Cretan Heritage Krissa
The flagship of Cretan Heritage and a rare chance to taste Tsounati on its own — the Chania-native variety that most of the island blends into Koroneiki or leaves to the table. Picked early in October from the family groves at Sfakopigadi and pressed the same day at Glykorizia, with malaxation capped at 45 minutes and extraction held around 27 °C. Medium in intensity: olive leaf, herbs, almond and eucalyptus on the nose, medium bitterness and spice, and a long nutty finish, in the retailer’s description that the producer repeats. Its best result is beyond dispute — Athena 2024 Double Gold with the special prize for the best Greek oil, in the competition’s published list.
The facts
| Cultivar | 100% Tsounati |
|---|---|
| Harvest | October 2025, early |
| Polyphenols | 419 mg/kg, HPLC (retailer Olive Epitome, October 2025 lot) |
| Free acidity | 0.28% (same listing); peroxide 7.0 meq O₂/kg |
| Extraction | Same-day, ~27 °C, malaxation ≤ 45 min (producer) |
| Formats | 500 ml |
Awards
Where it's from
Tsounati is the old variety of western Crete, taller and later than Koroneiki; it gives a softer, nuttier oil and is the one the Kissamos hills were planted to before the twentieth century.
Tsounati — the varietyLaboratory figures
What has been measured on this oil, and who measured it
Qualifies for the EU antioxidant health claim
At 419 mg/kg this oil is above the 250 mg/kg threshold Regulation 432/2012 sets for hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives, as reported by the retailer Olive Epitome, October 2025 lot.