PDO Santorini / PDO Vinsanto / PGI CycladesAssyrtiko, Aidani, Athiri, MavrotraganoFounded 1947Venetsanos familyMegalochori
Cliff-cut winery on the caldera above Athinios port, founded 1947 by the Venetsanos family. The gravity-flow design uses the cliff face to move must downhill through pressing and fermentation; restored and reopened to visitors as a working cellar plus tasting terrace.
Tasting: Daily 11:00 to 20:00 from May to October, reduced hours November to April. Sunset Terrace (May to September, 18:00 to 22:00) is the dedicated evening tasting space. Last tasting at 18:30.
Signature wines: Venetsanos Santorini Assyrtiko, Venetsanos Nykteri, Venetsanos Vinsanto
Tip: Time a sunset visit on the cliffside terrace; the gravity-flow press built into the rock face is a striking wine-tourism space.
PDO Santorini / PGI CycladesAssyrtiko, Aidani, MavrotraganoFounded 2021Apostolos MountrichasMegalochori
Modern boutique winery on the eastern edge of Fira (Kontochori), founded 2021 by Apostolos Mountrichas. Closest cellar door to the central Fira hotel cluster; programme blends a tasting bar with a restaurant kitchen and hands-on cooking workshops.
Tasting: May to October; cellar-door tastings with a chef-led food pairing programme by Michalis Marthas, plus cooking classes and the on-site restaurant.
Signature wines: Anhydrous Santorini Assyrtiko, Anhydrous Cycladic Red
Tip: Easy walking distance from central Fira; the chef-led food and wine pairing is a strong introduction to PDO Santorini for first-time visitors.
PDO Santorini / PDO Vinsanto / PGI CycladesAssyrtiko, Aidani, Athiri, Mandilaria, MavrotraganoFounded 1836Roussos familyMesa Gonia
Founded 1836 by the Roussos family at Mesa Gonia and continuously operating from the historic family canava since the 19th century. The stone-vaulted cellar houses a small museum of pre-industrial Santorini winemaking tools alongside the working tasting room.
Tasting: Daily 11:00 to 19:00 (seasonal); bookable tasting flights at the historic canava (cellar) at Mesa Gonia, including the family's long-aged Vinsanto and Mavrotragano-Mandilaria reds.
Signature wines: Canava Roussos Vinsanto, Canava Roussos Vinsanto, Canava Roussos Caldera
Tip: The Vinsanto here is sometimes available in 20 and 25 year aged bottlings; the Caldera (red) blend of Mavrotragano and Mandilaria is a distinctive heritage red.
PDO Santorini / PDO Vinsanto / PGI CycladesAssyrtiko, Aidani, Mandilaria, Mavrotragano, Voudomato, KatsanoFounded 1900Gavalas family (George Gavalas, fourth generation; Vagelis Gavalas, fifth generation)Winemaker George GavalasMegalochori
Five-generation Gavalas family canava in the centre of Megalochori, producing roughly 90,000 bottles a year across 11 wines. The range includes monovarietal bottlings of Katsano (white) and Voudomato (red), two heritage island grapes seldom seen as single varieties elsewhere on Santorini.
Tasting: Year-round; intimate tasting room at the family canava in central Megalochori. Tasting flights include monovarietal bottlings of the rare indigenous Katsano (white) and Voudomato (red), seldom vinified as single varieties on Santorini.
Signature wines: Gavalas Santorini Assyrtiko, Gavalas Katsano, Gavalas Voudomato, Gavalas Vinsanto
Tip: Visit specifically for the Katsano and Voudomato; monovarietal bottlings of these heritage island grapes are uncommon at other Santorini cellar doors.
PDO Santorini / PDO Vinsanto / PGI CycladesAssyrtiko, Aidani, Athiri, Mavrotragano, MandilariaFounded 1903Antoniou familyMegalochori
Historic Megalochori cellar of the Antoniou family, founded 1903, with a multi-level rock-cut layout running down the caldera escarpment. The traditional canava is a working stop on most island wine tours.
Tasting: Year-round; bookable tasting visits at the restored historic cellar on the caldera side of Megalochori. Programme emphasises the multi-level gravity cellar layout and the Vinsanto-ageing chamber cut into the rock.
Signature wines: Antoniou Santorini Assyrtiko, Antoniou Nykteri, Antoniou Vinsanto
Tip: The rock-cut Vinsanto barrel chamber is an atmospheric tasting space; pair the visit with a stroll through central Megalochori afterwards.
PDO Santorini / PGI CycladesAssyrtiko, Aidani, MavrotraganoFounded 1999Antonis ArgyrosWinemaker Antonis ArgyrosExo Gonia
Dual gallery and winery opened by Antonis Argyros in 1999 inside the 1861 family canava at Exo Gonia. Small production (a few thousand bottles) of estate-grown Assyrtiko, Aidani and Mavrotragano alongside rotating contemporary art exhibitions.
Tasting: Year-round; tastings combined with the on-site sculpture and painting gallery. The space is built into the 1861 Argyros family canava at Exo Gonia.
Signature wines: Art Space Santorini Assyrtiko, Art Space Mavrotragano
Tip: Lesser-known than the Argyros family's larger Estate Argyros; a quieter alternative for visitors who want to combine wine with art in a working historic cellar.
