The Extraordinary Terroir of Santorini
There are great wine regions shaped by rivers, mountains or centuries of tradition. Santorini owes its identity to something far more dramatic: a volcano. The eruption that transformed the island more than 3,500 years ago also created one of the world’s most distinctive wine landscapes. Beneath the vineyards lies a unique blend of volcanic ash, pumice and lava, soils naturally poor in organic matter yet exceptionally rich in minerals. Equally remarkable is what the island lacks. Santorini has never been affected by phylloxera, the vine-destroying insect that devastated most European vineyards during the nineteenth century. As a result, many vines continue to grow on their original rootstock, some believed to be among the oldest living vineyards in Europe, preserving an unbroken link between today’s wines and an ancient winemaking tradition.
Growing vines on Santorini has never been easy. Fierce Aegean winds, intense summer heat and very little rainfall challenge the vineyards throughout the year. To protect the grapes, generations of growers developed the kouloura, the island’s distinctive basket shaped training method, where each vine is carefully woven close to the ground. Hidden inside this living basket, the fruit is sheltered from the wind while benefiting from the moisture carried by the sea breeze and absorbed overnight by the volcanic soil.
According to renowned, based on the island, sommelier Maria Kollida, Santorini is one of those rare places where the environment leaves an unmistakable signature on every bottle. Here, wine is not simply produced on volcanic land; it is shaped by the constant dialogue between nature, tradition and the quiet determination of the people who have cultivated these vineyards for centuries.
No variety has shaped Santorini’s international reputation more than Assyrtiko, the island’s indigenous grape and one of the world’s most distinctive white varieties. Born in Santorini’s volcanic vineyards, it produces wines of remarkable precision, combining vibrant acidity, intense minerality and extraordinary ageing potential. While Assyrtiko is now cultivated in many wine regions across Greece and beyond, it is Santorini that continues to define its purest and most celebrated expression.
The island’s vineyards are also home to other historic Aegean varieties that have become an integral part of Santorini’s wine identity. Aidani, known for its delicate floral aromas and elegance, and Athiri, appreciated for its gentle fruit and balance, are frequently blended with Assyrtiko, adding complexity while allowing the island’s volcanic character to remain at the forefront. Together, they reveal the subtle richness of Santorini’s white wines, where every vineyard interprets the same landscape in its own distinctive way.
Santorini’s wine heritage extends beyond its celebrated whites. Mavrotragano, an ancient indigenous red variety of the island, was once cultivated extensively before nearly disappearing during the twentieth century. Thanks to the vision and dedication of a new generation of winemakers Paris Sigalas and Haridimos Hatzidakis, it has experienced a remarkable revival and is now recognised as one of Greece’s most exciting red grapes, producing elegant, structured wines with depth, spice and impressive ageing potential.
At the pinnacle of Santorini’s winemaking heritage stands Vinsanto, one of Greece’s most celebrated and internationally awarded sweet wines. Protected under PDO status, it is produced from sun-dried grapes, with Assyrtiko accounting for at least 51% of the blend, complemented primarily by Aidani and smaller proportions of other authorised indigenous white varieties. Patiently matured in oak barrels, Vinsanto develops remarkable layers of dried apricot, fig, honey, caramel, roasted nuts and spice, balanced by the vibrant acidity that defines Santorini’s vineyards. It is a wine of extraordinary longevity, international distinction and unmistakable sense of place, an enduring expression of one of the world’s most remarkable wine landscapes.