Trigos & Opsigias

Creta Maris Beach Resort once again made it possible for dozens of visitors to explore Crete, organizing a traditional harvest and “opsigia” in the hotel's organic vineyard, within the context of the “We do local” operation of the resort.
These interrelated actions aimed to remind or even learn the traditional process of raisin production, reviving one of the oldest customs, “opsigias”.
Opsigias is a typical construction in the Cretan countryside, consisting of parallel rows of metal or concrete poles joined together by wires. Opsigias was used from the Cretan farmers to dry the raisins, the famous Cretan sultanas. The name opsigias derives from the ancient Greek opsimi that means cooked. From ancient times, the farmers collect the grapes in baskets that are immersed in a large bucket full of water and potash. As soon as the baskets drain the workers place the grapes on the wires of opsigias to dry under the sun!