Santorini

What Santorini is

Santorini is a volcanic island in the South Aegean Cyclades, about 200 kilometres southeast of Athens. The caldera shape of the island is the result of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in human history (the Minoan eruption, around 1620 BCE). Vineyards sit mainly on the outer rim of the caldera, on volcanic ash soils (perlite, kissiris) that contain no lime, no clay, and no organic matter.

The wine tradition on the island is more than 3,500 years old. Vines here were never struck by phylloxera (the louse that destroyed nearly all European vineyards in the late 19th century). The sandy volcanic soil prevents the louse from attacking the roots. That makes Santorini one of the rare places where vines stand on their own roots, some root systems estimated to be 200 to 400 years old.

The koulara technique

Viticulture on Santorini follows an ancient training method called koulara or stefani. Vines are not trained on poles or wires but woven into spiral baskets flat on the ground. The basket shelters the grape clusters from the constant meltemi wind, keeps them low where night-time dew provides moisture (Santorini receives less than 350 mm of rain per year), and offers shade against extreme solar intensity. Every 50 to 80 years each vine is fully renewed by cutting the old shoot to the ground and training a new one, but the root systems are far older.

What it delivers in the glass

PDO Santorini wines must contain at least 75 percent Assyrtiko, often complemented by Aidani and Athiri. The wines are recognisable for their high acidity (pH 2.9-3.1), saline minerality, and long aging capacity. With age they develop honeyed notes, dried apricot, and a waxy texture comparable to old Riesling or Hunter Valley Semillon.

Vinsanto and sweet styles

Alongside dry Assyrtiko, Santorini produces Vinsanto, a traditional sweet wine made from sun-dried Assyrtiko grapes. Grapes lie in the sun for 12 to 14 days after harvest, then are pressed and fermented. Vinsanto must age in barrel for a minimum of two years for PDO status; commercial versions often 8 to 30 years. The style is dry-rich-sweet, with minimum residual sugar of 200 g/l, and keeps for decades. Domaine Sigalas, Boutari, and Argyros produce serious Vinsanto bottlings.

The critical point

Santorini is under serious pressure. Tourism has grown explosively since 2010 (around 3 million visitors per year on an island of 15,000 residents). Vineyard land prices compete with hotel and villa development, and in 2024 vineyard sale prices were 4 to 5 times higher than ten years earlier. The vineyard area shrank from about 1,500 hectares in 2000 to under 1,200 in 2024. UNESCO placed the vineyards of Santorini on the tentative list of endangered cultural landscapes in 2019. For the drinker that means: price rises are permanent, and availability keeps shrinking.

For the visitor

Visit between May and October (production season). Important estates for visits: Domaine Sigalas (Oia), Hatzidakis (Megalochori), Estate Argyros (Episkopi Gonias), Boutari (Megalochori). Many estates offer walk-in tastings; for premium estates reservation is recommended. Combine with the archaeological sites Akrotiri and Ancient Thera, both give historical context to viticulture that is older than most European wine traditions.