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{ SOMMjournal.com } 105 as well as Aidani and Athiri blends—ac- companied the meal. We were amazed by the diversity on the table, nding out later in the trip that every new restaurant we tried had a signature item on the menu meant to impress with its originality. During our week-long visit, we dined in some of the other top restaurants in Santorini, including Feredini, To Psaraki, and Galini Taverna. Our group also visited all 13 commercial wineries on the island, discov - ering that each wine producer in Santorini has its own approach to innovation while still honoring traditions that shine through its wines. Yiannis Paraskevopoulos of GAIA Wines, for example, is experimenting with deep-sea underwater aging and skin-con - tact, amphorae-fermented Assyrtiko. Among Domaine Sigalas' specialties are its single-village Assyrtiko wines, with seven villages on the island (Oia, Fira, Megaloch- ori, Pyrgos, Imerovigli, Vourvoulos, and Ak- rotiri) seeing representation in its portfolio. Meanwhile, Santo Wines, a cooperative with 1,200 members, carries out the most signicant production on the island. Most Sardinian wineries now purchase grapes from multiple growers, making the Argyros Estate winery quite unconven - tional. The producer owns more than 30 hectares of vineyards containing self-root- ed vines 70–160 years old. The majority of the wineries make Assyrtiko in a traditional style known as Nykteri, producing wines both luxurious and pronounced. Current rules permit the wine to age in oak barrels for at least three months, and it's not uncommon for Nykteri wines to be purposely oxidative in style with a minimum ABV of 13.5%. White-wine production is dominant on the island, with Assyrtiko being a mon - arch grape. However, the oldest winery in Santorini, Canava Roussos, dedicates a large portion of its vinication efforts to Mandilaria and Mavrathiro reds. We learned a lot about the island's wines simply from walking the vineyards, where practices at least 5,000 years old unfold. Pruning in the koulara method is universal here, meaning vines are wrapped into countless circles to form a nest or a basket shape for protection from harsh winds and heat. Koulara vines produce low yields, on average about 1,400–3,500 kilo - grams/hectare, and demand hand-picking. The absence of clay in the soil gives the vines a natural immunity from phylloxera, allowing them to remain ungrafted while developing sturdy root systems that pen - etrate several meters into the ground. Due to the intricacies of the island's ter- roir, winemaking continues to thrive under these ancient farming traditions, while the latest technologies are applied whenever possible. This ensures Santorini wine will continue to meet the highest standards of quality without comprising its ideals for demand from the outside world. Koulara-pruned Assyrtiko grown at Boutari Winery in Santorini. Paris Segal of Domaine Sigalas with Julia Dixon in Santorini.