On June 15, 2026, during our trip through Greece, Rosane Flinkas, our friends Teresa and Marcos Araripe, and I had the opportunity to visit Gaia Wines in Santorini, at the invitation of Mistral Vinhos, the exclusive importer of Gaia wines in Brazil.
It was a particularly meaningful visit because Gaia is not simply a winery producing beautiful Greek wines. Since its foundation in 1994, it has embraced a very clear mission: to explore the full potential of Greece’s great indigenous varieties, especially Assyrtiko from Santorini and Agiorgitiko from Nemea.
We were welcomed by Elena Korda, who works at the winery during the high season. She took us through the vineyards, production facilities and aging areas, showing us the barrels and explaining the winery’s approach. Finally, she led our tasting against a backdrop that could hardly have been more Greek: the Aegean Sea in the distance, Monolithos Beach right in front of us, and eight Gaia wines in our glasses.
It was precisely this combination of place, history and wine that made the experience so special.
Gaia Wines was founded in 1994 by winemaker Yiannis Paraskevopoulos, who holds a PhD in Oenology from the University of Bordeaux III, and Leon Karatsalos. Both had studied at the Agricultural University of Athens.
From the beginning, the idea was to establish wineries in two regions they considered essential for showcasing the diversity of Greek wine: Santorini and Nemea.
The company’s first wine was Thalassitis, with just 9,600 bottles produced in its inaugural vintage. The goal was to present a modern, high-quality interpretation of Santorini Assyrtiko while challenging the international perception of Greek wine that still prevailed at the time.
In 1997, Gaia took another important step by acquiring a seven-hectare vineyard in Koutsi, Nemea, where it built its second winery, initially with a capacity of around 3,000 hectoliters — currently listed by the company at 3,060 hectoliters.
From then on, two grapes came to represent the two souls of Gaia:
Assyrtiko, white, mineral and remarkably high in acidity, in Santorini.
Agiorgitiko, red, fruity, structured and capable of aging, in Nemea.
Gaia itself describes these two regions as the two pillars of its identity.
The first thing that strikes you in Santorini is the realization that growing grapes here has never been an easy task.
The soil is volcanic, extremely poor in organic matter and highly well-drained. The island receives very little rainfall and is constantly exposed to strong Aegean winds.
For this reason, traditional vines are trained into a basket shape known as kouloura, close to the ground, protecting the grapes from the wind and excessive sunlight.
This is where Assyrtiko found its home.
And perhaps it is precisely the harshness of this terroir that helps explain the variety’s remarkable personality: very high acidity, minerality, tension and an impressive ability to age.
Gaia works with old vineyards belonging to growers in different parts of the island. For Thalassitis, for example, the grapes come from areas such as Episkopi, Akrotiri and Pyrgos, from vines that can be around 80 years old and produce extremely low yields.
Our visit took place at Gaia’s Santorini winery, located in the Monolithos area.
The building itself has a fascinating history. It was originally a tomato-processing factory dating back to the early 20th century, built in stone and later restored by Gaia to accommodate a modern winery.
It is an interesting combination: a building connected to Santorini’s traditional agricultural activity transformed into a contemporary winery.
Today, it houses modern production equipment, fermentation areas and, in particular, facilities used for spontaneously fermented wines, as well as much of Gaia’s research into Assyrtiko.
It was also here, overlooking the sea, that Elena led our tasting.
If Santorini is the home of Assyrtiko, Nemea is the great territory of Agiorgitiko.
Located in the northeastern Peloponnese, the region has vineyards at different elevations. In Koutsi, where Gaia owns both vineyards and a winery, conditions are particularly favorable for the variety, with clay-limestone soils, slopes and a relatively cooler climate.
Gaia describes its Koutsi vineyards as being located in mountainous terrain, reaching elevations of approximately 850 meters, while the winery itself sits at around 550 meters.
Here, Gaia takes on another dimension.
While Santorini introduces us primarily to Assyrtiko and white wines, Nemea is closely associated with reds, Agiorgitiko and the winery’s wood-aging facilities.
It was also in Nemea that Gaia began demonstrating that Agiorgitiko could produce wines capable of long-term development. Gaia Estate, launched in 1997, was created precisely to challenge the perception that the variety was not capable of producing great age-worthy wines.
Our tasting was particularly interesting because it explored different facets of Gaia’s work.
We tasted eight wines, in the following order:
And it is precisely through this sequence that the winery’s philosophy becomes clear.
We began with an interesting demonstration of how the same grape can develop a completely different personality when grown in a different terroir.
Assyrtiko was born in Santorini, but Gaia’s Monograph Assyrtiko is produced in Koutsi, Nemea, on semi-mountainous limestone soils. It is classified as PGI Peloponnese.
And the difference is noticeable.
In Santorini, Assyrtiko typically displays that almost unmistakable combination of minerality, tension, salinity and acidity. In Nemea, it appears lighter, fruitier and more approachable, while still maintaining vibrant acidity.
In my glass, I found pronounced citrus fruit, accompanied by tropical notes and a texture that seemed more relaxed than that of Santorini Assyrtiko.
It is a wine that demonstrates the influence of terroir beautifully: the grape is the same, but the wine tells a different story.
For me, this is a more direct, food-friendly and easy-drinking expression of Assyrtiko, without losing its identity.
My impression: citrus, tropical and refreshing.
The second wine brought an even more interesting proposition.
GAIA S White is a blend of Assyrtiko and Sauvignon Blanc, sourced from vineyards on the mountainous slopes of Nemea.
The “S” stands for Synergy. Gaia’s idea is to explore what happens when Greek varieties are combined with internationally recognized grapes.
Here, Assyrtiko meets Sauvignon Blanc. In the red version, tasted later, Agiorgitiko is combined with Syrah.
The winemaking includes cold maceration with the lees at temperatures close to 0°C before fermentation, followed by fermentation and aging in stainless steel tanks.
The result is highly aromatic.
Assyrtiko contributes acidity and structure, while Sauvignon Blanc adds a more exuberant aromatic layer. Gaia identifies aromas of lychee, citrus and white fruit, along with pear and tropical fruit on the palate.
I found it particularly enjoyable because of the balance between freshness and aromatic exuberance.
This is not the austere, mineral expression of Santorini Assyrtiko. It is a different proposition: more open, fruity and inviting.
My impression: aromatic, fresh and fruity.
If there is one wine that represents Gaia’s history, it is Thalassitis.
It was the wine with which the company entered the market in 1994, and its proposition remains one of the most emblematic expressions of Santorini Assyrtiko.
It is made from 100% Assyrtiko, sourced from old vineyards in Santorini, including Episkopi, Akrotiri and Pyrgos. The vines can be around 80 years old and produce extremely low yields, limited to approximately 25 hl/ha.
The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and then aged for several months on fine lees.
And this is where Santorini truly shows its strength.
In the glass, I found the combination that I consider one of Assyrtiko’s greatest virtues: vibrant acidity, minerality, citrus fruit and an almost salty sensation on the finish.
This is a wine with tension. It is not simply a refreshing white.
It is a white wine that calls for food, particularly seafood, fish, shellfish and dishes where salt, richness and acidity are part of the composition. Gaia itself recommends these pairings.
And tasting it in Santorini, looking out over the Aegean Sea, was obviously an experience in itself.
My impression: mineral, saline and vibrant.
After three very different white wines, it was time for another Greek variety: Moschofilero.
It is an aromatic grape from the Peloponnese, particularly associated with the Mantinia plateau, and here Gaia decided to explore a less conventional side of the variety.
Moschofilero by Gaia – Wild Ferment uses indigenous yeasts, something relatively unusual for this grape. The grapes come from old vineyards, more than 25 years old, located at approximately 800 meters above sea level.
Spontaneous fermentation adds complexity to Moschofilero’s naturally aromatic profile.
In the glass, the first impression is floral: roses and lemon. Then comes a delicate buttery sensation associated with the use of French oak. The acidity keeps everything lively.
I found it particularly interesting because it does not try to hide the grape’s aromatic character, but neither does it remain confined to a simply floral and fresh interpretation.
There is more texture, more complexity and an interesting gastronomic dimension.
My impression: floral, citrusy and creamy.
And then we completely changed both color and variety.
4-6h Agiorgitiko is a rosé made from 100% Agiorgitiko, sourced from vineyards in Koutsi, Nemea.
The name has a very literal explanation: the grapes are harvested before sunrise, between 4 and 6 a.m., so they reach the winery while preserving their temperature and freshness.
The grapes are then kept under controlled temperature and fermented in stainless steel, followed by a short period of aging in the tank.
The result is a delicate-colored, aromatic and fresh rosé.
Agiorgitiko demonstrates its remarkable versatility here. The same variety that we will see in structured red wines appears in a much lighter and more refreshing version.
I found delicate red fruit and a pleasant floral character, supported by acidity that makes the wine extremely easy to drink.
Gaia even recommends treating it almost like a white wine: serve it well chilled and in a generous glass.
And in Santorini, with the Greek summer heat and the sea right beside us, it was absolutely appropriate.
My impression: delicate, fresh and fruity.
We now entered Gaia’s more classic Nemea territory.
Agiorgitiko by Gaia is made from 100% Agiorgitiko sourced from Koutsi, one of the most important areas of the appellation.
The vintage currently marketed in Brazil by Mistral is the 2022 vintage, produced from high-altitude vineyards on clay-limestone soils.
The winemaking includes temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel and extended maceration. The wine then spends 12 months in used French oak barrels, followed by approximately six months of bottle aging before release.
Here, Agiorgitiko begins to reveal another side of its personality.
In the glass, I found ripe fruit, particularly red and black fruit, accompanied by spice and very well-integrated oak.
The tannins are firm but not aggressive. There is body, but also a certain softness that makes the wine very enjoyable.
It was precisely this combination that caught my attention: ripe fruit + structure + oak without excess.
Gaia indicates that the wine can gain complexity with several years of bottle aging, becoming progressively more velvety and complex.
My impression: fruity, spicy and structured.
We then arrived at one of Gaia’s most interesting propositions: placing Agiorgitiko in dialogue with an international variety.
GAIA S Red is a blend of 70% Agiorgitiko and 30% Syrah. The Syrah is grown in the Peloponnese, while the Agiorgitiko comes from Koutsi, Nemea.
This is precisely the concept behind the GAIA S Synergy range.
The two varieties are vinified separately, with temperature-controlled alcoholic fermentation followed by malolactic fermentation. The blend then ages for 12 months in first- and second-use French and American oak barrels, followed by approximately another 12 months of bottle aging.
In the glass, the difference is immediate.
It is a more intense, deep and concentrated wine. Agiorgitiko delivers the Greek identity and structure, while Syrah adds depth, dark fruit and spice.
Gaia describes the profile with references to ripe black fruit, spices, chocolate and tobacco, with a rich and velvety texture.
In my perception, this is a wine that calls for more substantial food.
Grilled meats, lamb, spiced dishes and mature cheeses would be natural companions.
What I found particularly interesting is that Gaia is not simply trying to “internationalize” Agiorgitiko. Syrah is there to create another dimension, but the Greek variety remains the backbone of the wine.
My impression: intense, spicy and velvety.
And to finish, nothing could have been more symbolic than returning to Santorini through its most traditional sweet wine.
Vinsanto by Gaia is a dessert wine made primarily from Assyrtiko, accompanied by small amounts of Athiri and Aidani.
Its production is almost artisanal.
Some of the grapes are dried directly under Santorini’s intense sun, while others are dried in the shade, preserving a little more of the fruit’s freshness. After approximately ten days, the grapes are sufficiently dehydrated and concentrated.
The extremely concentrated must is then placed in old oak barrels, where a very slow fermentation begins. As the alcohol level naturally rises and the sugar concentration remains extremely high, fermentation eventually stops naturally.
And then comes one of the most fascinating parts: the wine remains in the same barrels for at least eight years.
The result is a wine of remarkable aromatic intensity.
Raisins, dried figs, apricots, caramel, coffee and bergamot emerge, while the palate is sweet, dense and extraordinarily persistent.
But there is one fundamental detail: Assyrtiko’s acidity.
It is what prevents all that sweetness from becoming heavy. The wine is sweet, but it retains freshness and balance.
For me, it was the perfect way to end the tasting.
My impression: intense, sweet and persistent.
Among all the stories Elena shared with us during the visit, perhaps none was as curious as the Thalassitis Submerged experiment.
In 2009, Gaia placed 450 bottles of Thalassitis in the sea off Santorini, with the aim of studying how the wine would evolve away from light and with extremely limited exposure to oxygen.
The first experiment was not exactly a success in terms of the number of bottles recovered.
When the first batch was brought back in 2014, only three bottles from the 2009 vintage had survived intact.
But the wine itself produced such interesting results that Gaia decided to continue the experiment.
The company subsequently repeated the process, adjusting the conditions of submersion. In 2010, for example, 258 bottles were recovered. Gaia says the ritual continues today as part of its research and innovation program.
The most interesting aspect is not simply saying that there is “wine aging on the seabed.”
It is understanding why Gaia does it.
The experiment seeks to investigate how the absence of light, more stable temperatures and oxygen conditions can influence the evolution of Assyrtiko.
And the results described by the winery are particularly intriguing: wines that develop complexity while retaining a surprisingly youthful appearance and vitality.
It is an experiment that perfectly summarizes Gaia’s philosophy: tradition, but without fear of experimentation.
After visiting Gaia, it becomes much easier to understand the coherence of its portfolio.
In Santorini, Assyrtiko faces one of the most extreme environments in European viticulture: volcanic soil, little water, strong winds and old vines.
In Nemea, Agiorgitiko finds a completely different environment, with altitude, clay-limestone soils and conditions suitable for producing everything from delicate rosés to more structured reds with aging potential.
And Gaia does not seem satisfied with producing just one interpretation of each variety.
Assyrtiko can appear as:
Likewise, Agiorgitiko can appear as a rosé in 4-6h, as a structured varietal in Agiorgitiko by Gaia, or in partnership with Syrah in GAIA S Red.
This diversity is, for me, one of the great strengths of the visit.
We are not simply tasting eight wines.
We are experiencing eight different ways of interpreting Greece through wine.
At the end of the tasting, looking out at that landscape, I found myself thinking about how wine can connect so many things at once.
The history of a volcanic island.
The survival of ancient vines.
A variety such as Assyrtiko, which has become a symbol of Santorini.
Agiorgitiko, representing the Peloponnese.
The tradition of Vinsanto.
The boldness of placing bottles on the seabed.
And, above all, the people who decided to believe that Greek varieties could occupy a much greater place in the world of wine.
For me, visiting Gaia Wines was precisely that: a lesson in terroir, identity and experimentation, but also one of those travel experiences that stay with you.
And perhaps there is no better place to understand all of this than at a table overlooking the Aegean Sea, with a glass of Assyrtiko in your hand.
I would like to extend a special thank you to Mistral Vinhos for the invitation and for the opportunity to discover Gaia Wines up close, a producer whose wines are part of its exclusive portfolio in Brazil.
Mistral currently offers labels such as Thalassitis, Assyrtiko by Gaia, 4-6 Agiorgitiko, Agiorgitiko by Gaia and S Agiorgitiko-Syrah, among others.
My thanks also go to Gaia Wines for the warm welcome and for opening its doors to us, allowing us to discover not only its wines, but also its history, methods and philosophy.
And especially to Elena Korda, who welcomed us with such warmth and attention, accompanied us throughout the winery, shared so much information with us and led our tasting against that unforgettable backdrop.
Without a doubt, Elena is one of the young talents Gaia has nurtured and who makes a real difference to the visitor experience.
Rosane, Teresa, Marcos and I left Gaia carrying much more than tasting notes.
We took with us the memory of an afternoon when wine, history, friendship and the Aegean Sea came together in one place.
And some travel experiences, like great wines, continue to evolve in our memories long after the last glass has been emptied.
Gaia Wines: Between the Volcano, the Sea and the Soul of Greece
Text: Cláudio Bastos
Photos: Cláudio Bastos & Rosane Flinkas