Santorini Wine Guide: Assyrtiko, Vinsanto and the Volcanic Vineyards

Santorini is one of the world’s most extraordinary wine regions. Vines here grow on volcanic ash and pumice, with no phylloxera ever touching the rootstock — meaning some vineyards are among the oldest continuously cultivated on earth. Here is what makes the island’s wine unique, and how to taste it like a local.

The kouloura: baskets against the wind

Santorini’s fierce Aegean winds forced growers to invent the kouloura — vines woven into low, basket-shaped crowns that shelter the grapes inside. There are no green rows here: the vineyards look like fields of sleeping wreaths, and every basket is tended by hand.

Assyrtiko: the volcanic white

The island’s flagship grape is Assyrtiko — bone-dry, citrusy and famously mineral, with a salty finish that sommeliers describe as “tasting the volcano”. It keeps remarkable acidity even under the summer sun, which is why Santorini Assyrtiko is considered one of Greece’s greatest white wines.

Vinsanto: liquid sunset

Vinsanto is Santorini’s ancient sweet wine: Assyrtiko and Aidani grapes sun-dried for up to two weeks, then aged for years in oak. Amber-coloured, with notes of caramel, dried apricot and spice, it is the perfect way to end a tasting as the sun drops into the caldera.

Wineries worth visiting

The island has more than a dozen wineries, from historic canavas carved into the rock to modern estates. Perched on the caldera edge near Pyrgos, Santo Wines is Santorini’s largest winery and a highlight of any wine tour — its terrace is one of the most spectacular tasting spots in Greece, especially before sunset. Smaller producers around Megalochori and Episkopi Gonia offer intimate cellar tastings where the winemaker often pours the wine personally.

Taste it with a sommelier

The best way to understand Santorini wine is side by side with someone who makes their living tasting it. Our morning wine adventure with 12 tastings and sunset wine tour are led by certified sommeliers and visit three contrasting wineries — or go fully private with a private wine tour tailored to your taste.