Top 5 Most Expensive Santorini Wine

Santorini, Greece is famous for its unique volcanic vineyards and ancient vines, which contribute to some of the most distinctive – and expensive – Greek wines . The island's harsh winds force growers to train vines into low basket shapes (called kouloura), protecting grapes and yielding very low quantities of concentrated fruit. Many top Santorini wines come from century-old ungrafted vines rooted in volcanic soil, offering intense minerality and history in every sip .

Below we profile the top 5 most expensive Santorini wines available at Garrafeira da Ilha, with their prices in EUR, tasting notes, unique production highlights, and stock status. Each of these premium bottles exemplifies why Santorini wines command high prices – from old-vine Assyrtiko whites to rare sweet Vinsanto and even a revived indigenous red.

1. Hatzidakis “Assyrtiko de Louros” – Santorini's White Treasure

Price: ~€89 (750ml) . About: The flagship Assyrtiko from 100+ year-old vines in the Louros vineyard of Santorini . This ultra-rare white ferments with 12 hours of skin contact and then ages 24 months in old oak barrels . Only a few hundred bottles are produced, making it highly sought after. Tasting Notes: Rich and complex, with ripe stone fruit flavors (peach, apricot) and hints of oriental spices . Despite its fullness, it retains vibrant acidity and a distinct saline minerality from Santorini's volcanic soil .

The finish is long, with a slight tannic grip from the extended oak aging. Production Highlights: Made by the late Haridimos Hatzidakis, who championed organic viticulture on Santorini, this wine captures the “terroir in a glass” – old ungrafted vines, low yields, oak maturation, and no filtration. Availability: In stock (limited). This iconic white epitomizes rarity and pedigree, hence its premium price tag.

2. Estate Argyros “Late Release Vinsanto” 12-Year – Liquid Santorini Heritage

Price: ~€100+ (500ml). About: THE luscious dessert wine from Santorini, often cited as the priciest sweet wine of Greece . VinSanto (from “Santorini Wine”) is made by sun-drying Assyrtiko (with smaller portions of Aidani and Athiri) grapes, then fermenting and aging for over a decade in barrel . Argyros' Late Release Vinsanto typically ages 12 years or more in oak, yielding a deep amber nectar. Tasting Notes: Incredibly concentrated and sweet, yet balanced by racy acidity. Expect dried fig, raisin, toffee, and spice on the nose and palate .

It pours a viscous amber/brown color, bursting with chewy treacle, sweet date, and aromatic spice notes . Despite 260+ g/L of residual sugar, the natural acidity of Assyrtiko keeps it fresh, not cloying.The finish is unctuous and lingering, with notes of caramelized nuts and orange peel. Production Highlights: Sourced from some of oldest vines (150-200 years) , with yields as low as 2–3 kg of grapes per bottle. This wine is released only in exceptional vintages and in tiny quantities. Availability: In stock (very limited). Collectors revere this Vinsanto for its historical lineage and astonishing complexity – truly “liquid heritage” in a bottle.

3. Domaine Sigalas Barrel-Fermented Assyrtiko 2022 – Oak-Kissed Santorini White

Price: ~€90 (750ml) . About: An elite Assyrtiko from one of Santorini's most respected wineries, Sigalas Domain. This special cuvée (often labeled as “Santorini Barrel” or Nykteri, meaning night-harvest) is fermented and aged in French oak, adding depth to the naturally intense Assyrtiko fruit. Grapes come from old vines in Sigalas' estate vineyards in Oia, Santorini.

Tasting Notes: THE bold, layered white that marries Santorini's trademark minerality with subtle oak influence. It “wowed with its citrus nose, balanced acidity and a hint of smoky, cool minerals,” according to IWSC judges . Look for aromas of lemon zest, orange blossom and vanilla. On the palate it's full-bodied yet precise – bright grapefruit and lemon flavors, a creamy texture from oak aging, and a streak of saline minerality. The finish shows a pleasant toasty note and lingering acidity.

Production Highlights: Fermented in barrel (often 100% French oak, part new) and aged ~6–8 months on lees, this wine is essentially Santorini's answer to a Grand Cru Burgundy in terms of structure. Only a few thousand bottles are made. Availability: In stock. For fans of complex oaked whites, Sigalas' barrel-aged Assyrtiko is a must-try, demonstrating that whites can be ageworthy and profound.

4. Estate Argyros “Cuvée Monsignori” Assyrtiko – Old Vines, New Heights

Price: ~€50–60 (750ml). About: Monsignori Cuvée (now often just called Argyros Assyrtiko Estate) is a flagship dry white from Argyros, sourced from the oldest Assyrtiko vines on the island (over 150 years old, pre-phylloxera). “Monsignori” is local dialect for “ancient vines”, and this cuvée indeed represents the estate's oldest ungrafted vineyards, with extremely low-yielding vines.

Tasting Notes: The benchmark Santorini dry white – bone-dry, intensely mineral, and ageworthy. It's a “copybook Santorini” Assyrtiko, showing pure citrus and white flower aromas, bracing acidity, and a saline, flinty character . On the palate, expect laser-focused notes of lemon and grapefruit, with hints of green apple and wet stone. Despite its concentration, it has no excess weight – a testament to old vines and careful stainless-steel vinification.The wine gains a bit of roundness from a few months on fine lees, but remains racy and precise, with a long chalky finish.

Production Highlights: Grapes come from top sites (Messaria, Pyrgos, etc.), vine age 100–120 years , and yields are merely ~20 hl/ha (very low). Fermented in stainless steel at cool temperatures and briefly aged on lees, to showcase terroir without oak influence. Can evolve 10+ years in bottle due to its structure. Availability: In stock. This wine encapsulates heritage of ancient vines, delivering incredible intensity and minerality – at a relative bargain price for its pedigree.

5. Domaine Sigalas Mavrotragano – Santorini's Rare Red Revival

Price: ~€55 (750ml). About: While Santorini is famous for whites, Mavrotragano is the island's prized indigenous red grape – once nearly extinct . Domaine Sigalas was instrumental in rescuing Mavrotragano and crafting it into a top-tier dry red wine. This limited-production red is made from old vine Mavrotragano grown on Santorini's volcanic soils.

Tasting Notes: THE deep, full-bodied red with a unique profile. Mavrotragano wines are known for dark color, firm tannins, and moderate acidity, with aromas of ripe wild berries, sweet spices, coffee, and a distinct mineral note . Sigalas' example offers lush flavors of black cherry, blackberry jam, and hints of pepper, clove, and espresso, wrapped in a smoky minerality from the ashy soil. The palate is bold yet refined – velvety tannins and a long, savory finish. Despite its richness, there's a vein of saline freshness and herbal complexity that reminds you of its origin.

Production Highlights: Mavrotragano is notoriously low-yield and sensitive to drought, requiring special pruning techniques to survive Santorini's climate . Sigalas ferments this red in stainless steel and ages it in French oak barriques (~18 months), polishing the tannins. Only a few hundred cases produced each vintage. Availability: In stock (very limited). A true rarity, Sigalas Mavrotragano showcases a reborn ancient variety – a collectible Santorini red that stands apart for its history and bold character.

Santorini's unique terroir and ancient vines contribute to the exceptional quality (and cost) of these wines . Tasting notes and production details are drawn from winery information and expert reviews . Each of these bottles – whether a mineral-charged old-vine Assyrtiko or a decadent barrel-aged Vinsanto – represents the pinnacle of Santorini winemaking, and all are available through Garrafeira da Ilha for those seeking an unforgettable Greek wine experience.