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Itinerary

  • Visit the most distinctive two wineries on the island.
  • Walk around a volcanic vineyard and learn about the island's unique viticulture.
  • Explore the cellars of each winery and see where their wine is bottled and matured.
  • Discover the history of Santorini not only through its wine-making but also through the visit to Pyrgos village with our tour guide.

P.S.

As this is a private tour, we are able to customize the itinerary even on the way regarding your interests and wishes. If you are coming from Athens on a day-trip, the tour can offer you a complimentary airport pickup and drop-off service upon request.

SANTRORINI WINE TOURS by GOLDEN IBEX

Coming to the island and not experiencing a Santorini wine tour, offering such a colourful spectrum of unique and truly local grape varieties, would be a true loss. Live this unique experience, visit the top sights of Santorini and have an introductory 4 hour winemaking tour. During the wine tasting, you will have the opportunity to taste a varieties of indigenous wines.

In the same time, it has food pairing information, like which wine goes with which food. It is accompanied by a platter of a small selection of cheeses, bread, bread sticks and cold cuts and traditional delicatessen items of Greek origin. Handmade Vinsanto chocolate is tasted with the Vinsanto wines. It also includes a tour of the vineyards and the production area.

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THE WORLD FAMOUS TOURS IN SANTORINI ISLAND

Santorini is already world-famous for its breathtaking caldera views and sunsets. Also for its fascinating architecture, tasty local products and cuisine, amazing hotels and active volcano. Santorini has also built a strong brand name in the international wine market. Other than a producer of excellent wines, Santorini is also an exemplary oenotourism destination.

Hear about the ancient vineyards of Santorini, the history of the island through the centuries and how the rich volcanic soils influence and add instinctive notes to local winemaking, renderings its produce unique throughout the world. Are you prepared to see how wine is made from the harvest to the final process?

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SANTORINI: A HISTORICAL WINELAND

Our vineyards are the oldest ones in Europe more than 400 years old. Unharmed by phylloxera louse which couldn’t survive in the volcanic soil. The fact that phylloxera insect did not appear on Santorini is due to the protective role of the island’s soils. The volcanic soil defends the plants it hosts. The soils of the island’s vineyards are sandy with a very low clay content. So, sandy soils prevent the development of the phylloxera insect. It is in this volcanic ground that the vines are rooted and it is thanks to this that the Santorini vineyard remains phylloxera-free.

We traine the vines in a basket shape (or kouloura) to protect them from strong winds and preserve precious humidity. In early spring, or in late autumn, the visitors are struck by the “baskets” they see scattered over the bare earth. Whoever inspects them closely is surprised to see that these are deeply rooted in the soil. The vineyards of Santorini are the products of the patient toil and long experience of the islander’s vine-growers. In summer the baskets are green, as the annual shoots of the ampelies grow upwards. Within their embrace, inside each basket, the grapes ripen, protected from the blasts of sand borne by the strong winds. It would blind the buds before bud-break and harm the fully ripened, fine-skinned berries. In Santorini, we produce four classic varieties: the white Assyrtiko, Athiri and Aidani, and the red Mandilaria.

WINE

Highly-qualified wine experts attribute the excellent quality of the wine produced in Santorini to the local ground morphology. The Santorinian vineyards produce small quantities of wine because of the strong winds in the Aegean, intense droughts and the strong sun. Nevertheless, the wine stands out due to its excellent flavour as well as, its charactirstic dry and strong taste. In Santorini, we produce wine in three exquisite varieties.

  • The Assyrtico, a white variety wonderfully adapted to the Santorinian particular environment.
  • The famous Vinsanto variety of wine made from sun-dried grapes.
  • The Nychteri white wine variety. It comes from the Greek word nychta=night. We harvest the grape in the morning. We subject them to processing by night, when wine temperatures are lower than in the morning.

A WALK ON THE WINE SIDE

During our Santorini wine tours, we will have the opportunity to visit 2 traditional wineries. In addition, we will explore 11 different wines which are served alongside local delicacies. First, we will walk through Megalochori village where most wineries in Santorini are situated. See the vineyards, the particular rocky ground of Santorini and vine-tree branches grow wrapped up like baskets. Megalochori is a genuine picture of an insular village. Beautiful flowers in the yards of its houses and old women sitting outside at their doors. As in most villages around Greece, there are several quite old in their majority churches, standing out and being worth seeing.

Later on, we will visit first Gavalas winery. It is the only winery on the island that is still stomping the grapes the old way. Next, we will see a number of antique items, such a grape press and wicker baskets. Then, we will visit the second winery Estate Argyros. Moreover, the winery has just moved to an impressive contemporary building. Embark on a journey to the world of Santorini wines and learn all about the grape varieties and their end result as wines.

How do Santorini’s microclimates and volcanic soils affect the flavours and notes of its’ wines? Get introduced to a bounty of secret corners of the island only a local would be able to show and tell. Both wine experts and experienced tour guides will be your escorts on this unique Santorini wine tour.

We then continue to discover Pyrgos, a medieval village a top Santorini’s highest point, featuring a characteristic Fortress Settlement designated as a protected UNESCO site in 1995. you can discover the remnants of Kasteli Castle, one of Santorini’s five ‘Kastelia,’ on the mountaintop.

Tour Includes

  • Hotel pick up and drop off from a point of your choice
  • Guide/Driver
  • Oenologists
  • Wine tasting, including 11 local Santorinian wines
  • Platter of cheese and cold cuts and traditional delicatessen items of Greek origin
  • Fuel surcharge
  • Pick up and drop off
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • All taxes
  • Admission and tasting fees at the wineries
  • Map of Santorini
  • Bottle of water

What's extra

  • Personal Expenses
  • Souvenirs
  • Food, Drinks, Snacks

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