THE THOMS SUNDAY TRAVEL SECTION.
Santorini. Everyone who sees it wants to visit and see the white buildings clinging to the cliffside.
And if you saw nothing else, that would be worth it.
But beyond that, many people have no idea what else the island offers.
Many don’t even know how the island got its staggering landscape.
Somewhere between 1642–1540 B.C., the volcanic island blew. Half of the landmass flew to points unknown and leaving a deep caldera in its place.
Volcanic ash buries (and preserves) the Minoan town of Akrotiri. Think Pompeii on a Greek island.
There is 100% connection between this town and the Minoans on Crete 60 miles to the south. There is also speculation that this is the Atlantis that Homer speaks of.
The site is open to the public, and if you visit nothing else, this would be worth it.
But there is something else the island knocks out of the park. It has its very own wine region.
And if you taste nothing else, this is so worth it.
Santorini Krasi (wine)
What makes Santorini krasi so unique? Well, one, the grapes.
There are about 40 native varieties of grape from the island. No one is 100% sure how they came back to the island after the eruption. But they did, and they are still holding on. The Assyrtiko, Athiri and Aidani varieties are indigenous to the island.
The island of Santorini has been making, or at least consuming, wine for more than 3000 years. How do we know this? They keep finding wine casks in the excavation of Akrotiri. And not just a few, lots of wine containers.
How Old is Santorini Krasi?
They are some of the oldest traditional wines in Europe. Between 1850 and 1890, the Phylloxera, a microscopic aphid, ate most of Europe’s wine vines.
Santorini’s harsh soil (designated desert) contains no clay, which the aphid needs to live. Therefore, the little “bug” tards were not able to destroy the island’s vines. The grapevines in use today are descendants from these hearty old-timers.
Some of these vines grow to be 70 years old. The older a vine gets, it has the potential to make more complex Santorini wines.
How Do You Get Santorini Krasi From a Rock?
Why are these vines so hearty? Part of the reason is the soil it has to grow in. They have complex deep root systems to look for any nutrients in the ground. When the old plant stops producing, they connect a new vine to the rootstock, which is already in place. Some of these root systems may be centuries old.
They prune the vines and form the plants into low nest-like bushes. They call this system koulara. This way, the grapes can grow on the inside, undamaged by the strong island winds and sun.
Old and New.
Due to the soil, they cannot use modern machinery in the vineyards. They still do the pruning and harvesting by hand.
At the wineries, many now have the latest equipment for pressing, fermenting, aging and bottling the wine. And some still stomp the grapes with their bare feet.
Local Santorini wine is quite accessible all over the island. Not only in stores, but many tavernas have their home-made wine. And it’s still possible, more in the small villages, to find older men selling their home-made wine in plastic bottles.
The island excels with its white wines. More than 70% of the grapes they grow are the Assyrtiko variety. They use them in several white wines and Vinsanto.
The Krasi Grapes
Assyrtiko
This variety is one of the indigenous grapes of Santorini. It is unusual in that it can maintain high levels of alcohol and acidity at the same time. It is one of only a few white grapes from the Mediterranean that possess great aging potential.
Athiri
This grape, also indigenous to the island, is one of the most ancient varieties of Greek grape. The name of the grape comes from Thira, the island’s name in ancient times.
During the Byzantine occupation of the island, they used Athiri to make a sweet wine. The grape by itself produces a medium-bodied wine with light aromatic qualities. They mix it with Assyrtico to create a fuller wine.
Aidani.
This grape is another indigenous variety from Santorini. It is similar to Athiri as a produces a medium body wine with nice acidity. They blend it with both Assyrtiko and Athiri.
R.E.D. Krasi
Grapes for red wines account for approximately 20 percent of the island’s total vineyard area.
The soil and climate are not conducive to most red grape varieties. Most, but not all. The grapes that do grow are often a deep crimson. They produce soft tannins with fruit flavors.
Mavrotragano.
This grape was trendy for making sweet Santorini wines. When sweet wines began to lose popularity in the 1970s, many farmers start replacing the mavrotragano vines with Assyrtiko vines.
Two local winemakers began experimenting with this almost extinct grape in the late 1990s. The result was a dry red that people started buying. Since then, the Slow Food Organization has put the mavrotragano on its endangered variety list. This listing is calling more attention to the grape.
Mandilaria
This variety is another grape whose origins are now a little cloudy after several centuries. By itself, it produces a Santorini wine with deep red color, medium body, and a dark red fruit aroma.
The Santorini Krasi
Europe has a classification system that most of the countries in Europe use. It has shaped the current wine rules and regulations in place today.
P.D.O. Wines of Santorini
What is an appellation? Generally, it is a legally defined and protected geographical location of origin. With wine, they use it to identify where the grapes for the wine are growing. The rules governing them come from their country.
Then to complicate it more, they put in restrictions. What grapes they can grow, how many, how they plant them, ad nauseam.
Santorini doesn’t have one P.D.O. Appellation. The island has three.
Santorini, Appellation (P.D.O. Santorini)
These dry, full-bodied white Santorini wines must contain a minimum of 75% Assyrtiko. The remaining percentage comes from Athiri and Aidani. The acidity is evident, and they have the potential for long aging.
The island adds its mineral character to the citrus. Because of the grapes’ reliable attributes, some vintners apply a small amount of barrel fermenting.
If you have ever been to a Greek restaurant with me, chances are you were drinking a Santorini.
Nykteri, Appellation (P.D.O. Santorini)
These dry white wines begin very much like a Santorini. They must contain a minimum of 75% Assyrtiko, with the remaining percentage allowed from the Athiri and Aidani varieties. At one time, they would harvest the grapes at night (nikta) hence the name. Very few do that anymore.
The process of making the wine may take place in either stainless steel tanks or barrels. Then aging takes place in oak barrels for a minimum of 3 months.
Vinsanto, Appellation (P.D.O. Santorini)
Vinsanto is a sweet Santorini wine that was popular in many areas during ancient times, especially the Byzantine period. The Venetians, ruling the trade routes through most of the Mediterranean, named it “Vino di Santo” (Wine from Santorini.)
Santorini Krasi Summary.
So, it appears that Santorini has a lot more to offer than just views of the caldera.
At last count, there were more than 15 vineyards open to the public, although some require reservations.
Get out and meet the vintners, see their wineries, and, most importantly, taste their wines.
And visit Akrotiri, then visit another winery.
Watch the sun as it sets over the caldera, and maybe enjoy a glass of Santorini Krasi.
And we didn’t even talk about the island’s cuisine, which just so happens to go well with a…
Scroll back up to the top photo and just let your imagination soar for a few minutes. And if you do nothing else today, that would be worth it.
Read more about Santorini Vineyards.
Read more about the island.
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“Did you know Santorini had more to offer than just postcard views?”
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“See the World” Continued on Page T3. “Taste the World” Continued on T11.