Santorini: Three Wineries and One Brewery Tour with Tastings

Santorini’s strangest wine story begins in the soil. Volcanic ground, fierce sun, and strong winds have shaped the island’s low, basket-like grapevines and its crisp local wines. This tour makes that story easy to follow, starting with beer at Santorini Brewing Company before moving through three very different wineries. I like the wide range of 12 wines and three beers, and I like that the tastings come with cheese, bread, vegetables, dips, and other Greek snacks. The main drawback is the pace: four drinks stops in 4.5 hours can feel full, especially if you want long vineyard walks or a slow meal.

I also like the comfortable minibus transfers and broad pickup area, which covers places from Oia and Fira to Perissa, Kamari, and Akrotiri. Guides such as Billy, Panos, John, and Nick have been especially praised for adding island stories, taking photos, and adjusting the pace. Still, the final winery can change with availability, and one summer booking received two beers rather than the promised three, so exact tastings are not completely fixed.

Key details at a glance

• Four tasting stops: Start with three local beers, then visit Art Space, Estate Argyros, and usually Anhydrous Winery.
• Santorini grape culture: Learn why the island’s vines grow close to the ground and how volcanic soil affects the wine.
• Food with the wine: Cheese, dry bread, vegetables, dips, and other Greek bites help make the tasting feel like a small meal.
• Comfortable transport: Pickup and drop-off are available in 16 locations, with air-conditioned vans and small-group or private options.
• Guides add more than wine: Billy, Panos, John, Nick, and other guides have shared island history, restaurant suggestions, photo stops, and practical advice.
• A generous half-day: At $200 per person, the value comes from transport, three winery visits, beer, food, and expert-led tastings in one outing.

Why Santorini wine is unlike ordinary Greek wine

I would choose this tour for the explanation as much as for the alcohol. Santorini is not simply producing standard white wine beside a pretty view. The island’s volcanic soil, limited rainfall, sun, and wind have created a very particular way of growing grapes.

The local vines are trained into low woven baskets rather than tall rows. This protects the fruit from strong winds and helps the plants cope with dry conditions. You will hear about Santorini’s own grape varieties and the methods used to produce wine in a place where farming has never been easy.

That context matters. Without it, a tasting can become a parade of glasses. With it, the bright, dry wines have a clear sense of place. The staff at the wineries explain production methods, old practices, and the differences between smaller traditional operations and larger, more modern estates.

The tour also gives you a useful comparison. Art Space feels quite different from Estate Argyros, while Anhydrous offers another setting and style again. The changing rooms and approaches keep the afternoon from becoming repetitive.

Starting with beer at Santorini Brewing Company

The first stop is Santorini Brewing Company, often associated with its Crazy Donkey beers. You taste three local beers before the wine begins, giving the afternoon a relaxed opening rather than launching straight into formal tasting notes.

This is a smart choice for mixed groups. If one person prefers beer to wine, the day does not feel like a four-stop wine seminar. The brewery has also been praised for its friendly atmosphere, merchandise, and welcoming owners. The setting gives you a chance to settle in, ask questions, and compare local beer with the wines that follow.

The published plan includes three beers. One booking received two instead, with a bonus sightseeing stop added later, so you should regard the exact beer lineup as subject to the day’s arrangements. That is a minor concern, but worth knowing if beer is the main reason you are booking.

Art Space, an old winery with an artistic side

After a short transfer, you reach Art Space Winery in Exo Gonia. This stop combines wine production with art and old underground spaces. You visit the cellars and learn about the building’s earlier use, rather than simply sitting down for a row of samples.

The winery has been described as one of Greece’s best, and its atmosphere is more intimate and traditional than the sleek modern estates later in the afternoon. You might find the old cellar especially interesting if you want to see how wine was made and stored before modern equipment became common.

Art Space also includes an art gallery featuring local work. That gives the stop a broader Santorini feel, connecting wine with the island’s creative life. The staff presentation can be lively and personal. Panos, Esmeralda, and other winery hosts have been singled out for making the visit engaging, though the host on your date may differ.

Expect about an hour here. The tasting comes with food, often cheese and dry bread or similar Greek bites. This is not intended as a full lunch, but the snacks soften the alcohol and help you think about how the wine works with salty, simple foods.

Estate Argyros and the modern face of Santorini wine

The next stop is Estate Argyros, where the setting and presentation shift toward a clean, modern style. You still hear about traditional production, which is part of the point. The estate continues practices such as using mules to plow fields and returning grape byproducts to the soil.

I find that contrast useful. You can see how Santorini’s wine producers use modern facilities without abandoning older farming methods. The result is a more rounded picture than you get from visiting only a rustic cellar or only a polished tasting room.

This is the longest stop, lasting about 75 minutes. You have time for a guided tasting and a fuller explanation of the wines. The setting has been praised for its mountain backdrop, and the food pairings can include cheese, bread, and meat as well as other local items.

For serious wine drinkers, this may be the most useful stop because the presentation goes beyond a quick sample. For casual drinkers, 75 minutes may feel long if you are already feeling the effects of the first tastings. Eat the snacks, drink water when offered, and do not feel obliged to finish every pour.

The final winery and the value of variety

The final stop is usually Anhydrous Winery, though the tour may use Hatzidakis Winery, Venetsanos Winery, or Artemis Karamolegos Winery when availability requires a change. This flexibility means you should focus on the overall format rather than expect one exact cellar every time.

Anhydrous is scheduled for about 75 minutes. It provides another chance to taste local wines with food and to compare a different approach to the wineries visited earlier. The value is in the sequence: old cellar, modern estate, then a further winery experience. You see how varied Santorini’s wine culture can be within a small island.

If your final stop changes, the character of the day will change too. Venetsanos, Hatzidakis, and Artemis Karamolegos are not interchangeable rooms, and the staff and exact wines will differ. That is not necessarily a problem, but it means this is best booked as a broad introduction to Santorini wine rather than a fixed list of four guaranteed brands.

Transport, pickup, and group size

The tour lasts about 4.5 hours, including driving between stops. Pickup and drop-off are available in 16 areas, including Fira, Oia, Imerovigli, Pyrgos Kallistis, Megalochori, Emporio, Kamari, Perissa, and Akrotiri.

That coverage is a real benefit on Santorini. You do not need to find a taxi between wineries, and nobody in your group has to stay sober to drive. The transfers are short between most stops, with a longer opening drive and a longer return journey. The minibus has been praised for being clean, comfortable, and well air-conditioned, an important detail during hot weather.

Private and small-group options are available. Some bookings have turned into private tours when demand was low, while others have run with a small group of four. Do not assume a private vehicle is guaranteed unless your booking specifically says so, but low-season dates may feel particularly personal.

The guides often add value between stops. Billy has been praised for wine knowledge, humor, patience, and island stories. John, also called Giannis in some bookings, has taken photos, offered restaurant suggestions, and added scenic stops. Panos and Nick have been praised for their wine explanations and easy manner. The exact guide depends on the date, but the guide’s role is more than driving.

What the $200 price really buys

At $200 per person, this is not a cheap tasting afternoon. You are paying for four stops, at least 12 wines, three local beers, food pairings, hotel-area transport, and an English-speaking guide over 4.5 hours.

The price makes more sense if you would otherwise need several taxis, arrange a private driver, or pay for separate winery visits. It also removes the hard work of building a route around Santorini’s scattered producers. You can taste freely without assigning one person to drive.

It is less compelling if you only want a few glasses of wine or already plan to visit one winery independently. One winery’s standard tasting may cost far less on its own, and not everyone wants four alcohol-focused stops in one afternoon.

I see this as a convenience and access purchase, not simply a wine purchase. You are paying for transport, interpretation, food, and a carefully timed route. The value is strongest for couples, friends, and small groups who want to learn while sampling a broad selection.

Who should book this afternoon

I would recommend it to wine drinkers who want a clear introduction to Santorini without renting a car. It also suits beer fans because the brewery comes first, and the mixed format works well when not everyone in your group is equally interested in wine.

It is a good choice for first-time visitors who want island context along with tastings. Guides often share information about Santorini’s history, farming, villages, and places to eat, so you get more than a succession of tasting rooms.

The tour is not suitable for pregnant women, people with heart problems, or wheelchair users. Pets and smoking are not allowed. Anyone who dislikes alcohol, has trouble with long seated tastings, or wants a substantial lunch should choose another activity.

Wear something comfortable and plan to eat the snacks. The tour is not a vineyard hike, so you should book it for tastings, cellars, explanations, and scenery rather than exercise.

Practical booking advice

Choose a date with enough time in your schedule after the tour. You may feel the effects of 12 wines and three beers, even with snacks and sensible pacing. Ask for water and use the food pairings rather than treating them as decoration.

If you are visiting in the quieter months, the tour may become very personal, with fewer people and more time with the guide. Summer can be busier, and a full minibus may offer less flexibility. The transport still keeps the day simple, but your time at each stop may feel more structured.

The activity is conducted in English. You can cancel up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and you can reserve now while paying later, which helps if your island plans may change.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a broad, no-driving introduction to Santorini wine, with beer, food, cellars, and local stories folded into one half-day. The strongest parts are the variety of settings, the comfortable transport, and guides such as Billy, Panos, John, and Nick who make the time between stops useful.

Skip it if you want one slow winery visit, a full meal, or a fixed promise of specific producers and exact pours. For most couples and small groups, though, $200 is reasonable when you count the transport, tastings, food, and four carefully connected stops. It is an efficient way to understand why Santorini’s wines taste so distinctive.

FAQ

How long does the Santorini winery and brewery tour last?

The tour lasts 4.5 hours, including transport between the brewery, wineries, and your pickup and drop-off locations.

How many drinks are included?

The tour includes tastings of at least 12 different wines and three local beers. The exact beer selection can vary, and one booking received two beers instead.

Which wineries will I visit?

The usual route includes Art Space Winery, Estate Argyros, and Anhydrous Winery. Depending on availability, the final winery may instead be Hatzidakis Winery, Venetsanos Winery, or Artemis Karamolegos Winery.

Is food included with the tastings?

Yes. Cheese pairing is included, along with local snacks such as dry bread, vegetables, dips, and other Greek delicacies. The food is a light accompaniment rather than a full meal.

Where can I be picked up and dropped off?

Pickup and drop-off are available in 16 locations, including Fira, Oia, Imerovigli, Pyrgos Kallistis, Megalochori, Emporio, Akrotiri, Kamari, and Perissa.

Is the tour private?

Private and small-group options are available. The exact group size depends on the booking, and some dates may operate as private tours when demand is low.

Is the activity accessible to everyone?

No. The activity is not suitable for wheelchair users, pregnant women, or people with heart problems. Pets and smoking are not allowed.