Santorini is the proud home of some of the world’s most ancient grapevines, going back many centuries, the most coveted being the island’s unique Assyrtiko grape variety, which yields a delicious, crisp white wine, perfect for our balmy summer days…
The Santorini vine is a hardy lot, surviving massive windstorms, volcanic eruptions, and agricultural diseases that have devastated vineyards across Europe and the USA.
For this, Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, has blessed us with excellent fortune, which we are delighted to share with you, and the world!
Santorini’s strong and resilient vines have the expertise of their loving producers’ ancient pruning techniques, which allow their healthy renewal year after year. Then they are uniquely woven into a basket-like formation, protecting them from the island’s high winds and allowing them to savor the precious morning dew while shaded from the day’s most intense sun. And while over sixty grape varieties can be found on Santorini, the popular Assyrtiko is by far the most abundant, taking center stage and 75% of the island production, and for good reason! Complex and adaptable, it is used in a variety of dry, sweet, semi-sweet, and even sparkling wines. Santorini’s drier wines are labelled as Nykteri, and our sweeter wines use a mix of Assyrtiko, Aidano and Athiri grapes, the most popular being the famous Santorini dessert wine, Vinsanto.
We strongly suggest you try them all!
Today’s modern Santorini wine producers offer a staggering variety to savor, and fascinating winery experiences, warranting a memorable visit to one of our finest wineries, which we have carefully chosen for our tour guests, to reflect the full history and unique tastes of this long and storied tradition. Beginning in earnest in the early 1990’s, wine tourism in Santorini has become widely known throughout the world, with abundant exporting of product as well. From your simple hometown Greek taverna to gourmet restaurants, and in almost every specialty wine shop around the world, you can now find Greek wines, with the finest selections from right here in Santorini! But nowhere else but here can you take advantage of the grand opportunity to sample every single variety of fine Santorini wine!
On our daily island tours, we will highlight this grand tradition of Santorini wine with an expert wine tasting and food pairing experience you will never forget…
So, join us and Taste the Tradition!
