Santorini's Best Wineries, Wine Bars, and Restaurants

Santorini architecture with a coastal view and domed buildings on a hillside. — Credit:
Nick Brundle Photography / Getty Images

The idyllic vacation destination Santorini produces only a fraction of the world’s wine, yet its bottles rank among Greece’s most famous exports. The island’s winemaking roots stretch to the Minoans, who expanded their settlements from Crete. They built a Bronze Age city at Akrotiri, later destroyed in the catastrophic 1600 B.C. eruption that carved the cliffs visitors admire today.

At first glance, the hot, gusty, and treeless landscape looks harsh. Yet basalt and ash soils yield some of the island’s most famously intense flavors: cherry tomatoes, fava beans, and above all, acid-driven white grape Assyrtiko. Growers weave the plant’s vines into basket-shaped koulouras that trap morning dew and shield vines from high winds. Thanks to this clever adaptation and a phylloxera-free environment, some vineyards have survived for centuries. Even “young” vines often exceed 70 years.

Small-scale farming and tough conditions keep production volumes low, a challenge made worse by climate change. That scarcity makes Santorini wines rare and expensive. Tasting them at wineries around the island remains the best way to understand their connection to place. Wineries typically charge $20-$45 for flights, which usually include local cheese and olives alongside the pours.

Beyond wineries, tavernas serve quaffable blends of Assyrtiko with other local grapes such as Athiri and Aidani, while fine-dining restaurants and wine bars showcase exceptional bottles and older vintages. However you choose to explore, leave space in your luggage – dry, mineral-soaked Assyrtiko and figgy-sweet Vin Santo become harder to find in the United States.

Where to drink Greek wine in Santorini

01 of 08

Elements

Outdoor dining setup with views of the sea and sunset — Courtesy of Elements.
Courtesy of Elements

Many visitors alight on Santorini to celebrate honeymoons, anniversaries, and major life milestones. Elements, at the Canaves Epitome hotel, is a destination dining experience worth saving for. Set just north of Oia and away from the tourist chaos, the sleek modern space may have the island’s most sophisticated and passionate wine team, led, notably, by a woman. Arrive before sunset for a creative cocktail, then let the sommelier organize a tasting or guide you to a bottle for the journey ahead. A single langoustine on housemade pasta topped with grated lime looks deceptively simple until it’s transformed by a sip of Pure from Volcanic Slopes Vineyards — a synergy that embodies the philosophy of pairing.

02 of 08

Kaliya

A dining area with tables and chairs overlooking a sea view and distant islands — Courtesy of Kaliya

Perched above the caldera in Fira, Kaliya combines sleek, modern style with softer touches like silk flowers woven across the entryway and balcony seating overlooking the sea and bustle below. The kitchen reimagines classic Greek and Mediterranean dishes with flair – think Aegean sea bream ceviche with citrus and coconut sorbet, grilled octopus, or a steamed catch of the day. The wine list leans heavily on the best of Santorini’s producers, including the unusual traditional method sparkling Assyrtiko by Santo Wines. The staff is well-versed in pairing, and you can’t go wrong matching a simply prepared fish with a crisp, mineral-driven glass of white from nearby vineyards.

03 of 08

Estate Argyros

Winemaker sampling wine from barrels using a pipette — Courtesy of Estate Argyros

In the center of Santorini, Estate Argyros owns the island’s largest acreage of vineyards. The forward-thinking estate has incorporated climate change and increasing aridity into vineyard design, making it one to watch. While the winery doesn’t serve lunch, the modern facility has plenty of room for couples or groups to relax, indoors or on the patio. All Argyros wines are well made — for a supple expression of old vines, order the Cuvée Monsignori.

04 of 08

Gavalas Winery

A vineyard with a rocky terrain in the foreground and a clear sky above — Courtesy of Gavalas Winery

For a glimpse of traditional winemaking, head to the medieval village of Megalochori. Handmade signs lead you through a tunnel into a courtyard, where the Gavalas family has made wine across three centuries. Unlike many modern estates, this is one of the few places where visitors can see how locals made wine in stone cave cellars known as canavas. The tour is short but informative, and the wines are anything but rustic; the natural ferment Assyrtiko shows the grape’s textural, expressive side.

05 of 08

Vassaltis Vineyards

It’s unusual for a new winery to spring up on Santorini, yet Vassaltis opened just a decade ago. The modern structure offers postcard views of the sea, with tastings on the patio or indoors. There’s no bad seat or view, and that same attention to detail carries through to the wines. Order a flight with small-bite pairings, and don’t miss Gramina, a supple Assyrtiko with notes of jasmine and lemon curd sourced from plots near the village of Vourvoulos.

06 of 08

Oia Oenosart

One of the island’s first wine bars, Oia Oenosart has been open since 2015. Tucked down an alley off the main tourist thoroughfare, the pergola-covered patio resembles a pleasant taverna that belies the seriousness of the wine program. Inside an old captain’s house sits a cache of 250 labels of rare and mature wines from Santorini. Book a table for an afternoon flight or tasting or linger over dinner with a trio of mezes, sea bream, and a bottle from the cellar.

07 of 08

Domaine Sigalas

A person pouring white wine into one of two glasses on a counter wine bottles are displayed on shelves in the background — Courtesy of Domaine Sigalas

One of the best-known wineries abroad, Domaine Sigalas fills quickly in high season, so book early for lunch amid the vines. You might recognize the classic white-and-blue label as a bottle you’ve tried at home, but salty, citrusy Assyrtiko always tastes different at the source. Try Santorini salad, fish carpaccio, and fava purée under smoked eel with a flight, glass, or bottle.

08 of 08

Canava Wine Bar

Inside Vedema, a 400-year-old winery turned luxury hotel in Megalochori, Canava Wine Bar offers a fantastic overview of Santorini wines and styles, from barrel-aged, oxidized Nykteri to decades-old Vin Santo. Flights include charcuterie and cheese, served in the cool cellar of the historic canava. The best way to enjoy a tasting is to book a room at the hotel, then dine at candlelit Alati Restaurant. If you liked a wine during the tasting, you can order a bottle to pair with fish, pork cheeks, or lamb.