Santorini Wine: Wines of Greece

Fri, Oct 5th 2007, 00:00

Another speciality of Santorini island is wine ...

Santorini has a 3,500 year tradition of vineyard cultivation, and its very own distinct way of preparing vines in the fields. The vine stems and stalks are arranged into a unique basket shape which protects the grapes from the high winds of the Cyclades and allows the plants to be watered by the dew.

There are a number of large wineries on the island that produce some of Greece's most famous wines. The wines are stored in the traditional kanaves (cellars), many of which offer tasting facilities for visitors.

Santorini wines are generally dry and aromatic. The most famous is Nykteri, so named because the wine is produced instantly in the middle of the night from grapes harvested and pressed the day before. The wine making process takes place during the night when the temperatures are lower.

Vinsanto is a sweet wine (white or red) produced from grapes dried in the sun. This sweet wine was popular at medieval feasts and has for centuries been the wine used for Holy Communion in the Russian Orthodox Church.

Retsina is a wine that has been synonymous with Greece at least 3,000 years. The wine (white or rosé) is flavoured with pine resin. This originated from the practice of sealing the amphorae of wine with pine resin in ancient times. The resin helped keep air out of the vessel, while at the same time infusing the wine with its distinct aroma. In time resin was being added to the fermenting process to produce the distinctive flavour.

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