Assyrtiko wines come from a unique grape variety native to the volcanic island of Santorini in Greece. These grapes grow in volcanic soil rich in ash, which defines their distinct profile. Because of that, this wine is primarily produced by private local wineries on Santorini. Some vineries grow Assyrtiko on other Aegean islands and Crete, and even on the continent, although this requires a lot of extra care. With enough dedication, Assyrtico can be produced on other continents, like this Chateau Oumsiyat Assirtyko from Lebanon.
The Assyrtiko variety is a white grape variety with yellow skin, which produces wines that range from straw blonde to ripe lemon to green-tinted bright yellow. The wine’s profile is dry, crisp, and zesty—a perfect match for traditional Greek cuisine. It pairs wonderfully with grilled fish, octopus, oysters, and squid. Assyrtiko’s bold personality couples perfectly with lamb roast – or grilled vegetables, depending on your culinary preferences.
A good Assyrtiko can be found in just about any price category, but the best vintages are truly historical events. Many Greek estates boast vines over 50 years old, while some famous Santorini vineyards have plenty of vines over 70 years of age. The oldest ones can be found in Episkopi Gonia, and they are over 200 years old. Such ancient vines produce extremely low yields but achieve exceptional ripeness, with grapes harvested about a month after technical ripening. While these varieties are certainly exclusive, the true beauty of the Greek wine industry lies in its ability to offer exceptional wines for every connoisseur.
Traditionally, Assyrtiko has shown exceptional blending potential due to its distinct mineral profile. This versatility enables winemakers to create a wide range of notable Greek wines, from accessible to exclusive. The best known traditional style is Vinsanto—a sweet dessert wine that blends Assyrtiko, Aidani, and Athiri. The name “Vinsanto” derives from “vino Santo,” which means that this is Santorini’s signature wine.
For aspiring wine enthusiasts, here’s an interesting fact: Assyrtiko is an autochthonous vine—meaning “native” in ancient Greek. This special variety grows exclusively in one small geographical region of the world, and getting to know it makes for a very rewarding experience.
While keeping track of local indigenous grape varieties can be challenging, we’ve created something special to help you navigate them. It’s time to learn about the best celebrated wineries that produce a diverse range of Assyrtiko!
Artemis Karamolegos Santorini Vineyard
1. Artemis Karamolegos Assyrtiko
The Artemis Karamolegos winery is one of the most important wineries of Santorini (the third largest in terms of production), located in Exo Gonia. Started by grandfather Artemis back in 1952, it got a modern makeover in 2004 when his grandson (also named Artemis) introduced new facilities and put additional care into the vineyards, to achieve the award-winning status in just a few years. Their large range of Assyrtikos features the signature beautiful light yellow colour with a zippy acidity and distinctive mineral taste. To cater to the most diverse consumer needs, it comes both unoaked and oaked, offering a full spectrum of flavours from green pear and lime, to yellow plum and apricots, with a variety of Mediterranean flowers and herbs. It’s definitely a winery that’s got something for everyone, and probably the most accessible in terms of their various Assyrtikos
2. Argyros Estate Assyrtiko
Estate Argyros stands as a distinguished presence in Santorini’s viticultural landscape. Established in 1903 in Episkopi Gonia, this family-operated winery has evolved into the island’s largest private vineyard proprietor, managing over 120 hectares. Now in its fourth generation of ownership, the estate maintains its commitment to artisanal production methods, creating limited-quantity, premium wines. The average vine age on Argyros property is over 70 years old, and some of their vines are over two centuries old. Argyros Assyrtiko represent the dryer end of the spectrum, with pronounced crispiness and distinctive notes of citrus and sea salt. In addition to lighter, more acidic wines, the estate invests a lot of care into their traditional Vinsanto collection, with its remarkable aging potential.
3. Gaia Assyrtiko
Gaia Wines build on history to introduce innovation, working hard on maintaining their unique beachfront vineyards between Kamari and Monolithos. Their famous Episkopi, Akrotiri and Pyrgos vineyards produce particularly low yield, to create such local gems as Assyrtiko Thalassisis. These 70-80 year old ungrafted vines are cultivated using the traditional ‘kouloura’ basket method, protecting the grapes from Santorini’s intense climate. Operating from a renovated 1900s tomato factory, this modern winery combines state-of-the-art equipment with traditional winemaking methods. To the most refined wine lover, it offers exceptional Vinsantos and wild ferment wines, such as this Gaia Estate Wild Ferment Assyrtiko.
4. Sigalas Assyrtiko
Domaine Sigalas, a renowned winery in Oia established by Paris Sigalas in 1991, showcases the best of Santorini’s winemaking tradition. With 40 hectares of sustainably cultivated vineyards and an impressive annual production of 200,000 bottles, they craft a number of exceptional Assyrtiko wines from vines over 50 years old. This is relatively young for Santorini, but this also allows to highlight freshness and crispiness of their famous white wines. The vines are grown sustainably and trained in traditional ‘kouloura’ baskets.
Having introduced our favourite wineries on Santorini, let’s explore other regions where the golden Assyrtiko grapes flourish. Though native to Santorini, Assyrtiko has successfully spread to mainland Greece and Crete. The hot climate of Crete proves ideal for this grape variety.
Diamantakis Assyrtiko Winery
5. Diamantakis Assyrtiko
A contemporary family-run winery Diamantakis is located in Crete, just southwest of the city of Heraklion in Malevizi province. The winery’s focus is on local varieties, such as Vidiano, Mandilaria, and Liatiko. The vineyards sit 450 meters above sea level, on the eastern foothills of Psiloritis, while Assyrtiko grows in the higher altitude plots at 600-700m. Diamantakis Petali Assyrtiko, as well as the Vidiano-Assyrtiko blend Diamantopetra, have already gathered many awards at local competitions as well as at Decanter World Wide Award.
6. Assyrtiko Lyrarakis
The Lyrarakis family has been developing the winemaking potential of East Crete since 1966. They dedicate themselves to preserving the viticultural heritage of Crete and advocate for sustainable practices, while also adapting to climate change. Most of Lyrarakis wines are diverse local Cretan varieties, some of which were saved from extinction. The Lyrarakis Assyrtiko thrives in the heart of their estate, in the single area vineyard on the Voila plain.
7. Assyrtiko Papagiannakos
Papagiannakos Assyrtiko comes from the region of P.G.I. Markopoulo in the very heart of Greece, not too far away from its capital Athens. The Papagiannakos Winery is located in Mesogaia, in the heart of the Attiki Vineyard. While the heritage variety of the vineyard is Savatiano, this region also produces Assyrtiko. Grapes come from 50 year old vines, which are trained in the shape of a low open-cup bush. The local Assyrtiko is dry and herbal, with a light aroma of white currant.
8. Zacharias Assyrtiko
Zacharias Winery is a notable estate in the P.G.I. Peloponnese region, with vineyards in Nemea and Leontio. Using organic farming practices, they cultivate thirteen diverse grape varieties. Their Assyrtiko offers bright, zesty flavors with citrus aromas and lemon-curd notes. The wine perfectly captures the variety’s distinctive mineral profile that wine enthusiasts cherish.
9. Alpha Estate Assyrtiko
The winery of Alpha Estate is found in the viticultural zone of Amyntaio, or Amyndeon, in the mountains of Greek Macedonia, near the border with the Republic of North Macedonia. This area is a part of the Protected Geographical Indication (P.G.I.) Florina, one of the northernmost in Greece. Assyrtiko is a newcomer in this area, as the P.D.O. Amyndeon wines are made from the local variety Xinomavro. The famous yellow grapes were introduced to this vineyard in 2006, and we hope for a long bright future for this local venture. The Alpha Estate Assyrtiko has the signature richness of the variety and excellent creamy structure.
Alpha Estate Vineyard
Where do I find Assyrtiko wines?
Assyrtiko wine is both the treat for special occasions, and a great price for its money, as most Greek wines are. Autochthonous wines aren’t always easy to find, because they are so limited, – but each of them can tell an amazing story. You might want to keep an eye on our Events, so we can inform you when the next testing takes place.
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