Estate Argyros

A family and its vines

Estate Argyros is the winery of the Argyros family at Episkopi Gonia, in the interior of Santorini. The estate was founded in 1903, although according to the winery itself the family had been making wine for decades before, and it presents itself as one of the oldest wine families in Greece. Today four generations are at the helm.

It is the largest private vineyard owner on the island, with more than 120 hectares. It works almost entirely with old vines: the average is over 70 years and the oldest plots exceed 200. The website insists on the hundreds of hours of manual work each hectare demands every year. The flagship grape is assyrtiko, alongside other native varieties such as aidani, and the house is known for its long-aged vinsanto, with vintages of several decades. It says most of its wines are made to last.

The visits

The winery opens all year, except national holidays. Visit times change according to the day and season, and are checked in its booking system. There are two formats, guided by a wine educator:

• Estate Argyros Welcome: about 45 minutes, with a walk through the vineyard and the production area, four wines from native varieties, including a vinsanto, and a platter of local cheeses and cured meats.
• Taste the real Santorini: 1 hour 15 minutes, six of the house wines, from assyrtiko to vinsanto, with cheeses, cold cuts and local bites.

Prices appear in the offers on this page. They ask you to arrive ten minutes before the time and to report allergies or food restrictions a day in advance.

Booking and getting there

Booking is not compulsory, but recommended, especially in summer. The experiences run by appointment; you can request one by phone (+30 2286 031489) or by email ([email protected], and for tastings, [email protected]). The website does not publish a cancellation policy or the languages of the visits, so it is worth asking when you book.

You arrive by car, taxi, hired transfer or bus. Inside the estate there is free parking, with no reserved spaces. The tasting room, the courtyard, the vineyard and the production area are wheelchair accessible and the route has no stairs; at harvest the floor may be wet.

With children and taking wine home

Children are welcome if they behave and are always supervised; there is no play area, so the winery advises bringing something quiet to keep them occupied. Under-18s do not drink unless with their parents' permission. If you buy at the winery, they ship the wine abroad by UPS; the price and requirements depend on the country.

In winter the island is quiet; summer is hot and windy, and spring and autumn are mild, with some rain.