Why Santorini wine is different
Santorini has been making wine since ancient times, and its wine became widely traded in the Middle Ages under Venetian rule. Its vineyards are unusual for three reasons.
The soil. The island's soils are poor, made up of volcanic ash and pumice from past eruptions over porous limestone subsoils. They hold little water and few nutrients, which keeps yields very low.
No phylloxera. The vine pest that destroyed most of Europe's vineyards in the 19th century cannot survive in Santorini's sandy volcanic soils, which lack the clay it needs. As a result, vines on the island grow on their own roots rather than grafted rootstock, and many root systems are very old.
Basket-trained vines. There is little rain in summer and strong winds blow across the island. Growers traditionally train the vines low to the ground, coiling the shoots into a basket shape known as kouloura. The grapes grow inside the basket, sheltered from the wind and sun. You will see these low circles of vines across the flat interior of the island.
Around 1,200 hectares are under vine, an area under steady pressure from tourism development. Low yields and the labour needed to tend basket-trained vines by hand are the main reasons Santorini wines cost more than most other Greek wines.
The grapes and the styles
Assyrtiko is the island's flagship white grape, known for high acidity and a firm, mineral structure. Athiri and Aidani are the other traditional white varieties, and Mavrotragano and Mandilaria are the main reds.
Wines labelled with the island's name follow set rules:
- Santorini: a dry white of at least 75 percent Assyrtiko, usually without oak.
- Nykteri: traditionally made from grapes picked at night, at least 75 percent Assyrtiko, and aged in oak for at least three months. It is richer and fuller than the standard dry wine.
- Vinsanto: a sweet wine made from grapes dried in the sun for about 12 to 14 days, at least 51 percent Assyrtiko, with no added sugar, aged in oak for at least two years. Since 2002, Santorini has had exclusive rights within the EU to the name Vinsanto.
Some producers also make a less sweet sun-dried style, often called Mezzo, which sits outside the official categories.
Visiting wineries
Most wineries are on the southern and central parts of the island, around villages such as Pyrgos, Megalochori, Exo Gonia, Episkopi Gonia and Messaria, with a few in the north near Oia. They range from large producers with terraces facing the caldera to small family estates. The Union of Santorini Cooperatives operates Santo Wines near Pyrgos, one of the best-known tasting venues. The Koutsogiannopoulos winery near Messaria houses a wine museum in a cave.
Visits usually take the form of a guided tasting of several wines, sometimes with a tour of the cellar or vineyard and local food pairings. In summer, booking ahead is strongly recommended, particularly for sunset sessions on caldera-view terraces, which sell out first.
Planning in summer
The tasting season peaks between June and September. Harvest usually begins in August, earlier than in most of Europe because of the heat, and some wineries offer harvest experiences then.
- Getting around: do not drive after tasting. Use a taxi, a pre-booked transfer or an organised wine tour that visits two or three wineries.
- Timing: midday visits are quieter; sunset sessions are busiest.
- Pacing: tasting measures are small, but they add up over several stops in the heat. Drink water between wineries.
- Buying wine: wineries sell bottles directly and many will advise on packing for flights. Check your airline's rules on carrying alcohol in checked luggage.
Reading the label
When choosing a bottle, the label tells you more than the producer's name. Look for the style (Santorini, Nykteri or Vinsanto), the vintage, and whether the wine comes from a single vineyard or village, which some producers now name. Vinsanto labels often state how long the wine spent in oak, and older bottlings are noticeably darker and more concentrated. If a wine is labelled only with a grape name and not as Santorini, it may come from elsewhere in Greece; ask at the winery if you are unsure.
Pairing with local food
Santorini's dry whites pair naturally with the island's own produce, including fava (yellow split pea puree), cherry tomatoes and white aubergines grown in the volcanic soil, and with grilled fish. Vinsanto is traditionally served with desserts or local cheeses. Many wineries offer a paired tasting plate, which makes a longer visit a better-value lunch than a stop for wine alone.
