Argyros

Estate Argyros, based in Episkopi Gonia on Santorini, is the largest private vineyard owner on the island and one of the oldest wine-producing families in Greece. The estate was formally established in 1903, though the Argyros family had been making wine for decades before that.

History

The estate is now in its fourth generation. Yiannis Argyros took the helm in 1974 and spent over three decades establishing the estate's international reputation, particularly for its Vinsanto and dry Assyrtiko. His son Matthaios (Matthew) has been in charge since 2004 and has driven further vineyard expansion and the construction of a new purpose-built winery in Episkopi, which opened in 2015 and covers more than 3,000 square metres.

Vineyards, Terroir and Grapes

The estate's landholdings exceed 120 hectares, spread across the island's key villages including Messaria, Karterados, Pyrgos, Megalochori, and Akrotiri, at altitudes ranging from 35 to 150 metres.

Average vine age exceeds 70 years, while the oldest parcels are over two centuries old. All vines are ungrafted, as Santorini's volcanic, clay-free soils make it naturally immune to phylloxera.

The primary grape is Assyrtiko, alongside indigenous varieties Aidani, Athiri, and Mavrotragano.

Winemaking and Wines

Fermentation is carried out in stainless steel at controlled temperatures, with minimal intervention.

The estate produces a range of dry Assyrtiko wines, including the flagship Estate Argyros Assyrtiko Santorini, which is fermented at 16–17°C and aged on fine lees for three months.

Vinsanto, the island's traditional sweet wine made from sun-dried grapes, is the other pillar of the range, with the estate's 20-year-old Vinsanto among the most admired versions on the island. Mavrotragano, a rare indigenous red, rounds out the portfolio.