Santorini Wine Tour: Sipping Through Santorini
When you think of Santorini, the first things that probably come to mind are whitewashed villages, blue-domed churches, and those incredible caldera views. But a Santorini wine tour offers a completely different way to experience the island, and with a wine history stretching back thousands of years, it was high on my list while visiting Greece.
We booked a private Santorini wine tour that took us to three very different wineries: Estate Argyros, Gavalas Winery and Santo Wines. Along the way, we tasted everything from the island’s signature Assyrtiko to rosé, sparkling wine and Vinsanto, while learning what makes growing grapes on this volcanic island so unique.
Each winery offered something completely different: a modern estate, a traditional family winery, and, finally, a tasting overlooking one of the most spectacular views in Santorini. It turned out to be one of my favorite experiences of the trip.
What Makes Santorini Wine So Unique?
Growing grapes in Santorini is unlike growing them almost anywhere else. The island’s volcanic soil, intense sunshine, strong Aegean winds, and very little rainfall create challenging conditions, but they’re also part of what gives Santorini wines their distinctive character.
One of the most fascinating things we learned was how the vines are grown. Instead of the neat rows of upright vines you might picture in a typical vineyard, Santorini growers traditionally train the vines into low, circular baskets called kouloura. This protects the grapes from the island’s powerful winds and harsh sun while letting them take advantage of moisture from the sea air.
Assyrtiko is Santorini’s star grape. It produces crisp, high-acid white wines often associated with citrus, minerality, and a slightly salty character. The island is also home to other indigenous varieties, including Aidani and Athiri, which we had a chance to discover during our Santorini wine tour.
Perhaps most impressive are the vines themselves. Because Santorini’s sandy volcanic soils have historically protected the island from phylloxera, many vines grow on their original rootstocks, and some are well over 100 years old. It’s a winemaking landscape shaped as much by survival as tradition, and once you understand that, the wines become even more interesting.
Our Private Santorini Wine Tour
With so much history behind Santorini wine, we wanted to do more than stop by a tasting room on our own. We booked a private tour, which turned out to be the perfect way to explore the island’s wine scene without worrying about transportation or planning the route ourselves.
Our guide, Davide, was fantastic. As we traveled between wineries, he shared more about Santorini, its vineyards, and the winemaking traditions we were seeing along the way. Having a private guide also meant the day felt relaxed and personal rather than rushed.
Our Santorini wine tour included three stops: Estate Argyros, Gavalas Winery and Santo Wines, each offering a completely different look at the island’s wine culture. And, of course, there were plenty of glasses poured along the way.
Estate Argyros: Where Our Santorini Wine Tasting Began
Our first stop was Estate Argyros, a winery with deep roots in Santorini. Established in 1903, the Argyros family has been making wine for four generations. Today, the estate is the island’s largest private vineyard owner, with more than 120 hectares of vineyards, including some remarkably old vines.
Our tasting was a great introduction to Santorini’s wines. We started with Atlantis Rosé, made from Assyrtiko and Mandilaria, and also tasted the 2023 Cuvée Palatia. We finished with a 2004 Vinsanto, Santorini’s traditional sweet wine made from sun-dried grapes. It was a completely different expression of the island’s grapes and a fun way to end the tasting.
The wines were paired with a beautiful spread of Greek cheeses, cured meats, bread, and local olive oil. It was simple, fresh, and exactly the kind of food you want alongside a wine tasting in Greece.
Estate Argyros felt polished and modern while still being deeply connected to Santorini’s winemaking traditions. It was a great first stop, and we still had two very different winery experiences ahead of us.
Gavalas Winery: A Taste of Old Santorini
Our second stop was Gavalas Winery in the traditional village of Megalochori, and this one had a completely different feel. Gavalas is a family-owned winery with five generations of winemaking history, and the property has retained much of its traditional character.
This may have been the most authentic-feeling stop of our Santorini wine tour. The old stone winery, cellar, and barrels gave it a classic, old-world atmosphere that I loved. It felt less like simply visiting a tasting room and more like getting a glimpse into how wine has been made on the island for generations.
We tasted four wines here, including the 2025 Aidani, made entirely from the indigenous Aidani grape, as well as a Santorini Assyrtiko. We finished with the 2020 Vinsanto, another opportunity to taste Santorini’s traditional sweet wine.
Our tasting was paired with Greek cheeses and some seriously good breadsticks; sometimes it’s the little things you remember! Between the intimate setting, local wines, and the history surrounding us, Gavalas offered a wonderful contrast to our first stop and a taste of a more traditional side of Santorini.
Santo Wines: Saving the View for Last
Our final stop was Santo Wines in Pyrgos, and this one was all about the view. The winery sits high above the caldera with a large terrace overlooking the Aegean, making it an incredible place for a tasting and a prime spot to catch a Santorini sunset.
Santo Wines is also different from our first two stops. Rather than a family-owned winery, it is a cooperative representing around 1,200 growers across Santorini and plays an important role in preserving the island’s vineyards and indigenous grape varieties.
By our third winery, we had tasted quite a bit of wine, so I’ll admit my tasting notes became a little less detailed! I do know we tried the 2023 Santorini Assyrtiko Grande Reserve, along with a sparkling wine, which I especially appreciated as a bubbles girl, and the only red wine we tasted that day.
The wines were again paired with Greek cheeses, meats, and bread, but at Santo, the setting really stole the show. Sitting on the terrace with a glass of Santorini wine and that sweeping caldera view was a pretty perfect way to finish our private wine tour.
Is a Private Santorini Wine Tour Worth It?
For us, absolutely. A private Santorini wine tour made it easy to experience several wineries in one day without worrying about transportation, reservations, or navigating between stops.
What I appreciated most was the variety. Estate Argyros gave us a more polished introduction to Santorini wine, Gavalas brought us closer to the island’s traditional winemaking roots, and Santo Wines finished the day with those unforgettable caldera views.
Having Davide as our guide also added so much to the experience. We weren’t simply moving from one tasting to the next; we were learning about the island, its grapes, and why wine has been such an important part of Santorini for generations.
If you enjoy wine and want to see a different side of the island beyond the famous villages and sunsets, I’d definitely make room for a wine tour in your Santorini itinerary.
The Final Pour
Santorini may be famous for its whitewashed villages and spectacular sunsets, but its wine deserves a spot on the list too. Our private Santorini wine tour gave us a chance to experience the island from a completely different perspective, from centuries-old vines and traditional winemaking to local food, great wine, and some pretty unforgettable views.
Each of our three stops brought something different to the day, and together they made this one of my favorite experiences in Santorini. If you love wine, I’d definitely recommend setting aside an afternoon to sip your way through the island.
And if Greek wine is your thing, check out my tasting notes from Wines of the Ancient World for even more Greek wines and varietals to add to your list.
Cheers to discovering a destination one glass at a time!
