A NEW BEGINNING
WITH DEEP ROOTS
BORN AND RAISED AMONG THE VINEYARDS OF SANTORINI, SPYROS CHRYSSOS CARRIES ON A FOUR-GENERATION FAMILY TRADITION, TAKING THE BATON FROM HIS FATHER AND OPENING A NEW CHAPTER IN THEIR LONG VITICULTURAL HISTORY.
IT ALL BEGAN WITH HIS GREAT-GRANDFATHER, DIMITRIS CHRYSSOS, WHO DEVELOPED A DEEP LOVE FOR VINE CULTIVATION FROM AN EARLY AGE. HIS JOURNEY STARTED IN HIS VILLAGE, PYRGOS KALLISTIS, WHERE HE ACQUIRED THE FAMILY’S FIRST VINEYARD PLOTS. HIS SON, VANGELIS, GREW UP ALONGSIDE THE VINES, LEARNING THE ART OF PRUNING THE TRADITIONAL “KOULOURA” FORM. INHERITING HIS FATHER’S PASSION, HE EXPANDED THE FAMILY HOLDINGS DURING THE 1980S, ACQUIRING NEW PLOTS IN AKROTIRI AND MEGALOCHORI.
THE LEGACY WAS THEN PASSED TO CHRISTOFOROS CHRYSSOS, SPYROS’ FATHER, WHO TOOK OVER VINEYARD MANAGEMENT AT A YOUNG AGE. WITH VISION AND DEEP RESPECT FOR TRADITION, HE FULLY EMBRACED ORGANIC FARMING, PRODUCING HIGH-QUALITY GRAPES FREE FROM PESTICIDES AND CHEMICAL INPUTS COMMONLY USED ON THE ISLAND.
TODAY, SPYROS CHRYSSOS TAKES THE NEXT BOLD STEP: FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE FAMILY’S HISTORY, HE VINIFIES HIS OWN GRAPES. THIS MARKS THE BEGINNING OF AKRA CHRYSSOS — A NEW VENTURE ROOTED IN A LONG LINEAGE, COMBINING HERITAGE, KNOWLEDGE, AND RESPECT FOR THE LAND WITH A FRESH, PERSONAL APPROACH TO WINEMAKING.
A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
THE BIRTH OF AN IDEA
INSPIRED BY HIS FAMILY’S LONG VITICULTURAL HISTORY, SPYROS CHRYSSOS DECIDES TO LAUNCH HIS FIRST WINEMAKING VENTURE, CREATING HIS OWN WINES.
Santorini PDO
THE FIRST SANTORINI PDO WINE IS BORN, MADE FROM ORGANICALLY FARMED, FAMILY-OWNED VINEYARDS. WINEMAKING FOLLOWS A LOW-INTERVENTION APPROACH, ALLOWING THE TERROIR TO FULLY EXPRESS ITSELF.
A new Era: AKRA Chryssos
AKROTIRI SERVES AS THE INSPIRATION FOR THE NAME OF THE NEW VENTURE, AND SPYROS SEES HIS VISION TAKE SHAPE WITH THE RELEASE OF THE FIRST SANTORINI PDO UNDER THE AKRA CHRYSSOS LABEL.
Planting Mavrotragano at “Vouno”
At an altitude of 380 meters, the steep vineyard site “Vouno” in Pyrgos is planted with Mavrotragano, which is expected to soon yield its first — and highly promising — expressions.
Nykteri
The first Akra Chryssos Nykteri is released — 100% Assyrtiko from the Lourous, with remarkable concentration. Spontaneous fermentation in new oak barrels, followed by at least 7 months of aging on the lees.
SKAFIDA
The premium, single-vineyard label “SKAFIDA” is introduced. Old vines, exceptionally concentrated grapes, and a hands-off winemaking approach come together to deliver a pure expression of this unique santorinian plot.
“SANTORINIAN SOIL” BASALT, PUMICE, SOLIDIFIED LAVA, AND VOLCANIC ASH COMPOSE THE RARE VOLCANIC SOIL OF THE SANTORINI VINEYARD.
SEA & CALDERA
THE SEA AND THE CALDERA GENERATE THE EVENING MIST — NATURE’S OWN IRRIGATION METHOD IN THE ISLAND’S DRY CLIMATE.
34 CENTURIES OF VITICULTURE.
WITH 3,400 YEARS OF UNINTERRUPTED VINE CULTIVATION AND UNGRAFTED VINES OVER 150 YEARS OLD, SANTORINI IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST ANCIENT WINEGROWING REGIONS.
THE “KOULOURA” THE TRADITIONAL VINE-TRAINING SYSTEM THAT PROTECTS THE VINES FROM STRONG WINDS EXISTS ONLY IN SANTORINI, THE FAMOUS “KOULOURA.”
FOUR GENERATIONS.
ONE SHARED VISION.
PHILOSOPHY
Born among the vines, Spyros Chryssos proudly represents the fourth generation of his family’s viticultural heritage, writing his own chapter with the creation of Akra Chryssos. This bold winemaking venture brings to life his vision: to harness the viticultural wealth passed down from his grandfather and father, and to craft wines that fully express the grandeur of Santorini’s terroir. The philosophy of Akra Chryssos is rooted in minimal intervention — both in the vineyard and in the winery. The island’s harsh climatic conditions result in remarkably concentrated grapes, but with extremely low yields that make each cluster invaluable.
Every task in the vineyard is done exclusively by hand, while the approach in the winery remains equally natural: spontaneous fermentations, indigenous yeasts, and aging for as long as the wine requires. To us, wine is expression — and that expression is only genuine when it stems from respect: for the vine, the landscape, and time itself.
Our vision is to create wines that tell a story deeply connected to their place of origin — a vision that contributes to shaping the future of Santorini’s rare and globally unique winegrowing landscape.