The Cyclades are the ring of islands in the middle of the Aegean Sea. Wine is produced in substantial quantities on Mykonos, Paros and Tenos but most famous
for its wine is Santorini. This extraordinary volcanic island, covered in tephra from a titanic explosion in the second millennium BC, has produced the sweet
wine known as Vinsanto (Santo from Santorini) for centuries. Latterly dry wines have also been made from its native grapes which include Assyrtiko, Athiri and
Aidani among the whites and Mavrotragano and Mandilaria among the reds. Thanks to its volcanic soil Santorini has been unaffected by phylloxera and its wine is
produced from ungrafted vines, many of them up to 80 years old. Most vineyards still exhibit a unique traditional pruning whereby the vine is “woven” into a
basket shape close to the ground. Our Santorini producers are Argyros and Sigalas. |