7 Wineries & Vineyards to Visit in Greece

Crete has a long history of winemaking, but in recent decades, there’s been an increase in boutique wineries, focusing more on the local terroir, producing high-quality wines from indigenous grapes.

Manousakis Wine Estate, nestled in the White Mountain foothills near picturesque Vatolakkos village near Chania in Western Crete, is renowned for its organic practices. The terroir, from the mountains to herbs, including thyme, sage, rosemary, chamomile, and lavender, has a significant influence on its full-bodied, rich wines.

The first vineyard, covering 20 acres, was established in 1993 by Ted Manousakis, a Vatolakkos native who returned to see his dream come to life. It’s since expanded to 135 acres, producing over a dozen different labels, including Vilana, a once forgotten white Cretan variety, and the local grape distillate Tsikoudia.

Alexandra, the daughter of Manousakis, arrived in 2007 as an NYU graduate with a major in Fine Arts, Business, and Hellenic Studies. Strengthening the enterprise into a treasure while ensuring her father’s legacy would be handed down from generation to generation, it’s grown from producing 35,000 to 150,000 bottles of wine per year.

Adding her artistic style, Alexandra combines influences of the ancient practice of Greek ceramics with modern-day themes through her eponymous brand, Alexandra Manousakis. There’s also a restaurant serving traditional Greek dishes while outdoor tastings are enjoyed beneath the olive trees

Santorini‘s unique wine culture is deeply rooted in its ancient winemaking traditions and volcanic terroir, with viticulture emerging during the Minoan civilization. A view of the caldera while sipping high-quality local wine is all part of the wine experience here.

A highlight for oenophiles visiting Santorini is Venetsanos Winery, ideal for tasting everything from Assyrtiko to Mandilaria wines while admiring one of the most incredible caldera views. Built in 1947 by the Venetsanos family, the winery has a unique architectural design for greater energy efficiency, but it is most memorable for its vantage point.

Located in Megalochori, Venetsanos is perfectly positioned for gazing out at the caldera, nearby volcanic islands, and world-famous Santorini sunsets. While it can get busy around dusk as many arrive to enjoy Mother Nature’s colorful show, it’s generally one of the better wineries for sipping while avoiding the crowds typical in the island’s hotspots.

From May through mid-October, visitors can also dine on the Sunset Terrace with the menu featuring various cheeses and other traditional foods that can be complemented by Venetsanos wines. Tours of the winery allow one to walk through the vines, learn about the winemaking techniques, and enjoy tastings of the exceptional wines, led by expert staff. While it’s most notable for its signature white Assyrtiko, it’s also popular for Vinsanto, a sweet dessert wine.

Located about four miles southeast of Fira in the charming hilltop village of Exo Gonia near Pyrgos, Artemis Karamolegos Winery specializes in Santorini’s indigenous Asyrtiko wine. It continues the legacy of tradition started by the Artemis family nearly a century ago by cultivating local produce, particularly Assyrtiko.

Assyrtiko is the white wine grape that’s been cultivated on the island for more than 3,000 years, now synonymous with Santorini’s winemaking tradition. In 1952, the first canava was created here by the founder for home consumption.

Artemis Karamolegos was the island’s first winery to produce a skin-contact Assyrtiko under the label of Mystrio, but every wine in its portfolio is known for expressing the complexity and uniqueness of Assyrtiko. The founder’s grandson has transformed it into one of the country’s most highly acclaimed wineries, proudly representing the island at major international wine exhibitions while earning numerous awards at prestigious competitions.

Visitors not only enjoy tasting and touring but also outdoor dining at the Aroma Avlis restaurant, offering Santorini dishes prepared using fresh ingredients from its own garden that can be enjoyed with wine pairings. There are even cooking classes hosted in the orchard for a hands-on experience learning to prepare the island’s traditional recipes.

The former Avantis Santorini Winery, which was birthed by the passion of winemaker Apostolos Mountrichas for Assyrtiko, became the Anhydrous Winery in 2021. Located in the charming neighborhood of Kontochori in a setting that captures the essence of the island’s unique terroir, with its abundant sunshine, cooling sea breeze, and volcanic soil. The high-quality, modern wines are the result of that harmonious combination of innovation, tradition, and Santorini’s natural splendor. At the Anhydrous Cellar Door, only a 10-minute stroll from the center of Fira, visitors can enjoy guided tours, tastings, dining in the restaurant, and even cooking classes.

Anhydrous is set within an old open-air cinema that was converted into a tranquil Cycladic courtyard in 2009. Guided tours are led by an expert team of oenophiles, revealing the island’s history, viticulture, and wine production process. All conclude with a tasting. One can enjoy multiple tasting experiences featuring high-quality Anhydrous wines with or without a guided tour. Some include a selection of meze or a full lunch. Or just visit the restaurant for a gastronomic feast, with the impressive chef’s creation of an outstanding wine and food pairing menu. The cooking class is ideal for those who want to learn how to make some of Santorini’s signature dishes, led by the talented chef, and enjoyed with a bottle of wine.

Nestled among olive groves and cypress trees in Corinthia’s region on the Peloponnese Peninsula, Semeli Estate is a state-of-the-art winery that preserves the area’s 2,500-year-old winemaking tradition, with Agiorgitiko one of its flagship vines. One of the most important red grape varieties in Greece, it’s grown in the hillside vineyards of the Nemea appellation, with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification. The winery’s roots date back to 1979 when the Kokotos family began following in the footsteps of their ancestors by respecting the old traditions and combining them with the latest innovative winemaking methods.

Recently purchased by NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo, “the Greek freak,” millions were spent to update the facilities, making it a top wine destination. The same centuries-old traditions are followed at Semeli today, yet it’s carbon neutral, with a focus on sustainability from the production of the grapes to the export of the products. The cultivation respects nature with a focus on both native and international grapes, producing Agiorgitiko and other reds as well as white wines and sweet rosés. Visitors can enjoy guided tours of the vines, production, bottling areas, the cellar, and more, along with a variety of wine tasting options led by oenologists, paired with light bites like Graviera cheese and crackers.

In the Nemea Appellation in the northeastern part of the Peloponnese, Domain Skouras winery was established in 1986 by George Skouras, a native of Argos, one of Europe’s oldest towns with a 3,000-year-old tradition of winemaking. After graduating with a degree in oenology at the University of Dijon in Burgundy, France, he built greater knowledge and experience by working in multiple wine regions across France, Italy, and Greece. Combining conventional and modern viticulture techniques to produce delicious wines. Megas Oenos became Skouras’ signature wine, a pioneering blend of Agiorgitiko and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is still produced today along with a variety of complex reds, whites, and rosé wines.

While it started as a small winery producing minimal amounts, today some 700,000 to 850,000 bottles are produced annually, with at least 40 percent exported. Visitors can explore the ultra-modern Domaine Skouras winemaking facility housed in elegant Greek architecture and tucked among the vines. As part of your visit, you’ll enjoy an entertaining and educational look at the wine while enjoying warm hospitality. The tour includes visits to multiple areas, like the cellar with its 1,000 barrels, vinification, bottling, and storage spaces. Of course, you’ll also learn about the wine firsthand with a tasting of various labels complemented by a picturesque view.

The largest of the hundreds of islands in Greece, Crete offers everything from ancient ruins drenched in mythology and history to untouched shorelines and areas with thriving local agriculture. The island is at the forefront of the country’s agricultural production, growing everything from olives to vegetables, and, of course, grapes. In fact, you’ll find one of the best Greece wine tasting experiences and vineyards on this island, located in its central region.

The Lyrarakis Winery and Tasting Room is a family-owned estate that has been in operation since 1996. The high-quality wines produced in its vineyard are predominantly local and rare varieties, as the winery prides itself on this focus, alongside producing single-variety wines. The winery itself was responsible for the revival of two ancient Cretan varieties: the Plyto and the Dafni.

Visiting this vineyard offers a particularly picturesque experience for wine lovers. As it sits beneath the Lassithi Mountains, you can walk among the vines while enjoying the view and savoring some of the best Greek wine on the island. You can even opt for a picnic experience where you’ll simply relax within the natural vineyard landscape, immersed in the beauty while drinking and eating the local crop.