A Taste of Santorini

It’s almost impossible to come to Greece and not indulge in a glass of wine or two. This wine museum is the only one if its kind in Greece.

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The entrance of the wine museum.

It is self-led tour and consists of 24 exhibits. Each exhibit is accompanied by a story as to how it is in involved in the wine making process at the Koutsoyianopoulos’ wine. Guests listen to the exhibit through a hand held device. When you arrive at each exhibit you will type the number into your device and you will hear a recording.

The exhibit begins with a history of the family and how they started their wine business and goes through the various stages of the wine making process.

In 1870 Dimitris and Gregory, two brothers, arrived to Santorini after being caught in a storm, while sailing. They saw the marketing potential in the island and began selling oil brought in from their own olive groves on the mainland. In 1880 they opened their first winery in addition to countless acres of land and sailboats, which were signs of prosperity. The family wine legacy continued for two centuries being owned and operated by George Koutsoyianopoulos.

At the end of the exhibit, you will re-enter the reception area that has a bar showcasing the wines and then be allowed to taste four of the family wines. The wine instructor will explain the process of making each wine and tell you about it.

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Photos from inside the wine exhibit.

The four wines that are tasted during the tour:

1. Assyrtiko Koytsoyannopoulos, which is a white wine:

2. Ampelones Koytsoyannopoulos, which is a red wine:

3. Kamaritis Koytsoyannopoulos, which is a dessert wine:

4. Vinsanto Koytsoyannopoulos, which is a dessert wine:

The instructor offers the guests bread to cleanse their palettes, after transitioning from drier wines to sweeter ones. The bread is wheat, dry and crunchy.

You are allowed to take photos and video of the exhibit.

The wine museum is in Kamari. A bus is available to the museum or you can drive. The bus stop is a two-minute walk from the entrance of the wine museum.

Quick Tip: The recordings from the device can play aloud but you should bring headphones because you will be able to hear it better and won’t disturb other people enjoying the exhibit.

Exiting the wine museum.