The vineyard woven against the wind.

Published 20 October 2026 · WHV · Public-source editorial note

A Santorini vineyard can look unexpectedly low. Instead of tall rows, the vine may form a coil close to the ground, with grapes sheltered inside. This basket, the kouloura, is not a decorative local habit. It is a practical way to work with an exposed island where wind and intense sunlight are part of growing grapes.

The basket is part of the vineyard

Domaine Sigalas explains how shoots are woven around earlier canes to build the wreath over time. Its dry Santorini bottling offers a concrete way into the subject: the current 2025 specification identifies 100 percent Assyrtiko, selected blocks across the island and stainless-steel vinification. The vineyard photograph introduces old vines at Sigalas, not a claim that every grape in the bottle came from the pictured patch.

The method deserves attention without becoming a miracle story. In its 2026 harvest report, Sigalas describes losses from persistent winds during flowering. Local knowledge can improve the relationship with a difficult place without eliminating agricultural risk. That tension makes the wine more interesting than a volcanic-soil slogan or an automatic claim that older vines must produce a better bottle.

Taste the wine without buying a legend

Start with a clearly identified producer, wine and vintage, then compare the explanation with what you actually taste. A reserved winery visit can make the growing form easier to understand, but ask what the chosen programme includes. The lasting value here is a living skill and a particular agricultural landscape made accessible through an ordinary act of drinking. Neither scarce production nor a dramatic setting establishes a future financial return.

Source and context.

Domaine Sigalas: the kouloura and Santorini’s growing conditions ↗

Domaine Sigalas: Santorini Assyrtiko and the current vintage specification ↗

Domaine Sigalas: current visits and reservations ↗

Domaine Sigalas: its 2026 harvest report ↗

WHV has not tasted this vintage or visited the vineyard. The 2011 photograph is not a record of the 2026 harvest. Producer-reported cultivation and harvest information does not authenticate any bottle’s storage or condition.

Source checked 20 October 2026. WHV interpretation is distinct from the source’s account.