There is undoubtedly a sense of awe in working with these
centuries-old vines, as they carry such a profound history and
tradition. More broadly, I do not feel that I am simply a wine-
maker; I feel that my work is deeply connected to a wider social
purpose. The goal is not merely to sell wine, but to keep our
villages alive, to teach people to love and respect the land, and
to continue cultivating indigenous varieties while protecting the
heritage passed down to us by our grandparents. I would like
to see us reach a point where the work we do inspires others to
return to, or remain in, their villages, to cultivate the land, and to
live with dignity and a good quality of life. In that sense, we are
both guardians and continuators of a living tradition.
After the devastating fire of 2022, did you adopt a new phi-
losophy in the way you make decisions?
Our philosophy has remained the same: to cultivate with abso-
lute respect for both nature and people. After the fire, however,
From the calm of green vineyards
to the quiet allure of the harvest, A new generation of Cretan winemaking is tak- we had to come even closer to the land and learn to be far
Iliana Malihin moves with ease ing shape through voices like Iliana Malihin’s; a young oenolo- more patient. We chose to renew our burned vines using a tech-
between land and vine. gist reviving historic vineyards. In the following interview, she nique once applied by earlier generations who had also faced
speaks about resilience, responsibility, and the deeper purpose wildfires, allowing us to avoid replanting and preserve this in-
behind her work. valuable “bank” of genetic material unique to the area. What
In a region with deeply rooted traditions and a strongly male- the fire ultimately taught us is that any hardship in life can be
dominated culture of viticulturists and winemakers, such as overcome only if we have faith in what we do. It also served, in
Crete, what was the most challenging moment? a way, as a powerful filter of people, because it is in moments of
It is important not to overlook the role women have played in difficulty that one’s true intentions and character are revealed.
the culture and traditions of Crete. Particularly during the Mi- NASA’s interest in your region brought a global dimension
noan era, women held a prominent position. To be honest, as to something deeply local. How do you navigate this coexis-
surprising as it may sound, I have not experienced a particularly tence between science and tradition?
difficult moment, nor did I feel the need to prove anything be- Unfortunately, NASA’s interest was linked to an issue that has
yond the obvious. When I stood before the first five producers troubled the region for the past fifty years: recurring wildfires. It
and spoke to them about my vision and my dream for wine in is striking that the year they chose to engage with us was also
Rethymno and their villages, they saw the passion and sincer- the year this major fire broke out. That said, I believe it is impor-
ity in my eyes. That was enough to convince them, and they tant not to be dogmatic by placing ourselves entirely on one
placed their trust in me. Today, my collaborators number forty. side or the other. What matters is finding a balance.
What this shows is that, often, it does not take extraordinary If you had to describe your wines, what story would you say
effort, but rather simply being ourselves, guided by a genuine they carry within them?
purpose and a clear vision. They carry the story of people who were generous, open-heart-
Your work began almost “from scratch.” What kept you ed, and guided by a strong sense of integrity; people whose
grounded when everything (financially, physically, and per- hands touched and cultivated this rich Cretan land. It is a place
sonally) seemed to be working against you? defined by distinctive terroirs, a land with an intense, almost
My work truly began from nothing, as I do not come from a palpable energy. It has the power to draw you in, not only
family with a tradition in wine, apart from my grandfather, who through the contours of its landscape, but even through the
used to make wine at an amateur level for our home, from a experience of tasting it in a single glass of wine.•

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