Santorini Wines
At this point we should mention that because of the devastating volcanic explosion (circa 1650 BC), Santorini was covered with volcanic ash, lava and pumice stone. This catastrophe created the foundation for perfect soil conditions which now help produce the very distinctive wines of Santorini. The volcanic soil is rich in essential minerals creating wines with a naturally low pH level and high acidity.
Keep also in mind that the growing conditions of Santorini are made more difficult because of the lack of rain, with an average of only 400mm per year. The only other source of water available comes in the form of sea fog that envelops the island at night due to the reaction of the active volcano with the surrounding sea. The vines are cultivated in low basket shaped crowns, close to the ground to protect them from the strong winds.
We provide you a selection of the best wines of Santorini that you can enjoy with your friends while eating at a restaurant in Santorini or watching the breathtaking sunsets.
The white wines from Santorini are bone-dry with a distinct aroma of citrus combined with hints of smoke and minerals from the volcanic soil.
Assyrtiko - Santorini
Assyrtiko (Dry White Wine)
Assyrtiko is also known under the synonyms Arcytico, Assirtico, Assyrtico, Asurtico, and Asyrtiko. No matter what you call it, Assyrtiko is often described as Greece’s best white wine grape. The enthusiasm of those who produce and enjoy wine from Asyrtiko is well-justified.
Assyrtiko has the unusual quality of maintaining high levels of alcohol and acidity at the same time, making it one of the few white grapes of the Mediterranean that also possess long aging potential.
Nykteri - Santorini
Nykteri (Dry White Wine)
Since 3,500 years ago, the Nykteri is synonymous to Santorini’s famous white wines.
“Nykteri” gained its name from a traditional harvesting practice where the wines were harvested at night when it was cool.
The formula to ‘instant wine making’ on the night of the same day that the grapes were harvested solved the problem of the variety’s sensitive aroma deterioration. The Nykteri comes from the Assyrtico, Athiri and Aidani varieties. The wine making temperature must not exceed the 18 degrees of Celcius to preserve even the tenderest aromas of fermentation.
The wine is matured for 3 months at least in barrels. In this way the wine’s contact with barrel’s wood gives the Nykteri a special finesse.
Nykteri is
- Crystal-clear
- Semi-yellow wine.
- Dominated by the aromas of jasmine, citrus fruits, flowers and pear, all these enhanced with a gentle vanilla sense.
It is served in 11-12 degrees and is perfectly accompanied with grills and poultry as well as with local Greek dishes such as tomato meatballs and fava dip.
Vinsanto - Santorini
Visanto (Sweet White Wine)
Vinsanto is known for its golden-orange to dark amber coloring with a complex bouquet of dried apricots, golden raisins and other dried fruits combined with sweet spice and an underlying minerality. Although it is classified as a dessert wine, the high acid of the Assyrtiko and other indigenous grapes grown on the island balance the sugar content to produce an extremely palatable drink that can be paired with a variety of foods.
Vinsanto was named “Vino di Santo” by the Venetians, according to place of origin as was the custom, but then later became known as Vinsanto.
Vinsanto is an ancient winemaking tradition of Santorini that dates back thousands of years and represents an important part of Santorini’s history.
Under Santorini Vinsanto AOC the wine must be predominately made from the Assyrtiko grape—at least 51%, the remaining 49% is made up of Athiri and Aidani and some small amounts of locally grown white varieties.
Vinsanto is made up only of the natural sugars and acids of the grapes. Vinsanto is made from late harvested grapes that have been dried in the sun for 12–14 days. They are then crushed and fermented and are then aged for a minimum of 24 months in oak barrels.
Mezzo - Santorini
Mezzo (Red Naturally Sweet Wine)
Although this wine is not part of Greece’s classification system, it is a wine commonly produced. This is a sweet wine made from the island’s white or red grapes and is similar to Vinsanto, but literally means “less sweet.” The grapes are also sun dried, but before vinification dry grape must is added to the run-off juice from the raisoned grapes.
A less sweet version of Vinsanto.
It is typically made from a combination of raisined and un-raisined grapes, or from grapes that have undergone less sun drying than in the case of those employed in Vinsanto. The wine, which has tremendous acidity, peach flavours and a lingering aftertaste of wildflower honey, spends one year in oak prior to release.
The grapes are sun dried for 10-12 days, then are taken to the destemmer crusher. The wine is then oak-aged in old oak barrels for a minimum of 24 months.
Serving Suggestions: Strong cheese and sweet dried fruit and chocolate.
It is highly advisable, to discover one of the following wineries
with SantoriniCarHire.com which is well known for its exceptional services.
You can also enjoy a private Santorini Winery Tour and taste all the local wines.
