Vlatos, November 15th, 2019 – This is the time for making tsikoudia in Innachorio. Tsikoudia is only made in the Chania region of Crete. Tsikoudia is made from the Romaiko grapes, approximately 40 days after the wine was made, in a kettle (kazani) over a wood fire and cooled down with water from the river. A this time we have 4 kazanis running in Innachorio and these are the masters of those. Representing Elos, Perivolia, Milia and Vlatos are Vasilis, Vassilis, Giannis and Theodoris.

At the kazani all the good things of western Crete come together. Everybody is working the olives, there are fines wines and food, there is fire and water and dust, it is winter and the weather is mostly bad, men tell stories while making the local favourite spirit.