Greek Islands

Santorini

May 21, 2018

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Art Space Winery

Koutsoyannopoulos Winery and Museum

The tasting included five vintages of Assyrtiko (20013, 14, 15, 16 and 17)
plus a dry red blend from three indigenous grapes, a sweet red (Kamartlis)
and a 2012 Vinsanto.

Vin Santo vs. Vinsanto

Vin Santo is a style of Italian dessert wine. Traditional in Tuscany, these wines are often made from white grape varieties such as Trebbiano and Malvasia The wines may also be called straw wines since they are often produced by drying the freshly harvested grapes on straw mats in a warm and well ventilated area. Though technically a dessert wine, a Vin Santo can vary in sweetness levels from dry (like a Fino Sherry) to extremely sweet.

Santorini's version is labeled "Vinsanto" to differentiate it from the Tuscan wine. It is made from white grapes Athiri, Aidini and Assyrtiko that have been dried to concentrate their juice. The result is similar to that of the ice wine process, but suitable for warmer climates. The classic method dries clusters of grapes on mats of straw in the sun.

Sunset Cruise Around Santorini