AKRA CHRYSSOSWINERY
With a family tradition spanning four generations, the viticulturist Spyros Chryssos applies the knowledge passed down from his grandparents, takes the baton from his father, and continues the story by creating Akra Chryssos. Ancient Assyrtiko vines, volcanic soils, strong Aegean winds, and high temperatures meet with the winemaking approach of the new generation, shaping the future of the wine landscape in Santorini.
Wines
2018
Santorini
The Santorini PDO from Akra Chryssos reflects the deep-rooted connection of the Chryssos family with wine. Family-owned Assyrtiko vines, over 50 years old, located in the renowned winegrowing villages of Pyrgos, Megalochori, and Akrotiri, provide the exceptional raw material. Embracing organic practices, including manual harvesting, the wine is produced through gentle, natural winemaking processes, using native yeasts and minimal sulfites. The wine undergoes spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks and remains on the lees for 7 months.
2022
Nykteri
An approach to traditional Nykteri, inspired by the wine’s historical past, creating the most elegant version of it. The grapes come from the renowned “Louroi” vineyard in Pyrgos, where low yields combined with organic farming practices produce rare grapes of exceptional quality and depth of flavor. Whole-cluster vinification, spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in a 500-liter oak barrel, where the wine matures for 7 months on fine lees, adding complexity and structure while maintaining its characteristic acidity.
2022
Skafida
The premium, single-vineyard label “SKAFIDA” reflects all the energy and power of Assyrtiko to create rare wines with extraordinary levels of complexity. With its shape resembling a trough, “Skafida” vineyard seems to almost hover due to its steep incline, at 180 meters altitude in Pyrgos, a village with a rich viticultural history, as evidenced by the vines planted over 150 years ago. This extreme topographical vineyard is complemented by an unusual mix of soil types, including aspa, rock, basalt, and tzachali — as the local viticulturalists call it — giving the wine an exceptional minerality that reveals its volcanic origin. The extremely low yields provide a limited yet highly concentrated raw material, which is treated with care during winemaking. Cold maceration, spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks, native yeasts, and minimal sulfites allow SKAFIDA to encapsulate the island’s viticultural history and terroir in a single bottle.
AN ICONIC
VOLCANIC TERRAIN
Santorini’s wine terroir is a testament to nature’s artistry, where vines root deeply in volcanic soil nurtured by the Aegean Sea’s salty breeze. Ancient Assyrtiko vines, treasured for their resilience, yield grapes of exceptional character, while traditional basket-shaped vine training shields them from the island’s elements.
