Traditional Santorini wineries are often called canavas — originally the term for the underground or semi-underground cellars used to keep wine cool on an island without natural caves for storage. If you've never done a wine tasting before, Santorini is a genuinely approachable place to start.
What actually happens at a tasting
You'll usually be seated and offered a flight of three to six wines, tasted in order from lightest to richest — typically starting with a dry Assyrtiko, moving through any other whites or rosés the winery makes, and finishing with Vinsanto if they produce one. A host talks through each wine briefly; you're not expected to know anything going in.
Beginner-friendly tips
- It's completely normal to not finish every pour — small sips across the flight are the point, not drinking each glass fully.
- Asking "what makes this different from a wine from somewhere else" is a perfectly good question and usually gets an enthusiastic answer, given how distinctive Santorini's growing conditions are; see our Assyrtiko guide.
- Food pairing bites, if offered, are there to change how the wine tastes — try the wine before and after a bite of the same pairing to notice the difference.
Where to start
Larger, well-established producers tend to run the most structured, beginner-friendly tours; see our wineries guide for specific recommendations depending on how formal an experience you'd like.
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