Eight meters underground in a 19th-century winery, this museum traces Santorini
wine production through the centuries. Life-sized dioramas show traditional methods, and
the tour ends with tastings. The depth connects to the island's volcanic layers - geology
and culture intertwined.
What to do there
3 things to do
Eight meters underground, the Koutsoyannopoulos family spent 21 years building the only museum of its kind in Greece.
The Koutsoyannopoulos family has been making wine on Santorini since 1870. Four generations. Their oldest documented canava (wine cellar) dates to 1660 - when the Ottoman Empire still controlled this island. They spent 21 years building this museum inside natural volcanic tunnels, covering 310 years of wine history (1660-1970). It was awarded recognition as one of the top 10 wine museums in the world. The cave stays at constant temperature year-round because it is carved into ancient volcanic rock. The entrance at Vothonas village takes you directly into a natural cave 8 meters below ground level. Follow the labyrinthine tunnel - 300 meters long, carved into volcanic rock. The museum is ONLY accessible with a wine tasting - you cannot visit without tasting. Entry tiers: €10 (4 wines + tour), €15 (6 wines + tour), €20 (8 wines + tour). Pick up the audio guide - available in 14 languages. The labyrinth shape means you will lose your sense of direction underground. That is intentional.
Backup:Open April-Oct 9am-7pm (Sun from 10am), Nov-March 9am-5pm (Sun from 10am). Ample parking on site. The printed guide is available in 22 languages for those who prefer reading over audio.
Life-size wax figures move through every stage of traditional Santorini winemaking - including the export scene.
The museum contains animated life-size wax figures demonstrating every step of historical Santorini wine production: pruning, plowing with donkeys, harvesting by hand, foot-treading grapes in stone presses, barrel-making, distilling raki from grape pomace, and finally - loading wine barrels onto ships at the port for export to Russia, Odessa, and Western Europe. Santorini was a commercial wine exporter for centuries before tourism arrived. The figures move because the family understood that static exhibits don't hold attention underground in the dark. Inside the museum tunnel, mid-way through the labyrinth, the dioramas are positioned at intervals along the cave walls. Move slowly through each diorama and read the labels. The barrel-making scene is remarkably detailed - find the coopering tools. The loading-the-ships scene is the final stage in the production sequence: this is where Santorini wine met the outside world before roads or airports existed. This is free within your paid tasting entry.
Backup:The diorama labels are in multiple languages. If the audio guide in your language is unclear on any scene, the printed guide supplement covers all 21 scenes in 22 languages.
The Koutsoyannopoulos family still produces wine today - the museum ends with a working winery tasting.
This is not a purely historical attraction - the Koutsoyannopoulos family still makes wine from active vineyards. The family that dedicated 21 years to preserving this history did not stop making wine. Their Vinsanto is aged in the same tradition documented in the museum you just walked through. Tasting here is closing a loop: you tasted the history in wax, now you taste it in glass. The tasting area at the museum exit, after completing the labyrinth tour, is mandatory with entry (€10/€15/€20 tiers). Ask about the Vinsanto specifically - ask how long the current vintage aged. Compare the style to what you may have tasted at Argyros. This family's Vinsanto comes from the same tradition but through different hands, different parcels, different decades of decision.
Backup:The winery produces wines beyond Vinsanto - standard Assyrtiko and Aidani blends. If you are doing a full Santorini winery circuit, this tasting serves as a baseline comparison for the more prestigious estates.
