Assyrtiko and vinsanto tasting at the inland wineries

The wine of a volcano

On Santorini the vine is like no other. The vines grow at ground level, coiled into the shape of a basket, the kouloura, to protect themselves from the wind and the sun. They live in a soil of volcanic ash, dry and poor, where the roots go deep to look for moisture. Phylloxera, the pest that devastated Europe's vineyards, did not reach here, and many old vines are still on their own roots, ungrafted.

The star grape is assyrtiko, which gives a dry, mineral white with high acidity. The island's other wine is vinsanto, sweet and dark. A tasting at an inland winery explains all this with a glass in your hand, and it is one of the few activities on the island that works all year round.

Estate Argyros, in Episkopi Gonia

Estate Argyros is a family winery in Episkopi Gonia, in the centre of the island, founded in 1903 and now in its fourth generation. It is the largest private vineyard owner on Santorini, with more than 120 hectares; the average age of its vines exceeds 70 years and some plots are over 200. Visits are by appointment and are led by a wine educator:

• Estate Argyros Welcome: 45 minutes, four wines from native varieties, including its vinsanto, with a board of local cheeses, cured meats and bites. €25 per adult.
• Taste the Real Santorini: 1 h 15, with a walk through the vineyard and the winemaking area and a tasting of six wines with a pairing of Greek cheeses and cured meats. €40 per adult.

Book on its website or by phone (+30 2286 031489). Arrive ten minutes early and let them know a day in advance if you have allergies or dietary restrictions. Children can come, always accompanied.

SantoWines, above the caldera next to Pyrgos

SantoWines is the winery of the Santorini winegrowers' cooperative, on the edge of the caldera, next to Pyrgos. Its wine-tourism centre is open all year. The terrace looks onto the volcano and is the sunset tasting: the atmosphere is busier and less intimate than at a family winery.

You can try any of its wines or choose a flight guided by the staff, and in the wine shop rare vintages are tasted. They also offer a winery tour, a tasting of the island's olive oil and a restaurant. Prices and flights are in its tasting brochure and its online booking system; for sunset, book days ahead in summer.

How to get there

Episkopi Gonia and Pyrgos are inland, a few kilometres from Fira. The KTEL bus to Pyrgos costs €2.20 from Fira station; for Estate Argyros, a taxi or car is the most practical. If you drive, don't drink: share the driver's role or go by taxi.

How long it lasts and who it suits

A tasting lasts between 45 minutes and an hour and a half. It is a plan for adults, for a quiet morning or the end of the afternoon. You can do two on the same day: a visit with the vineyard at Argyros in the morning and the SantoWines terrace at sunset. If you stay for dinner inland, Metaxy Mas is in Exo Gonia, very close.

Other wineries

The island has more wineries that receive visitors, such as Domaine Sigalas, on the Oia plain, which asks for advance booking for any visit, or Venetsanos Winery, which boasts of being the island's first industrial winery and offers tasting with a light meal. Check their websites for hours and prices before going.