Santorini is the southernmost island in the Aegean Sea and one of the
islands in the Cyclades group. Formerly known as Thira as well as Kallisti
(‘The Fairest’), Santorini is a volcanic island with porous terrain
and unique appearance that were created by a series of volcanic eruptions
many hundreds of thousands of years ago. This unique topography has
promoted Santorini into a viticultural (winemaking) region of its own. The
loam soil offers many benefits to viticulture in Santorini, among these
the crisp, clean, mineral qualities of the island varieties.
 The most striking feature of the island’s vineyards is the way the
vines are cut back into a basket shape, a technique developed by the local
vine growers to protect the fruit from the unique meteorological
conditions prevailing on the island. The main local varieties of grape are
the Assyrtiko, the Athiri and the Aidani.
In 1988, in an effort to draw attention to this unique wine-producing
region of Greece, the Boutari Company was the first to open its Santorini
winery property to the public. This winery has the capacity to produce 1.1
million liters each year.
The Boutari Winery in Santorini plays an important role in the
viticultural, socioeconomic and cultural development of the region.
Boutari’s expertise, in combination with the experience, hard work and
enthusiasm of the local vine growers, has yielded unparalleled results,
promoting the old, established grape varieties and experimenting
successfully with the planting of new foreign and Greek varieties.
The Boutari Winery in Santorini produces several wines for export
markets. Among the Boutari Santorini island wines available in the US are
Boutari Santorini and Boutari Kallisti. The Boutari Winery in Santorini is
open to the public for guided tours and winetastings all year long. If you
are interested in visiting the Boutari Winery in Santorini please contact pr@boutari.gr.
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