Start With Assyrtiko
Young, unoaked Santorini Assyrtiko is the clearest taste of the island's volcanic soil.
Learn Wine. Sip with Confidence.
Understand Wine. Enjoy Every Glass.
Wine Regions
Santorini's famous sunsets get the photos, but its wine deserves the attention. Learn why this volcanic island makes one of the world's most distinctive whites.
Start Learning
Santorini is a crescent-shaped island in the Cyclades, in Greece’s southern Aegean Sea. It is the remains of a volcano whose huge ancient eruption left the island covered in ash, pumice, and lava rock. Those volcanic soils are the key to Santorini wine. They hold almost no clay or organic matter, so vines grow slowly and give small, concentrated crops. The sandy soil also kept out phylloxera, the root louse that destroyed vineyards across Europe, so many vines grow on their own roots, and some root systems are very old. The climate is hot and extremely dry, with little rain. Vines survive partly on moisture from sea mist and dew that the porous soil soaks up overnight. Strong winds sweep across the island, which is why growers developed a remarkable way to train their vines low to the ground.
Assyrtiko dominates Santorini and is the reason the island is famous. It keeps very high acidity even in intense heat, which is rare, and gives flavors of lemon, lime, green apple, and white peach with a salty, flinty finish many people describe as tasting of the sea. Two other white grapes support it. Athiri is softer and lightly fruity, and Aidani is floral and aromatic. Both are often blended with Assyrtiko to round it out and are important in sweet Vinsanto. Red grapes are a small part of the island’s production. Mandilaria gives deep color and firm tannins, and Mavrotragano, once nearly lost, is now valued for structured, dark-fruited reds. If you know Sauvignon Blanc or Albariño, Assyrtiko will feel related, but with more weight, more minerality, and a longer, firmer finish.
Walk through a Santorini vineyard and you will not see neat rows of vines on wires. Instead, many vines are coiled into low, round baskets called kouloura, woven from the vine’s own canes and resting directly on the ground. The grapes hang inside the basket, protected from the fierce winds, sandblasting volcanic grit, and harsh sun. The shape also helps trap moisture from the night air. Every so often the basket is cut back and a new one is woven from the old roots, which is how some vines have lived on the same root systems for a very long time. Yields are tiny, partly for these reasons, which is one reason Santorini wine costs more than many Greek whites. Traditional wines also include Nykteri, a richer, oak-aged white whose name links to the old practice of working the harvest at night to avoid the heat.
Santorini PDO is the official name for the island’s dry white, which must be mostly Assyrtiko. Start there: a young, unoaked Santorini Assyrtiko is the purest expression of the island, crisp and saline with real depth. Many wineries now also make single-vineyard or old-vine bottlings with even more concentration. Next, try Nykteri, which is fuller and rounder from barrel aging, with notes of citrus peel, honey, and smoke. The island’s other treasure is Vinsanto, a sweet dessert wine made mainly from Assyrtiko and Aidani that are dried in the sun for days before pressing and then aged for years in barrel. It tastes of dried apricot, fig, raisin, and caramel, balanced by bright acidity. Good Assyrtiko ages well too, gaining honey and toasty notes over several years. Serve dry whites at 48 to 52°F and Vinsanto slightly cool.
Assyrtiko is a born partner for seafood. Its high acidity and salty edge work like a squeeze of lemon on grilled fish, octopus, calamari, and sea bream, and it is excellent with shrimp dishes and simply cooked shellfish. Try it with the island’s own specialties too: fava, a creamy yellow split-pea purée, and tomato fritters made from Santorini’s small, sweet tomatoes. Its weight lets it stand up to richer dishes such as lobster pasta, fried seafood, or chicken with lemon and oregano. Oaked Nykteri suits roast pork, grilled swordfish, and mushroom dishes. Vinsanto is a lovely match for baklava, nut cakes, blue cheese, and dark chocolate. For more ideas across the menu, see our guide to wine with seafood. Greek salad with feta, olives, and capers is another easy, delicious pairing for a crisp Assyrtiko.
Wine tasting is one of the best things to do on Santorini, and a welcome break from the crowded cliffside towns. Many wineries are in the villages of the island’s interior and south, such as Pyrgos, Megalochori, Episkopi Gonia, and the area toward Akrotiri. Several offer terraces with views over the caldera, which makes a sunset tasting a popular experience; book ahead in high season. Since distances are short, you can visit two or three wineries in an afternoon, but roads are busy and narrow, so use a tour or taxi rather than driving after tasting. Spring and autumn are quieter and cooler than midsummer, and harvest usually takes place in August. Look out for the old canava cellars, traditional winemaking buildings carved into the volcanic rock, and try a small glass of Vinsanto with dessert to end the day.
| Grape or Style | Character | Try It With |
|---|---|---|
| Assyrtiko (unoaked) | Bone-dry, lemon, saline, high acidity | Grilled fish, octopus, Greek salad |
| Old-vine Assyrtiko | Concentrated, mineral, long finish | Lobster, sea bream, roast chicken |
| Nykteri | Oak-aged, rounder, citrus peel and honey | Roast pork, swordfish, mushrooms |
| Athiri and Aidani blends | Softer, floral, lightly fruity | Fava, mezze, light salads |
| Vinsanto | Sweet, dried apricot, fig, caramel | Baklava, blue cheese, nut cakes |
| Mavrotragano (red) | Dark fruit, firm tannins | Lamb, grilled meats |
Young, unoaked Santorini Assyrtiko is the clearest taste of the island's volcanic soil.
Serve at 48–52°F; very cold temperatures hide Assyrtiko's texture and minerality.
A small pour of sweet Vinsanto is a perfect way to finish a Greek meal.
Learn Your Taste
Answer a few simple questions and discover styles that fit your palate.
Take the Wine QuizSantorini is famous for Assyrtiko, a bone-dry white wine with high acidity, citrus fruit, and a salty, mineral finish. The island also makes oak-aged Nykteri and Vinsanto, a sweet wine from sun-dried grapes.
Assyrtiko tastes of lemon, lime, green apple, and white peach, with striking acidity and a flinty, saline finish. Santorini versions are especially mineral and full-bodied for a crisp white, and they can age well.
Yields are very low. The volcanic soil is poor, rain is scarce, and vines are trained by hand in low baskets, so each vine gives few grapes. Land is also in high demand for tourism, which adds to costs.
Vinsanto is a sweet wine made mostly from Assyrtiko and Aidani grapes dried in the sun before pressing, then aged in barrel. It tastes of dried apricot, fig, raisin, and caramel, with fresh acidity balancing the sweetness.
A kouloura is a low, basket-shaped vine woven from its own canes and resting on the ground. It protects the grapes on Santorini from strong winds and harsh sun and helps the vine capture moisture.
Yes, but only a small amount. Mandilaria and Mavrotragano are the main red grapes. Mavrotragano in particular makes structured, dark-fruited reds that pair well with lamb and grilled meats.
