Santorini is unlike any other wine destination on earth. This is not an exaggeration. It is simply a fact that becomes completely clear the moment you understand what is happening beneath the surface of this volcanic island. The vines here grow in soil made from layers of ancient lava and ash, shaped over thousands of years by the very eruption that transformed Santorini into the dramatic, crescent shaped landscape the world knows and loves. The island’s fierce Meltemi winds, bone dry summers and porous volcanic earth force the vines to dig extraordinarily deep for moisture, producing grapes of such concentrated intensity that the wines they yield are unlike anything grown anywhere else in the Mediterranean.
Santorini is the undisputed home of Assyrtiko, one of the greatest white grape varieties in the world. It also produces Vinsanto, a legendary naturally sweet dessert wine made from sun dried grapes, which has been crafted on this island for at least five hundred years. The wine culture here is not a modern invention designed for tourists. It is ancient, serious and deeply woven into the identity of the island. These are the five best places to experience it properly.
Table of Contents
1. Santo Wines
Overall Information
Santo Wines is the most celebrated and widely visited winery on Santorini, and it has earned that reputation entirely on merit. This is the flagship winery of the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Santorini, an organisation that brings together the island’s grape growers and winemakers under a single banner of shared heritage and collective excellence. Built in 1992, the winery sits on a dramatic cliffside perch that immediately takes your breath away when you arrive. The architecture is extraordinary, spreading across multiple terraced levels that descend naturally into the volcanic landscape. Santo Wines was recommended by Wine Enthusiast Magazine as the best place in Santorini to taste wine while watching the sunset over the caldera, and if you have ever stood on those terraces as the sky turns from gold to deep orange above the Aegean Sea, you will understand completely why. The range of wines produced here is exceptional, spanning crisp dry whites, bold reds, sparkling wines, oak aged expressions and the legendary Vinsanto dessert wine in both young and rare aged vintages.
Location
Santo Wines is located outside the village of Pyrgos Kallistis, in the southern part of Santorini, approximately four kilometres south of Fira, the island’s capital. The full address is Pyrgos Kallistis, 847 00, Santorini, Greece. The cliffside setting commands one of the most spectacular views available anywhere on the island, looking out over the vast caldera and the volcanic islands of Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni rising from the dark blue sea below. There is also a second wine tourism centre located in Pyrgos village itself, open all year round, with equally impressive views of the volcanic landscape.
How to Get There
Santo Wines is one of the most accessible wineries on Santorini. Direct buses run from Fira, Perissa and Akrotiri and will drop you just outside the entrance when you ask the driver to stop at Santo. If you are coming from any other part of the island, take a bus to Fira and change there for a southbound service. By car or hire vehicle the journey from Fira takes around ten minutes, and there is a generous on site car park that accommodates both private vehicles and tour buses. Taxis from Fira are also available and take around ten minutes. The winery is open year round, which makes it one of the rare wine destinations on the island accessible even in the quieter winter months.
Services and Experiences
Santo Wines is open daily from 9am to 10pm during the summer months, with extended opening until midnight at the height of the season. Guided winery tours are offered daily and last approximately twenty minutes, covering the production facilities and an introduction to Santorini’s volcanic wine heritage, including a short documentary film that tells the full story of Santorini’s vineyards with beautiful photography. Tours are priced at 12 euros per person and include two wine tastings. For those who want to explore the full range of what Santo produces, tasting flights are available from 18 euros up to 55 euros, covering everything from the fresh dry Assyrtiko through to rare aged Vinsanto vintages from the winery’s vinotheque. An excellent on site restaurant serves Mediterranean dishes based on locally produced ingredients, including produce from the cooperative’s own farmer members, all designed to pair beautifully with the wines. Gastronomy prix fixe menus are available for groups. A comprehensive wine and deli shop allows you to take the taste of Santorini home with you, and delivery is available internationally. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially for sunset tastings, which fill up weeks in advance during July and August.
2. Domaine Sigalas
Overall Information
Domaine Sigalas is widely regarded as one of the finest wine producers in Greece, full stop. This is not a casual reputation. It was earned through decades of meticulous work in the vineyard and the cellar by founder Paris Sigalas, a mathematics professor who fell in love with winemaking in the 1990s and dedicated his professional life to producing wines of international calibre from Santorini’s indigenous varieties. The results have been extraordinary. Domaine Sigalas was included in the Top 100 Wineries in the World by Wine and Spirits Magazine in 2016, 2018 and 2020, an achievement that speaks entirely for itself. The winery is located in Baxedes near Oia and cultivates Assyrtiko, Aidani, Athiri, Mandilaria and Mavrotragano in conditions that perfectly suit the natural character of each variety. Every wine produced here is a genuine expression of the Santorini terroir, and the tasting experience is among the most intelligent and rewarding available on the island.
Location
Domaine Sigalas is located in Baxedes, on the outskirts of Oia, in the northern tip of Santorini. The full address is Baxedes, Oia, Santorini, 847 02, Greece. The winery is set within the flat, windswept vineyards of the Oia plateau, surrounded by the distinctive low growing basket trained vines that are unique to Santorini. The tasting patio faces west, making it one of the finest places on the island to experience the famous Santorini sunset with a glass of something genuinely exceptional in hand.
How to Get There
The nearest bus stop to Domaine Sigalas is on the main Fira to Oia road, approximately a twenty minute walk from the winery entrance. Buses on this route run regularly throughout the day during the summer season. The winery sign at the roadside can be partially obscured by vines, so keep a close eye out as you walk along the road from the bus stop. If you are driving, the winery has its own good sized car park. By taxi from Fira, the journey takes around twenty to twenty five minutes, and the fare is reasonable if shared between a small group. From the centre of Oia village itself, the winery is a pleasant fifteen to twenty minute walk through the vineyards, which is a lovely way to arrive if the weather is mild.
Services and Experiences
Domaine Sigalas is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 8pm and on weekends from 11am to 8pm between June and October. Hours reduce slightly during April, May and October, and the winery operates on limited hours from November through March. Tasting options start from 12 euros per person, with guests able to choose four, six or eight wines to taste depending on how deeply they want to explore the range. The flagship experience is the two hour Vineyard, Wine and Gastronomy Tour, priced at 100 euros per person, which combines a guided walk through the vineyard with a tasting of ten different wine labels all paired with seasonal local food. For the most exceptional experience of all, a six course degustation menu paired with six wines is available in the tasting room for 150 euros per person, requiring a minimum of two guests and 48 hours advance notice. Individual wines and bottles can be purchased from the shop. The combination of world class wines, an intimate and knowledgeable tasting experience and a west facing sunset terrace that looks out across the Aegean makes Domaine Sigalas a genuinely unmissable destination for any serious wine lover visiting Santorini.
3. Venetsanos Winery
Overall Information
Venetsanos Winery occupies a place in Santorini history that no other producer can claim. Built in 1947 by the Venetsanos family, this was the first industrial winery ever constructed on the island, and the story of how it was built is as extraordinary as the wines it produces today. At a time when Santorini had no reliable electricity supply, the Venetsanos family designed their winery using the natural force of gravity to move wine through the production process from one level to the next. The winery was carved directly into the volcanic cliffside above the main port of Athinios, built from the top downwards across four different levels, each one lower than the last so that wine could flow naturally without the need for pumps or powered machinery. This architectural ingenuity, combined with the winery’s stunning location overlooking the caldera and the Aegean Sea, makes Venetsanos one of the most extraordinary wine destinations in the entire Mediterranean. The winery today manages 15 hectares of vineyards planted primarily with Assyrtiko alongside Athiri, Aidani, Platani, Mavrotragano and Mandilaria.
Location
Venetsanos Winery is located in Megalochori, above the port of Athinios on the western coast of Santorini. The full address is Caldera Megalochori, Santorini Island, 847 00, Greece. The position is dramatic and completely unlike any other winery setting on the island. Looking out from the tasting terrace, you see the full sweep of the caldera, the volcanic islands rising from the sea, the massive cliffs of the island’s western edge and the ferries arriving and departing from Athinios below. It is one of the most breathtaking views available anywhere in the Cyclades.
How to Get There
Venetsanos Winery is accessible by bus on the Fira to Perissa or the Fira to Akrotiri routes. When boarding the bus, ask the driver to make a stop at Venetsanos. The bus stop is a short three minute walk from the winery entrance along the main road. An alternative and slightly quieter approach from the same stop is to follow the signs for Suites of the Gods hotel up the hill, whose car park sits directly beside the winery. If you are driving, there is ample on site parking available. From Fira by taxi, the journey takes around ten to fifteen minutes. It is worth booking your visit in advance, particularly if you want a table on the sunset terrace, as it fills up quickly during the peak season and requires reservation at least 14 hours ahead.
Services and Experiences
Venetsanos Winery is open daily from April through to late October, with reduced Monday to Saturday hours between November and mid December, and a closure from December the fifteenth through to the fifteenth of January. Summer hours run from 10am to 9pm. The winery tour lasts approximately twenty minutes and takes you through the historic original winery interiors, which now function as a working museum displaying the machinery, tools and instruments used around 1950, alongside the modern production areas that continue to make wine of genuine quality. Tours are priced at 6 euros per person, and wine tastings start from 15 euros per person. The main hall terrace is the setting for wine tastings, where you can accompany your wines with local cold dishes including cheese platters, salads, dolmades stuffed vine leaves and Santorini’s signature tomato fritters, one of the most delicious things you can eat on the island. The sunset terrace is open daily from 6pm to 10pm between May and mid October, offering wines by the glass or bottle in one of the most romantic settings imaginable. Venetsanos also hosts exclusive weddings and private events, and its wines are exported to European countries, the United States, Canada and beyond.
4. Gavalas Winery
Overall Information
If Santo Wines and Domaine Sigalas are the grand names of Santorini wine, then Gavalas Winery is its beating heart. This small, fifth generation family winery in the village of Megalochori has been producing wine for over three hundred years, making it one of the oldest continuously operating wineries on the island. The fourth generation winemaker is George Gavalas, and his son Vagelis represents the fifth, a continuity of family dedication and craft that is genuinely moving when you stand in the ancient stone cellars and consider the generations of hands that have worked this same land. What makes Gavalas truly special, beyond the beauty and intimacy of the experience, is its commitment to reviving rare indigenous grape varieties that are on the verge of disappearing entirely. Gavalas is currently the only winery in Santorini that vinifies Katsano and Voudomato, two ancient indigenous varieties so rare that production is limited to just a few thousand bottles per year. The winery today produces eleven different wines in a total of 90,000 bottles annually, all from indigenous Santorini varieties and all expressing the extraordinary volcanic character of the island’s terroir.
Location
Gavalas Winery is located within the traditional village of Megalochori, in the southern part of Santorini. The full address is Megalochori, 847 00, Santorini, Greece. The winery building is a beautifully preserved old stone canava, the traditional Santorini name for a wine cellar, featuring the island’s characteristic volcanic stone floors, curved coved ceilings and thick walls that keep the interior cool even in the height of summer. Unlike the cliffside wineries, Gavalas is embedded in the fabric of the village itself, which gives the whole experience a wonderfully authentic and grounded quality that is increasingly rare on the island.
How to Get There
The nearest bus stop to Gavalas Winery is in Megalochori, approximately a seven to ten minute walk from the winery along the village path. Buses heading south from Fira towards Perissa, Perivolos and Akrotiri make regular stops in Megalochori. If you are coming from Oia or Imerovigli, you will need to change buses in Fira. From the Megalochori bus stop, follow the signs pointing towards Megalochori Square and Gavalas Winery. The winery can be a little difficult to find if you are driving without a map, as the village lanes are narrow and not always well signed from the main road. A Google Maps search for Gavalas Winery will give you reliable turn by turn navigation. There is limited on site parking but it is usually manageable outside of peak hours. Drop in visits are welcome, but calling ahead or booking online is strongly recommended, particularly for larger groups or weekend visits.
Services and Experiences
Gavalas Winery is open daily from 10am to 8pm between April and October. Tours last approximately 45 to 60 minutes and begin with a presentation of Santorini’s wines and the unique character of the island’s volcanic terroir, before moving into the traditional part of the winery including the old wine cellar and original grape stomping rooms, then continuing to the modern production area with stainless steel tanks, the bottling line and the wine press. Four tasting programmes are available. The introductory tasting of four wines covering the key white and red indigenous varieties is a wonderful entry point. The White Expressions of Santorini programme allows you to explore four different expressions of Assyrtiko alongside rare white varieties. The Explore Santorini option covers five wines with small food pairings over 75 minutes. The Premium and Rare programme, also 75 minutes, is the most exceptional of all, taking you through six wines including the ultra limited Katsano and Voudomato labels that you simply cannot find anywhere else on the island. Tasting prices range from 10 euros for three wines up to 20 euros for seven. Wines can be purchased directly from the reception, and the full range is also available for international export.
5. Estate Argyros
Overall Information
Estate Argyros is one of the most respected names in Santorini wine, and among serious wine enthusiasts it carries a reputation that extends well beyond the island and well beyond Greece. Founded by the Argyros family and now run by Mattheos Argyros, the estate manages the largest privately owned vineyard on Santorini, a remarkable 100 acres of organically farmed vines spread across the best sites in the island’s southern plateau. The vines here are extraordinarily old. Some of the estate’s basket trained Assyrtiko vines are well over 200 years of age, a fact that gives the wines an extraordinary depth and complexity that younger vineyards simply cannot replicate. Estate Argyros is particularly celebrated for its Vinsanto, which is widely regarded as the finest dessert wine produced anywhere in the Cyclades. Their regular Assyrtiko whites are equally impressive, balancing the volcanic mineral salinity of the Santorini terroir with a freshness and elegance that makes them some of the most compelling dry whites in Europe. This is a winery that takes everything it does with the utmost seriousness, and the results in the glass justify every ounce of that dedication.
Location
Estate Argyros is located in Episkopi Gonia, in the south of Santorini, close to the village of Megalochori. The full address is Episkopi Gonia, Megalochori, Santorini, 847 00, Greece. The estate is surrounded by a breathtaking expanse of ancient vineyards, and the feeling of arriving here is completely different from the more dramatic cliffside wineries. This is a place that feels entirely focused on the vines, the grapes and the wine, with the land itself very much at the centre of everything.
How to Get There
Estate Argyros is best reached by hire car or scooter, as public transport to this part of the island requires a southbound bus from Fira and a short walk or taxi from the nearest stop. From Fira, the journey by car takes around fifteen to twenty minutes, heading south through the island’s interior. Several wine tour operators based in Fira and Oia include Estate Argyros as part of guided wine excursions, which is an excellent option given the estate’s relatively remote setting. Your hotel concierge will be able to recommend a reputable operator or arrange a private transfer for you. Given the estate’s reputation and the quality of the tasting experience, the journey is absolutely worth every minute it takes to get there.
Services and Experiences
Estate Argyros offers guided wine tours and tastings for visitors, and the experience here is considered among the finest available on the island by those who take Santorini wine seriously. The tour takes guests through the ancient vineyard, introducing the extraordinary old vine Assyrtiko and the traditional basket training method, the only vine training technique capable of protecting the grapes from Santorini’s powerful winds. From the vineyard, the tour moves into the winery and cellar facilities, where guests learn about the production of both the dry Assyrtiko whites and the legendary Vinsanto. The tasting that follows is a genuine highlight, covering the estate’s full range from the crisp and mineral Atlantis Assyrtiko through to the extraordinary Vinsanto aged in oak barrels for a minimum of two years. All wines are accompanied by locally sourced Santorini delicacies. Wines from Estate Argyros are available to purchase at the winery and are exported to wine markets across Europe, the United States, Asia and Australia. Pre booking is required for all visits. The estate is open during the main tourist season from April through October, and private tastings can be arranged outside of these months by direct contact with the estate.
Tips for Wine Lovers Visiting Santorini
Santorini is one of the great wine destinations of the world, and with the right approach you can have an experience here that rivals any wine region on earth. Here are some things worth knowing before you go.
- Assyrtiko is the king of Santorini wine. Dry, mineral, saline and utterly unlike any other white grape variety, it is what this island does better than anywhere else in the world. Try as many expressions of it as you can.
- Vinsanto is not to be missed. Made from Assyrtiko, Aidani and Athiri grapes left to dry in the sun for at least fourteen days, this naturally sweet dessert wine has been produced on Santorini for at least five centuries. A well aged example, particularly from Estate Argyros or Santo Wines, is one of the most remarkable wine experiences available anywhere in Europe.
- Book sunset tastings weeks in advance during July and August. Santo Wines, Venetsanos and Domaine Sigalas all fill their sunset hour tables very quickly. Arriving without a reservation during peak season is likely to result in disappointment.
- The best time for wine visits is between April and October, though Santo Wines, Domaine Sigalas and Venetsanos all operate to varying degrees outside of this window for those visiting in the quieter months.
- Ask about the rare varieties at Gavalas Winery. Katsano, Voudomato and Mavrotragano are varieties that may disappear from the island entirely within a generation. Tasting them is a genuine privilege.
- The basket vine training system, known locally as the kouloura, is unique to Santorini. Every vineyard tour here will show you these ancient, low growing spirals of vine, some of them over two centuries old. They are one of the most remarkable sights in all of Greek winemaking, and understanding them will transform how you experience every sip.
Santorini wine is not simply something you drink on holiday. It is the product of three thousand years of human ingenuity, volcanic geology and the kind of natural determination that can only be understood by looking at a two hundred year old vine clinging to black volcanic pumice in the middle of the Aegean Sea. Take the time to understand it properly, and Santorini will give you one of the most extraordinary wine experiences of your life.