A windswept evening in Santorini, Greece, dining merrily in an ocean-front taverna watching the sun dip with the boldest blaze, isn’t complete without a chilled glass of wine. Santorini, hardly a secret, is a ubiquitous natural wonder. But did you know that its wine is just as legendary? At Designer Journeys, we believe that a Santorini wine tour is an essential experience when on the Greek Isle.
Beyond the pastel-coloured houses, the caldera cliffs, the blue-domed cupolas, the charcoal pavements, and decorative evil eyes, you’ll find unassuming vineyards of differing varieties, each producing premium-quality wine. By taking a Santorini wine tour, you’ll visit some of the oldest and finest wineries and vineyards on the island. Guided by a local expert, you’ll learn about delectable local wine and its production and how it delicately intertwines with Greek history, culture, and cuisine.
Designer Journeys’ network of in-destination Local Designers will use their expert knowledge, local insight and travel planning skills to design your ultimate Greece experience. Begin designing your journey today! Delve deep into local gastronomy and viticulture, and connect with the famed Greek island like never before. Charming all your senses and infused with unforgettable experiences, a Santorini wine tour will give you a newfound appreciation for this popular island. Our 10-Day All-Inclusive Santorini tour is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of Santorini wine culture. Post Contents With vineyards dating all the way back to ancient times, Santorini’s wine country is among the oldest in Europe. The warm temperatures bathing the island, plus its terrain of volcanic soil, are the cause of many lauded vines with centuries-old roots. It was, in fact, Italian influence that brought Santorini to prominence in the world of wine. When the island was occupied during the Middle Ages by the Republic of Venice, which had access to major trade routes at the time, the fine Santorini wine was exported to destinations far beyond Greece. The famous Vinsanto, whose name originates from the Tuscan Vin Santo wine, is a comparable sweet dessert wine made from sun-dried grapes and serves as a testament to this influence still today. During the last several centuries, wines produced in Santorini became highly valued for their ability to weather overseas trips. It’s even reached as far as Russia, where it became the Eucharistic wine of the Russian Orthodox Church. Join a tour, like this 15-day Highlights of Greece trip, to explore the deep-rooted history of Santorini’s heritage vineyards while tasting some of the best reds, whites, and roses in the world. A Santorini wine tour takes you beyond the clamorous tourist hubs and into the heart of local horticulture, where you’ll discover the traditional process of winemaking that dates back to the ancient past. You’ll learn all there is to know about the wine culture of the island -from the equipment used to the ageing process and how the grapes are harvested. Initially, winemaking in Santorini was done across hundreds of traditional canvas (farms). Though this process has shifted to modern wineries with the latest equipment for pressing, fermenting, ageing, and bottling, some still stomp the grapes with their bare feet. Many vines are also still harvested and pruned by hand today. Get in touch with our Local Designers to personally observe the process from grape to glass on a Santorini wine tour. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Santorini’s winemaking tradition is the baskets, or kouloura, that are woven with grape vines to protect the fruit from vicious winds. Visit the Santorini Wine Museum with its long-standing works inside a natural cave to discover more about Santorini’s historic wine heritage. This one-of-a-kind opportunity can be experienced on this 11-day Santorini Escape (with a Touch of Athens). Wine tasting is about being in the present moment. When you decide to slow down, you’ll come to realise that wine speaks to each and every sense. A Santorini wine tour thus goes beyond simple wine tasting – it runs into each sense while also developing your palate. It’s a truly memorable experience. Santorini’s vineyards make a picturesque portrait: from the blueish purple and almost golden hues of locally-grown grapes to the sage and olive tones in the greenery, plus the dusty grey volcanic soil and the twinkling royal blue of the ocean in the distance. Apart from marvelling at the beauty of Santorini’s pretty vineyards, your sense of sight is engaged in discerning the different shades between Santorini’s wines during a wine tour, such as a deep red from a clearer red or a smokey white from a crystal white, as well as its opacity, and viscosity. The colour and opacity will indicate the wine’s age and the grape variety used, while the viscosity of the wine can point out its alcohol content. You may not think it, but the sense of touch is a significant aspect of a wine tour. Feeling for the ripeness of grapes and the thickness of their skin is essential when choosing the right grapes for wine. Additionally, when drinking different wines during a tasting session, you’ll use touch – through your tastebuds – to feel the wine’s density, structure and texture. You’ll be able to discern whether it’s silky, velvety, soft or rough, or if it’s got a particular crunch to it. Designer Journeys’ network of in-destination Local Designers will use their expert knowledge, local insight and travel planning skills to design your ultimate Greece experience. Begin designing your journey today! The sense of hearing is surprisingly connected to wine tasting. Starting off with the piercing pop of a wine bottle, followed by the glug of pouring a glass, sound can accentuate the whole experience. Your surroundings count too! Whether it’s the echo of your guide within the caves of the Hatzidakis Winery in Pyrgos or the soft whistle of a breeze upon the panoramic outdoor terrace of the Venetsanos Winery. Even the twittering birds will have an effect in the calm expanse of the Domaine Sigalas vineyard as you wine and dine on the verandah. Undoubtedly, your sense of hearing will heighten the pleasure of the fulfilling experience of wine tasting. Begin by tilting the glass and bringing it up to your nose – the smell is one of the most important senses for wine tasting. A Santorini wine tour will immerse your sense of smell as you discern the wine’s sweetness, structure, and also its taste. Your expert guide will teach you about a wine’s bouquet and aromas derived from the fermentation and ageing process, which you will then practise identifying yourself. By using your sense of smell during a wine tasting, you’ll distinguish what most captivates your senses before even tasting the wine! Saving the best until last, it’s time for a sip! A Santorini wine tour is the best way to directly distinguish, learn about, and appreciate the creme de la creme of local wines. You’ll learn about which parts of the tongue detect certain flavours and characteristics. For example, the tip of your tongue detects sweetness, while the sides detect acidity, which produces that familiar mouth-watering sensation. A wine’s acidity can reveal certain clues about the winemaking process of that particular bottle, such as the grape variety used. A wine tour can take you all over Santorini; from the cliffside to the rural countryside and down to the seashore, wineries and vineyards are scattered across the island. Gaia, a small winery, faces the sea and lapping blue waves that hit against a black sand beach. Just five minutes from Santorini’s airport, visitors can taste both crisp white wine and full-bodied red wine on a stone terrace under tamarisk trees. On your way to the west coast, stop by Estate Argyros, a premier vineyard with centuries-old vines in dusty fields, along with a modern winery surrounded by gentle hills and vistas of the Aegean Sea. Not far from Estate Argyros, head to Volcanic Slopes Vineyards winery for a memorable wine-tasting experience in a cave. Then take the winding roads across the island to Venetsanos, a winery with the most dramatic cliffside location. Here, tastings are held on a rocky terrace overlooking the stunning caldera. It’s hard to choose between Santorini’s plethora of wineries and vineyards. Wherever you decide to visit, you’ll enjoy the finest wines and elevated surroundings. Connect with our Local Designers in Greece to discuss what you would like to see on a Santorini wine tour! Or check out this 8-Day Athens and Santorini Experience trip that takes you to a winery in the magical Megalochori area. One of the most exciting aspects of a Santorini wine tour is learning about the numerous wine varieties that exist on the tiny island. Santorini’s white wines have a world-famous reputation – they’re refreshingly crisp, citrus-scented, and made predominantly with the rare and distinctive, plus strikingly white, Assyrtiko grapes. Nykteri is perhaps Santorini’s most complex dry white, blended with overripe grapes that are harvested during the day and consequently stomped at night. Nykteri wines are richer than standard Santorini white wines, with an intense citrusy aroma balanced with honeysuckle and mineral notes. On your tour, you’ll learn that Nykteri pairs perfectly with seafood dishes. Santorini is also renowned for its excellent Vinsanto wines that are made from late-harvest, sun-dried white grapes and aged for at least two years in oak barrels. The end product is velvety in texture, boasting an intense sweetness with flavours including dried fruits like apricots and raisins. For the ultimate travel inspiration, local insight straight from our expert Local Designers and exclusive offers you won’t find anywhere else from Designer Journeys, sign up today! Don’t miss out.
Though Santorini’s red wines aren’t as popular, you’ll still be shown these lesser-known varieties. Red wine varieties are made from Mavrotragano and Mandilaria grapes, producing a red that is deep crimson in colour and similarly rich in flavour, usually underscored with liquorice and cinnamon notes. On a Santorini wine tour, your expert wine guide will help you with anything you’d like to know about Santorini wine, including the right pricing for each kind (which depends on the grapes and the year it was produced), as well as its perfect food pairings. The cherry on top of any Santorini winery tour is ending the day by enjoying your own glass of fine wine! Use your newly acquired skills and wine knowledge to appreciate the various local wines on offer, and most often, they’re paired with a mouth-watering platter of Cycladic cheese, cold cuts, figs, crusty bread, and fresh Greek olive oil. Sample the sweet Vinsanto on Santo Winery’s outdoor terrace boasting breathtaking Caldera views in this 8-day Athens, Mykonos & Santorini trip following a guided walking tour! A Santorini wine tour is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in Greek culture. Not only will you appreciate the island’s unique landscape, but you’ll get to know local wine producers and learn the ins and outs of delicious Santorini wine. Design your next trip to Greece with the help of Designer Journey’s Local Designers on the ground, or be inspired by one of our fully-customisable Santorini tours and create your own trip from scratch! Embark on a one-of-a-kind wine-tasting adventure with Designer Journeys and sample the tastiest classic and rare blends that Santorini’s exquisite local wineries have to offer.Planning to Visit Greece?
A History of Greek Wine from Santorini
Learn About Santorini Winemaking
The Five Senses and Experiencing Santorini Wine
The Sense of Sight
Sense of Touch
Planning to Visit Greece?
Sense of Hearing
Sense of Smell
Sense of Taste
Santorini Wine Tour is a Great Way to See the Island
Learn About Different Types of Wine
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