Santorini’s grape harvest has begun, marking the opening of the island’s wine tourism season and the start of the most atmospheric period to visit the island. The harvest typically runs from late September through early October, and the 2026 season is expected to follow that timeline with early varieties already being picked as of the third week of September.
The island grows the Assyrtiko grape in basket-trained vines known as kouloura - a distinctive circular training method that protects the fruit from the Aegean wind while allowing dew to collect on the grapes overnight. Santorini’s volcanic soil, composed of pumice and lava ash, produces wines with high acidity and minerality that have generated significant international interest over the past decade.
What Happens During Harvest
The harvest period is not a single public event but a working season across the island’s vineyards. The main wineries - Santo Wines, Domaine Sigalas, Estate Argyros, Gavalas Winery, Canava Roussos, and Venetsanos Winery among others - operate their harvests primarily in the last week of September and first week of October.
Several wineries offer harvest experience visits where visitors can participate in hand-picking alongside the vineyard team, followed by a tasting. These experiences are typically pre-booked and limited to small groups. For 2026, Santo Wines confirmed that participatory harvest visits operate on selected dates between 26 September and 8 October - booking directly with wineries is necessary as availability is very limited.
Wine Tourism Beyond the Harvest Dates
The harvest itself is brief, but the wine tourism season it opens runs through November. October and early November are consistently among the best months to visit Santorini:
- Temperatures are warm but not the extreme heat of July and August (typically 23–27°C during the day)
- Summer crowds have reduced significantly - cruise ship traffic drops sharply after mid-September
- Sunsets remain long and the caldera is calm
- Most restaurants, wineries, and accommodation remain open through October before the island largely closes in November and December
The contrast with the July–August peak is significant. Wait times for sunset viewing at Oia’s castle were regularly exceeding two hours in summer 2026. In October, the same location is accessible without queuing.
Key Wineries to Visit
Santorini has around 15 main wineries operating tours and tastings. The following are the most established:
Santo Wines - the island’s largest winery and cooperative, with a terrace directly overlooking the caldera. Tastings of Assyrtiko, Nykteri, and Vinsanto are available daily. The vineyard tour covers the traditional training method and barrel storage in volcanic tunnels.
Estate Argyros - family-run estate in Episkopi Gonias, considered by critics to produce some of the island’s most complex Assyrtiko. Tours are small-group and appointment-based.
Domaine Sigalas - known for both white wines and the Mavrotragano red variety, grown from a single ancient plot. Located in the village of Oia.
Venetsanos Winery - set into the cliffside above the caldera with striking views. Built in a 1947 industrial wine facility now converted for tours and tastings.
Gavalas Winery - one of the oldest operating wineries on the island, located in Megalochori. Focuses on traditional varieties and less-filtered styles.
Vinsanto
Alongside the dry Assyrtiko, Santorini is known for Vinsanto - a sweet dessert wine made from sun-dried grapes. The drying process takes place in late September and October on rooftop mats, and a small number of wineries allow visitors to see the drying grapes. Vinsanto is typically aged for two to ten years in barrel and is one of Greece’s most recognised wines internationally.
Book tours in Santorini for harvest-season wine experiences - participatory harvest visits, cellar tastings, and caldera-view winery tours - well in advance as October availability at the main estates is limited. For guided wine tours that visit multiple wineries in a single day, our Santorini wine tours guide covers the main tour options and what to expect. If you are visiting other parts of Greece before or after Santorini, our Greece tours guide covers activities and experiences across the mainland and islands.