Santorini Wine Tours
Crafted for the Curious
Visit hand-picked Santorini wineries, taste volcanic Assyrtiko and honeyed Vinsanto, and discover why this island produces some of the world’s most distinctive wines. All tours are private, guided, and tailored to your group.
Wine Tasting in Santorini, Done Right
Santorini is home to some of Greece’s most celebrated wines. The island’s volcanic terroir, ancient vines, and relentless sunshine produce flavors you will not find anywhere else. But visiting wineries on your own takes planning, transport, and local knowledge most visitors do not have.
Wineland Tours was built to solve that. Our founder, Yiannis Kotzampasakis is a WSET-certified sommelier with 8 years in Santorini tourism. Every wine tour is private, every stop is chosen for quality, and every tasting comes with context that transforms the experience.
Exclusively private tours
Your group only. No strangers, no fixed schedules.
WSET Certified wine guidance
Learn about Assyrtiko, Vinsanto, and the "kouloura" vine training method.
Comfortable, air-conditioned vehicles
Hotel or port pick-up included on all tours.
Boutique, authentic wineries
We visit estates that reflect Santorini's real winemaking heritage.
Why Santorini Wine Is Unlike Any Other
The island’s volcanic soil, dry climate, and ancient vine-training traditions produce wines with extraordinary mineral depth and complexity. Understanding this context transforms a tasting into a story.
Volcanic Terroir
Santorini's soil is pure pumice and volcanic ash, left by the Minoan eruption around 1600 BC. Vines planted in this mineral-rich ground produce grapes with intense concentration and natural acidity.
The "Kouloura" Vine Training
Santorini's vintners weave their vines into low, basket-shaped "kouloura" (kouloures) to protect grapes from the island's fierce Meltemi winds. This ancient technique, unique to the island, is listed on UNESCO's Intangible Heritage list.
Native Grape Varieties
Santorini has 69 native grape varieties with the most famous being Assyrtiko, Santorini's flagship white grape as well as Mavrotragano and Mandilaria. Assyrtiko thrives where almost nothing else can. Aidani and Athiri add floral and fruit notes to blends.
Vinsanto: Santorini's Liquid Gold
Vinsanto is the island's legendary dessert wine. Sun-dried grapes of Assyrtiko, Aidani, and Athiri are aged in oak for a minimum of two years, producing a honeyed, amber wine with notes of dried fruit, caramel, and coffee. It pairs beautifully with cheese and desserts.
Protected Designations of Origin
Santorini holds two PDO wine appellations: "Santorini" for dry whites and reds, and "Vinsanto" for its celebrated sweet wine. These designations guarantee quality, origin, and traditional production methods.
The Aegean Climate Advantage
Long, dry summers and mild winters create a near-perfect growing season. The vine's roots burrow deep into volcanic soil to find moisture, producing concentrated flavors with minimal water stress. Harvest begins in August, earlier than most of Europe.
What's Included in a Santorini Wine Tour
Every Wineland Tours wine experience is built around the same standard. Here is exactly what comes with your booking, regardless of which tour you choose.
Private Hotel, Port & Airport Pick-Up
Your guide collects you directly from your hotel, cruise port, or airport. No taxis, no coordination, no stress. Drop-off to the same location is included at the end of the tour.
Some areas of Santorini have steep streets and limited parking. If direct pick-up is not possible at your address, your guide will confirm the nearest practical meeting point after booking.
Guided Wine Tastings at Every Winery
All tasting fees are covered. Depending on your tour, you will taste between 8 and 12 wines across 2 or 3 wineries, with your sommelier guiding each pour and explaining the story behind every glass.
Tastings include Santorini's signature varieties: Assyrtiko, Nykteri, Vinsanto, and select reds including Mandilaria and Mavrotragano.
Cycladic Food Pairings
Local bites accompany your tastings at each winery. Expect traditional Santorini ingredients: fava, cherry tomatoes, capers, local cheeses, and seasonal accompaniments chosen to complement the wines..
Select tours include a full winery lunch or a 3-course sunset dinner. These are clearly indicated on individual tour pages.
Liability Insurance & All Taxes
Full liability insurance is included on every tour, as is all applicable taxation. The price shown at booking is the price you pay. There are no hidden fees added at the end.
Gratuities and cable car tickets for cruise ship travelers arriving via the Fira cable car are not included and remain at your discretion.
Private Santorini Wine Tours
Every tour below is entirely private. You travel with your group, at your pace, with a dedicated local guide. All tours include pick-up, transportation between wineries, tastings, and local food pairings.
Santorini Wineries We Visit
We choose our winery partners based on quality, authenticity, and the experience they offer visitors. These are not tourist traps. They are working estates where Santorini’s winemaking tradition is alive.
Domaine Sigalas
One of Santorini's most celebrated and internationally recognized estates, founded by Paris Sigalas in 1991. Sigalas farms some of the island's oldest vineyards near Oia and produces benchmark Assyrtiko, Nykteri, and Aidani wines with extraordinary precision. A must-visit for any serious wine lover.
Estate Argyros
One of the oldest family-owned wineries on the island, Estate Argyros has farmed the same volcanic land for over 100 years. Their Assyrtiko and Vinsanto are benchmarks of the style and consistently draw international acclaim.
Gaia Wines
Located on Santorini's quieter east coast between Kamari and Monolithos, Gaia operates from a converted 1900s tomato factory by the sea. The setting alone is memorable, and the wines offer a distinct perspective on volcanic Assyrtiko. Gaia also produces wines in Nemea, bringing broader Greek wine context to the tasting.
Santo Wines (Santorini Winery Co-op)
One of Santorini's most celebrated wineries, perched on the caldera rim above Pyrgos. Santo Wines produces the full spectrum of island varieties and its terrace offers panoramic views across the Aegean.
Art Space Winery
One of Santorini's most distinctive stops: a working winery set inside ancient cave cellars carved into the volcanic rock at Exo Gonia. Art Space doubles as a contemporary art gallery, making it the only winery on the island where guests walk through sculpture and painting while tasting wine. A standout experience for culturally curious travelers.
Gavalas Winery
A traditional, five-generation family estate in Megalochori producing small quantities of indigenous varieties including Assyrtiko, Aidani, Mandilaria, and Mavrotragano. Gavalas offers one of the most intimate and unhurried tasting settings on the island, making it ideal for guests who want a personal, low-key experience.
Anhydrous Wines
The name says everything about the philosophy. "Anhydrous" means without water, a direct reference to the extreme drought conditions Santorini's vines endure year after year, drawing moisture only from the volcanic subsoil. This small artisan producer translates that raw, elemental struggle into wines of real concentration and character. Visits here offer an intimate, producer-led perspective.
Venetsanos Winery
Built in 1947 on the caldera-facing cliffs above Athinios Port, Venetsanos was the first industrial winery on Santorini. After years of dormancy, the estate was fully restored and reopened as a premium wine tourism destination. The tasting terrace offers some of the most unobstructed caldera and volcano views of any winery on the island, making it as much a visual experience as a sensory one.
Oenop Wines
A small, independent producer with a philosophy built around Santorini's indigenous grapes. The name "Oenops" comes from ancient Greek, meaning wine-faced, a nod to the island's deep relationship with viticulture. Oenops works with low-intervention winemaking and focuses on expressing terroir with minimal manipulation, producing wines that reward guests who want to explore beyond the well-known names.
How to Book Your Santorini Wine Tour
Booking is simple, and we keep everything transparent so you can plan your day with confidence.
Choose a tour
Browse by duration, style, or occasion and pick the wine tour that fits your group.
Select your date
Choose your travel date and group size. We accommodate groups from 2 to 20.
Add pick-up details
Your hotel address, cruise port, or preferred meeting point.
Receive confirmation
Instant confirmation with full itinerary, meeting instructions, and guide contacts.
Enjoy the experience
We handle the rest. All you need to do is show up and taste.
Testimonials
Don’t just take our word for it. See why cruise travelers call the Wineland Tours Santorini shore excursions one of the highlights of their entire voyage.
Traveled with us recently? We’d love your review. ★★★★★
Common Questions About Our Wine Tours
What is included in a Santorini wine tour?
All wine tours include private transportation, pick-up from your hotel or cruise port, entrance fees at every winery, guided wine tastings with local food pairings, and full English-language guiding throughout. Some tours include a sit-down meal or sunset dinner.
How many wineries will we visit?
Our 3-hour tour visits 2 wineries. Our 5-hour tours visit 3 wineries, with additional time for scenic stops at iconic viewpoints like Pyrgos, Megalochori, and the caldera ridge. The Santorini and Thirassia tour also includes a boat transfer to a caldera winery.
Are your wine tours suitable for cruise passengers?
Yes. Our 3-hour mini wine tour is specifically designed for cruise passengers arriving at Athinios Port. Your guide meets you at the port, manages all timing, and returns you before your ship departs. We monitor cruise schedules and adjust accordingly.
Can I combine a wine tour with sightseeing?
Yes. Several of our tours combine winery visits with stops at Santorini’s most scenic locations, including Oia, Pyrgos, and the caldera viewpoints. Our “Island Tour with Winery Lunch” and “Sightseeing Tour with Sunset Dinner at Santo Wines” are popular choices for travelers who want both.
What is the best season for wine tasting in Santorini?
Wine tours run year-round, but May through October offers the best conditions. August is harvest season, which is a fascinating time to visit vineyards. Spring (April to June) offers mild temperatures and fewer crowds, making it ideal for longer tours with outdoor stops.
Are the tours suitable for travelers 50+ or those with limited mobility?
Our tours are designed with comfort in mind. Vehicles are clean, air-conditioned, and comfortable. Winery visits involve some walking on uneven ground, but your guide will always choose routes accessible to your group. Contact us before booking to discuss specific mobility needs.
Do you offer private wine tours for groups?
All our wine tours are private by design. Your group travels alone with your guide, which means flexible timing, personalized pacing, and no shared buses with strangers. We accommodate groups from 2 to 20 guests, including families, couples, and corporate groups.
Can I book a last-minute wine tour in Santorini?
We recommend booking at least 48 hours in advance to ensure availability and proper preparation. Last-minute bookings are possible during shoulder season. During peak season (July to September), availability can be limited, so earlier booking is advised.
