Are you wondering what Santorini winery to visit? This is your guide to the best wineries in Santorini! Santorini is famous for it’s caldera views, white-washed homes, blue domes, and honeymoons. But did you know that Santorini is also the #1 destination in Greece for wine? There are over 20 Santorini wineries! Santorini is known for the grape Assyrtiko who’s wine has been compared to some of the most expensive wines in the world. The volcanic soils and unique ways that grapes are grown, make wine tasting in Santorini an absolute must. When you’re visiting Santorini be sure to pop in to at least a few wineries. Check out this list of do’s and don’ts before you go. Below you’ll find:
- Santorini wineries with the best wine
- Santorini wineries with the most spectacular views
- Best food experiences at wineries in Santorini
- Fun and authentic wine experiences in Santorini
- Wineries with the Best Wines in Santorini
- Choose a Santorini Winery with the Best View
- Best Santorini Winery for Food
- Unique Wineries of Santorini
- Book a Wine Tour in Santorini
Before you go…
Be prepared to buy up all those delicious Santorini wines and take them home safely with a wine suitcase. Here is my guide to picking the best wine suitcase for your wine travels.
Wineries with the Best Wines in Santorini
If you’re a wine lover, these are the wineries in Santorini to visit. I love them all and I couldn’t choose just 1 Santorini winery based on the wines alone. In my never humble opinion, these are the Santorini wineries that make the best wine.
Vassaltis Vineyards in Vourvoulos, Santorini
Vassaltis Vineyards is the newest Santorini winery with incredible wines. It is a modern and sleek winery yet fits into the landscape of the vineyards. The family has been grape growers on the island for generations but sold their grapes to other wineries. In 2010, Yannis Valambous, who inherited the vineyards from his father, decided to break ground and build a winery to produce his own wines. The goal was simple; make great wine.
Wine Experiences at Vassaltis Vineyards
Vassaltis Winery offers 4 different wine tasting options.
- The Line-Up: Taste their new releases along side small bites
- Tour & Wine: Tour the vineyards and the wine cellar plus wine tasting
- Signature Tasting: Taste their best reserve wines, single vineyard wines with food pairing
- Menu Degustation: A 5-course tasting menu with accompanying wine pairing
You are welcome to spend as much time as you like when visiting Vassaltis Winery. After your tasting or tour, you can choose a glass of any of their wines and order food from the menu a la carte.
What Wines to Try at Vassaltis Vineyards
Vassaltis Winery has a diverse selection of wines to try. Here are my favorites.
- Pet Nat: sparkling wine of Savvatiano made in the ancestral method.
- Nassitis: a blend of Assyrtiko, Athiri, and Aidani at a great value.
- Gramina: single vineyard Assyrtiko with a bit of barrel ageing.
- Mavrotragano: a bold red wine from the native Mavrotragano grape.
Hatzidakis Winery in Pyrgos Kalistis
Hatzidakis Winery is a family owned and operated winery in the southern half of the island of Santorini. Seemingly, this winery has manage to stay true to themselves despite the mass tourism around them. Their objective is to keep making great wine as they always have. You will not find a state-of-the-art tasting room at Hatzidakis. You’ll find a humble family cherishing their organic vineyards and staying true to their roots.
Wine Experiences at Hatzidakis Winery
It’s a steep hill down to the winery but it is worth it. The Hatzidakis Winery staff is very warm and welcoming. You can enjoy a guided tour of their barrel caves and learn about the family, grape-growing, and their wine philosophy on one of their tours. You must make an appointment.
Wines to Try at Hatzidakis Winery
Even if you do not make it to Hatzidakis Winery, be sure to order their wines in the local restaurants.
- Aidani: a dry white wine from the grape Aidani. You can identify this bottle from the child’s drawing on the label.
- Assyrtiko de Louros- An old-vine Assyrtiko.
- Nyxteri- made from very ripe Assyrtiko grapes and aged in a barrel.
- Vin Santo- dessert wine that’s been aged for 16 years in barrel.
Gavalas Winery in Megalochori, Santorini
What I love best about visiting Gavalas Winery is that you’ll feel like you’re visiting a friend’s winery and not some stuffy tasting room. You’ll have the opportunity to taste all their wines including the extremely rare grapes: Katsano and Voudomato. The winery is rustic and the hospitality you will receive matches that old-school style. It is very likely that you’ll meet one of the family members. Despite having no Wi-Fi, they do have an online booking system.
Wines to try at Gavalas Winery
- Assyrtiko in the blue bottle: 100% Assyrtiko from old vines.
- Katsano: A truly unique grape.
- Voudomato: Rose wine. Another extremely rare grape.
- Mavrotragano: A bold red wine. Pick this up if you want to age a wine to open in 10+ years.
Estate Argyros in Episkopi Gonias, Santorini
Argyros Winery is one of the oldest wineries in Santorini. The Argyros family has been making wine on the island for over a century. Their winery is set among the vineyards of the newly-renovated estate. As you look around, you may be confused as to where the vineyards are; you’ll only see little round shrubs. This is because Santorini grows grapes on the ground! The winds are extreme and the grapes are protected in a vine basket called a koulouri. Take a closer look at the vines when visiting Estate Argyros; it’s fascinating. Book a tour to Argyros Winery here.
Wine Tour Options at Estate Argyros in Santorini
Estate Argyros offers 2 different ways to taste their wines. Their first wine tasting package is a tour of the facility and vineyards, and a tasting of 4 of their wines. The cost is 15€ and lasts 45 minutes. What I recommend is the food and wine pairing experience at Estate Argyros. This wine tour option includes a wine tasting of 7 of their wines as well as food and wine pairing suggestions. The wines are served with a charcuterie platter. The cost is 40€ and the duration is an hour and a half. There are also many guided tours that provide transportation as well.
What Wines to Try at Estate Argyros
When visiting Argyros Winery, you must try their Vin Santo. Vin Santo is made in an ancient method of making dessert wines. The grapes are dried in the hot Santorini sun until they are nearly raisins to concentrate the sugars. This results in a natural sweet and delicious wine perfectly balanced by the acidity of the grapes. Another thing I love about Argyros wines is that their entry-level wines are a great value. Of course, their estate wines will thrill you.
Choose a Santorini Winery with the Best View
This may be rude to say, but a good rule of thumb while wine tasting in Santorini is: The better the view, the worse the wine. Yup, I said it. However, some of you may only have a day or two in Santorini and want to take in as much of the caldera as humanely possible. I mean, how else will you make your friends jealous with your Instagram pics? Now, don’t get me wrong, some of the wines are very good, but make no mistake, you are paying for the view. As you may imagine, these wineries are EXTREMELY busy and always flooded with tourists, especially at sunset. You’ve been warned. But if you book with a tour agency, you’ll have better luck than without.
Venetsanos Winery
If you’re going to pick a caldera-view winery, pick Venetsanos Winery. The wines are better and it is not as busy as Santo Wines. Truth is, the views are stunning. Their terrace is gorgeous, but again, you’re paying for the view. Keep in mind, it is still quite crowded especially around sunset. Be sure to make a reservation as far in advance as possible or go with a tour guide.
Wine Tours at Venetsanos Winery
If you hope to visit Venetsanos Winery, I advise you make your reservation well before your trip. The tables are often fully-booked. They offer a 30 minute tour at the top of the hour between 1pm and 5pm. The tour is 6€, the wine tasting is 15€ and then any snacks are between 8€-25€ per dish. This adds up quickly, but hey, you’re on vacation. If you’re vacationing to mend a broken heart, be prepared for a proposal every 15 minutes on the terrace.
Santo Winery
I mean, this is why you came to Santorini, right? The view is spectacular. Santo is the cooperative winery on the island. If I’m being honest, the wines have gotten better over the years but make sure you taste some wines from the family wineries as well to understand the magnitude of quality wines coming from the island. The winery is on several levels each with breath-taking views. To avoid crowds, it’s probably best to go with a tour company.
Wine Tour Experiences at Santo Winery
The winery has done a very nice job to accommodate their guests. There’s a short video that explains a bit of the history of wine making on the island. Their website is relatively easy to use for booking. Be sure to book well in advance. They offer several different tasting packages with some interesting food options as well.
Best Santorini Winery for Food
If you’re anything like me, you travel for wine and food. These wineries have the best of both worlds. Local ingredients, star-studded chefs; these are the best Santorini wineries for foodies.
Domaine Sigalas near Oia
Domaine Sigalas is just outside of Oia in a village called Baxedes. The view of the sea is distant but you’ll be busy staring at your plate! The wines are excellent and the wine pours for wine tasting are generous. You can create your own tasting flight and order food a la carte as well. You may notice that their are wines from outside of Santorini offered as well. This is because of a recent merger with Kir-Yianni winery.
Wine & Food Experience at Sigalas Winery
They offer three different set packages for wine experiences at Sigalas Winery.
- Wine & Vineyard: Tour of the vineyards plus a tasting of 8 different wines. Duration is just over an hour and the cost is 50€
- Wine & Vineyard with Lunch: Same as above with small local snacks. Duration is 2 hours and the cost is 70€.
- 6 Course Tasting Menu: This is what you should book. The 6 course tasting menu is an experience. Six different courses paired with wines and carefully prepared and presented. The duration is 3 hours and the cost is 150€.
Avantis Winery near Fira
Avantis Winery is the new kid on the block in Santorini though Avantis has been making wine on the island of Evia for years. They have a few different wine tasting packages to choose from. However, my suggestion is to take a cooking class or indulge in their wine and food pairing menu. They’ve hired Chef Yiannis Baxevanis to create an amazing gastronimic experience for their guests. They are very reasonably priced considering the quality they offer.
Oh wait, did I mention there’s also a spa?
Wine Experiences at Avantis Winery
- Santorini Experience: 5 wines from Santorini.
- Avantis Experience: Wines from Avantis wineries in Evia and Santorini.
- Cheese & Wine: Wine tasting with an assortment of local cheeses.
- Meze & Wine: A selection of meze along with the wine tasting.
- Cooking Class: Learn how to make 3 famous Santorini dishes with the chef. Includes a bottle of wine.
- Wine & Dine: Lunch a la carte with wine.
Unique Wineries of Santorini
If you want a true learning experience or to see how locals really live, these are the best Santorini wineries for you.
Koutsoyannopoulos Winery in Vothonas
The Wine Museum at Koutsoyannopoulos Winery is 300 meters long and 8 meters underground. I had a friend describe it as half Madam Tussauds and half Chuck E Cheese. And yes, it is a bit cheesy but you will fully understand wine making on the island. The audio-guided tour explains everything from history to grape growing to wine making. It’s a great place to go wine tasting if you have kids in tow. It’s also a nice reprieve from the heat. Included in the price of the museum ticket is a tasting of four wines. You can also upgrade to their reserve wines.
Art Space in Exo Gonia, Santorini
Art Space is an art gallery, wine museum, and winery all in one. Converted from an old wine cave you can taste wine while admiring the beautiful artwork. The staff does an exception job explaining the history of the winery and explaining the wines as you taste. Book a guided tour to the winery here.
Book a Wine Tour in Santorini
As a wine tour operator myself, I highly recommend hiring a wine tour company when visiting wineries in Santorini. The roads are narrow and crowded. Plus, you’ll be drinking wine. Best to leave the driving and navigating to a pro. Another perk is getting special attention at some of the busier wineries in Santorini. There are several wine tour companies in Santorini. These are the top 3 (alphabetical order).
Santorini Unique Experience Tours
Tell me about your experiences at any Santorini winery you’ve visited. Any other wineries you think should be on the list? Leave me a comment and let me know.