Winegrowing has a long history across the Aegean Islands, recorded in archaeology at Akrotiri and Homeric references. The Aegean Sea PGI, a protected geographical indication, covers the inhabited islands except Evia and Crete. White grapes include Assyrtiko, Aidani, Athiri and Muscat. On Santorini, hot, dry summers, morning caldera mists and volcanic soils surround vines trained low or in baskets against strong winds. Dry Nykteri wines require at least 13.5% alcohol and three months in oak. Sweet Vinsanto uses sun-dried grapes and matures for at least 24 months with exposure to oxygen. Limnos and Samos make sweet Muscat wines. Paros produces barrel-aged Malvasia Paros from sun-dried Monemvassia and Assyrtiko. On Rhodes, white Athiri grows at higher elevations, while the red grape Amorgiano, also called Mandilaria, grows lower down. The island also makes sparkling wines with ripe fruit and freshness.
8 named areas
Inside the region
Explore the wine-growing areas of Aegean Islands.
- 01LimnosNo producers listed yetLimnos is hilly, with Muscat vineyards concentrated in sheltered central and southern areas. Its PDO includes dry white and red wines, alongside medium-sweet white and sweet red styles.
- 02Malvasia ParosNo producers listed yetMalvasia Paros is a sweet, barrel-aged wine from sun-dried Monemvassia and Assyrtiko. It must age in oak for at least 24 months before release.
- 03Moschatos LimnouNo producers listed yetMoschatos Limnou is a sweet wine made entirely from Muscat of Alexandria, with floral, citrus and ripe-fruit character.
- 04Moschatos RodouNo producers listed yetMoschatos Rodou comes from scattered Muscat White and Muscat di Trani vineyards in several districts of Rhodes.
- 05ParosNo producers listed yetSummer sea breezes moderate heat on Paros and favour freshness in the wine. Malvasia Paros is a sweet, barrel-aged wine made from sun-dried Monemvassia and Assyrtiko.
- 06RhodesNo producers listed yetRhodes's main vineyards lie in the central-western part of the island. Athiri grows at mid-to-high altitudes, while Amorgiano or Mandilaria is planted lower down; Rhodes also makes fresh, ripe-fruited sparkling wines.
- 07Samos2 producersPDO Samos lies mainly in the island's north. It is devoted to sweet wines made entirely from White Muscat, using sun-dried grapes or by fortifying the wine with grape spirit.
- 08Santorini3 producersSantorini has hot, dry summers, morning mists and strong winds. Growers train vines in baskets or low bush forms. Its wines include tart Assyrtiko, dry Nykteri and long-aged Vinsanto from sun-dried grapes.
Producer profiles
Producer profiles
Every producer profiled in Aegean Islands so far.
- Artemis Karamolegos WineryA Santorini winery with family roots in 1952, a modern chapter from 2003 and skin-contact Assyrtiko Mystirio.
- Domaine SigalasDomaine Sigalas is a Santorini producer in Baxedes, Oia, making Assyrtiko wines from volcanic ground where own-rooted vines grow in kouloura baskets.
- Karimalis WinerySmall family estate on the Aegean island of Ikaria, farming a 500-year-old vineyard of indigenous varieties with organic methods and indigenous yeast fermentation, now led by oenologist Iliana Karimalis.
- Tsantiris WineryA family winery in Proespera on Ikaria, making Fokiano blanc de noir, barrel-aged red, clay-matured wines and sun-dried sweet wine.