History

Climate

Soil

Pruning

Varieties

The climate is best described as Mediterranean, with mild winters and cool summers, due to the strong northerly winds in the summer, with durations of up to a month. The vines are also relieved from the heat from the sea breeze. Average annual rainfalls range up to 350 mm, and the average temperature is 16.5° C.

During most summer nights, the humidity created by the sea, especially the caldera sea, due to the high daytime temperatures, falls like a gentle rain on the surface of the soil and vine leaves. This "rain" known by the locals as "pousi" (meaning a mist rising from the sea) soothes the vines from the high temperatures of the day. The chill which descends on the island during summer nights -largely as a result of the great temperature differences between day and night- attributes to the high quality of the wine produced in Santorini.