What to Drink
Nykteri is the Best Greek Wine of 2021
Nykteri won the Best in the Country Award (Greece) at the 2021 London Wine Competition.
Coming from the vineyards near the Akrotiri and Megalochori area, Nykteri vintage 2018 took home the title of the Best Greek Wine of 2021 (Best in Show by Country) at the 2021 London Wine Competition.
Nykteri has an elegant aroma of lime and magnolia flowers, with a sense of citrus jam and mastic that co-exist harmoniously with herbal thyme and sage. The wine has an oily texture and high acidity on the palate that balances the depth of fruit and the high alcoholic content. Nykteri is an ideal match for oily fish, pasta with rich creamy sauces, mature yellow cheeses, smoked eggplant dip, mushrooms risotto, and poultry.
In keeping with their promise of recognizing the best wines from the world over, the London Wine Competition has grabbed the attention of every drinker and wine expert out there. Wines are entered from more than 70 countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, United States, France, and are judged based on their quality, value for money, and packaging.
The winners are judged and awarded by experts like Katherine Larsen MS (Master Sommelier, UK Master Sommelier of the year 2014), Georgios Iordanidis (Head Sommelier and Wine Buyer at Zuma, London), Christopher Delalonde MS (Head of Wines at The Dorchester Hotel), Matteo Montone MS (Master Sommelier, World best young sommelier 2019 Chaine de Rôtisseurs, Wine Director at Edition, London), Svetoslav Manolev MS (Master Sommelier working as Head Sommelier & Wine Buyer Flemings Mayfair, London), Victoria Burt MW (Master of Wine, Head Of Product Development - Wine Qualifications at WSET), and with many more on the list, one can expect that only the best wines will come up top.
About of Venetsanos winery
Producers of Nykteri, the Venetsanos Winery is located right above the port of Athinios, overlooking the magnificent caldera of Santorini. The Venetsanos family has been producing wine since 1947 and is known to be the first industrial winery on the island. Its most distinguishing feature is the structural design, which essentially used gravity, facilitating energy efficiency, at a time when access to electricity and other energy sources was very limited. The winery was built in an unconventional manner constructed from above and moving downwards.
The Story of Venetsanos Vineyard
Venetsanos Winery used to be a vine grower from the beginning. They knew about the local viticulture and realized that high-quality wines start their journey from the land. The family invested their time, money, and efforts and started planting new vineyards, staying focused on local cultivation methods, and shielding the grapes from serious diseases. Today, Venetsanos Winery manages 15 hectares of vineyards mostly, with Assyrtiko variety. Athiri, Aidani, Platani, Mavrotragano, and Mandilaria are other local grape indigenous varieties that give the space for research and development.
The Winery Gallery, Source Facebook
History of the Santorini winery
George Venetsanos founded his Santorini winery in 1947. George was a university-trained enologist, and he was the first on the island to use modern wine-making equipment. Since no electricity was available on the island, the winery was excavated vertically inside the volcanic rock, exploiting gravity as an energy source. The winery was at the volcano’s caldera crest, and wine was flowing with pipes more than 300m down to be loaded in the ships anchored in the port of Athinios. The wine was exported to France, Russia, and Egypt, where the Venetsanos family had successful business activities.
The wine production tradition was passed from generation to generation, together with George’s valuable notebook where he diligently recorded his observations about wine production, from year to year. Since then, many harvests have passed and, since 2015, the winery is owned by the Zorzos family, descendants of Venetsanos. The winery and its facilities are a hot spot for visitors who enjoy a glass of world-class Assyrtiko while looking at the stunning views of the caldera.
Today, the winery is using state-of-the-art technology, but there is one thing that didn’t change, and this is Santorini’s vineyard. The systematic cultivation of wine in Santorini has been documented since 1200 BC, which is 3200 years ago. Since then, the vineyards have been replanted many times, but due to their unique volcanic soil and the Aegean climate, they have never been affected by the phylloxera pest. Therefore, American rootstocks were never used in the indigenous Assyrtiko vine, contrary to what happened in the other traditional European vineyards of France, Italy, Spain, and mainland Greece. Therefore, Santorini is believed to be Europe’s most ancient vineyard, continuously cultivated with indigenous vines, and is proposed as a UNESCO world heritage site. All this results in one of the most unique wine terroirs in the world.
The Architecture of Winery
The Architecture, Source Website
Main Hall Terrace
The Main Hall Terrace is the terrace where the wine tasting experience is taking place. There you could accompany your wine with some local cold dishes while enjoying the breathtaking views of the caldera cliffs and the Aegean Sea.
Sunset Terrace
At the Sunset Terrace, you could enjoy a glass or a bottle of our wines while enjoying the famous sunset of Santorini.
The Venetsanos Vineyards, Source Facebook
The View, Wine Tour & Tasting
The winery offers the chance to walk through and discover their history and tradition as well as the new wine-making techniques they employ. They have an exceptional architectural structure combined with the history of one of the most important wine producers in the Aegean. The winery is located in the most breathtaking location offering incredible views over the caldera and volcanic islands.
The View, Source Facebook
Wedding at the Winery
The winery gives you a chance to host the most exclusive dream wedding on the Island of Santorini. Τhe winery is built on four different levels. The Upper Terrace on the second level is a magnificent open-air area that overlooks the caldera available for hosting wedding ceremonies, receptions, private dinners, galas & other events.
The Wedding, Source Facebook
Other Wines from the Venetsanos
Roseate - It has a light pale pink salmon color and aromas of grapefruit and strawberry. It is well structured, with high acidity and an intense aromatic finish. Pair it with seafood pasta dishes, shrimp saganaki, mincemeat pasta, and dishes of Asian and exotic cuisines.
Platani / Athiri - It has a pale yellow-green color with bright arity. Its impressive nose consists of a bundle of aromas which brings out its varietal character.
There are intense aromas of tropical fruit and pineapple, pear, and apricot with some notes of lemon flowers, and it has a rich, balanced flavor, with exceptional structure, refreshing acidity, and a nice aromatic finish. Pair it with grilled fish, seafood platters, green salads, appetizers, and platters of white cheeses.
Vinsanto - Honeyed, velvety mouth with hints of fig, raisin, caramel, and vanilla. It has long-lasting aromas of dried apricot, honey, roasted nuts, bitter chocolate, and some hints of orange. Long aftertaste, which balances between sweetness and razor-sharp acidity. Pairs nicely with dark chocolate, fruit tarts, desserts with candy, and nuts. Matches also with strong dishes like foie gras and pungent cheeses.
Wines by Venetsanos, Source Instagram
Buy Nykteri Wine
Buy from the Venetsanos
For Greece Residents - Shop here
For the US Residents - Shop here
For the UK Residents - Shop here
Header Image: The Venetsanos Winery, Source Facebook
