Declining yields, aging growers, and bold steps for a sustainable future
The Santorini vineyard—home to Greece’s most valuable grape, Assyrtiko—is at a crossroads. Harvest volumes continue to sink, pressured by climate change, overdevelopment, and a shrinking pool of growers. Once covering more than 30,000–35,000 stremmata in the 1950s, the island’s vineyard now spans just 10,000, with Assyrtiko making up 80% of plantings.
The 2025 harvest closed with a third consecutive annual decline, producing only 450 tons of grapes. Grape prices have reached historic highs, raising questions about the vineyard’s long-term viability. “Our job is not to dwell on the crisis but to manage the present and secure the future,” says Stellios Boutaris of Domaine Sigalas, one of Santorini’s most historic wineries.
Structural weaknesses exposed
Agronomist Stratos Guillaume Xyrafis stresses that the problems are not recent. Traditional practices that once rejuvenated the vineyard have been abandoned for decades. At the same time, Santorini’s growers are aging, while finding workers is increasingly difficult and costly due to the island’s high living expenses. With land left uncultivated and vines deteriorating, yields in some areas dropped below 50 kg per stremma.
Climate patterns added to the pressure: mild winters, erratic rainfall, and strong winds hit southern plots hardest, creating what winemakers called a “two-speed harvest.”
Domaine Sigalas’ response
At Domaine Sigalas, production fell 15% this year. Yet the winery has doubled down on long-term investment. Since 2020, it has planted 170 new stremmata, now farming 450 in total, mainly in the north of the island. The estate also collaborates closely with local growers and invests in young scientists and oenologists to modernize practices while respecting Santorini’s terroir.
New vineyards are being designed for resilience: denser plantings, partial mechanization, organic and regenerative farming, and careful water-use protocols to counter desertification. Sigalas is also part of a pilot project testing the use of grey water for irrigation, in partnership with local institutions.
Signs of renewal
While yields remain historically low, newly planted vineyards are showing greater stability and resilience, offering hope for the future. “We are already seeing the first signs that our holistic approach is working,” says Yiannis Boutaris, the sixth generation of his winemaking family, now joining the estate. “The knowledge we’re building is available to all growers who want to help regenerate the Santorini vineyard.”
For Sigalas, the goal is clear: not to preserve Santorini as a museum piece, but to build a sustainable future where its wines remain among the world’s most sought-after terroirs.
Source: https://t.ly/uhQmg