Alongside dry Assyrtiko, Santorini produces Vinsanto, a sweet dessert wine made by laying harvested grapes out in the sun for around ten to fourteen days before pressing, concentrating their sugars significantly before fermentation even begins. It's one of the island's oldest wine styles, with a production method that's changed little for generations.
What it tastes like
Expect a deep amber-to-brown colour and flavours of dried apricot, honey, raisin and caramel, with the same underlying volcanic acidity that defines Santorini's dry wines — which keeps Vinsanto from tasting cloying despite its sweetness. It's typically aged in barrels for several years before release, sometimes considerably longer for premium bottlings.
How it's usually served
As a dessert wine, served chilled or at cool room temperature in small pours, often alongside local honey desserts, aged cheese, or simply on its own at the end of a meal. Most wineries covered in our winery guide include a Vinsanto in their tasting flight.
Spotted something out of date, or have a correction? Let us know — we'd rather fix it fast than leave it wrong.