Santorini, Greece is one of my favorite places to vacation. I talk about how much I love the food here. But you can’t go to Santorini without checking about the best wineries they have to offer. I’m a wine girl; I enjoy a great winery. I’m no expert, but I do know a good wine when I taste one. I might do a post on my favorite wines.
Either way, with Hubby and I traveling he tries his best, while planning, to include a wine tour like he did in Paris. Wine tours are usually the highlight of the vacation for me. It was a no brainer that we would try a few wineries while in Santorini, Greece.
Santorini Half-Day Sunset Wine Tasting
Hubby booked the tour through Viator. The Half Day tour is so well worth the price. During the 4 hour island tasting tour, you visit 3 – 4 wineries in Santorini and will be provided local wine (duh) and tapas during the tour. The total price per person includes:
- Hotel pickup
- All entrance fees
- Snacks and Beverages
- Informative, friendly, and professional guide
I can’t remember our tour guide’s name. You will learn over time that I’m horrible with remembering names. But either way, she was awesome. During the tour, the group included 4 people (Hubby, myself and two other women). The women on the tour with us made it even more fun. We weren’t expecting to have a such a fun group!
We enjoy traveling because we enjoy meeting people, especially people that are culturally different than us. The two women on the tour with us are best friends. One is from London but currently resides in California and her best friend was from Australia. They had the best stories and were such a joy to be around. Our tour guide literally left us alone at some point because we were having so much fun together. We laughed so much that I didn’t want the evening to end.
But enough about that; let me tell you how great these wineries are!
The wine tour route includes Estate Argyros, Gavalas traditional winery, and Venetsanos Winery (Sunset views). We savored up to twelve different varieties made from grapes such as the indigenous Assyrtiko, Nykteri, and Vinsanto. We explore the cellars of each winery and saw where the wine is bottled and manufactured. And of course, we enjoyed great pairings such as an assortment of local cheese, meat, and olives. We were very satisfied with the pairings!
Estate Argyros Winery
Estate Argyros was established in 1903. The winery’s vineyards includes ungrafted original rootstock, phylloxera safe (for some reason I think that is why the taste was unbelievable) plants averaging 70 years old, including some of the oldest vines on the island which are over 200 years old.
Out of all three wineries Estate had the best tasting wine, in my opinion. It was where I purchased a couple bottles of white wine and I’m not even a white wine girl. I’m usually seen somewhere sipping on red wine. Estate Argyros is definitely a must see if you visit wineries in Santorini.
Gavalas Winery
Gavalas ‘s tasting was my least favorite, but still good wine, nonetheless. The Gavalas family has been exclusively engaged in the vinification of the indigenous varieties grown in Santorini, since the end of the 19th century. This winery has 18 acres of vineyard planted with Santorini’s native grape varieties such as Assyrtiko, Athiri, Aidani.
I figured out during this tour that I really like “old school” wineries. I like seeing the original machines used to produce the wine and if wineries can fuse the updated look with the old school look, it’s even better. Gavalas is definitely a gem and is definitely a winery you should add to your list of wineries to visit while in Santorini.
Venetsanos Winery
Venetsanos was the final stop of the tour. This place is gorgeous! Even if you don’t like wine, this place is great to visit simply because of it’s views. It overlooks the magnificent caldera and volcanic islands of Santorini. The winery built in 1947 by Venetsanos family, became the first industrial winery on the island. This winery definitely fuses the updated look with the old school look fabulously. In addition, the winery offers a chance to walk through and discover the history that shows the tradition as well as the new wine making techniques used today.
Greece definitely gets it when it comes to wine tours!!!!
