Your Holiday Wine Pairing Ideas should start with the menu!

Once you have established the menu it will help to narrow down the list of wines. First consider the progression of courses along with the progression of flavors. The order of serving wines with courses should be light bodied wines before full bodied wines. A dry wine prior to a sweet wine. Low alcohol prior to high alcohol wine. A youthful wine prior to an older wine and the simple prior to a complex wine.

At the average holiday table we plan for four food courses. First Course would be your starter or appetizers. Second Course would be a soup or salad. Third Course would be your main and side dishes. Course Four would be the dessert.

Starters or Appetizers – Course One

A festive way to start any holiday celebration is with Champagne or Sparkling wines. We like to serve our starters with a Blanc de Blanc Champagne or crisp Sparkling wine.

We are also fans of serving a light zesty Sauvignon Blanc or French Chablis. Both choices are light on the palate and allow you to build on the body of the wines served with your next courses.

For the red wine lovers in any family, a crisp French Rose’ is always a winning selection.

Soup and/or Salad – Course Two

When it comes to soups and salads you want to think about the level of spice in each dish. With a spicy soup pair a high acid aromatic Riesling. This is a great choice to cut the spiciness in the soup. With a milder or creamy soup a nice choice for wine would be a French White Burgundy or Chablis. Both of these wines are made from the Chardonnay grape.

If the decision is to serve salad the dressing is a key component to what wines should be served. When serving a vinaigrette you will want to select a light, high-acid white wine. so a Sparking wine or Champagne pairs well. You might select a Champagne Vinaigrette for a lovely match of flavors. We have several vinaigrette’s on this site. Click here for the link to the Champagne Vinaigrette recipe on our site.

Entree and Side Dishes – Course Three

This is where your wine selection can get tricky. We all have family traditions that we love to continue from holiday to holiday. Some families serve poultry, some love a standing rib roast, others prefer a seafood dish. Let’s give you a few ideas to help you navigate these waters.

When serving poultry as the entree, like turkey, goose or other poultry dishes, two wonderful wine selections would be a medium-bodied buttery Chardonnay. This can be served along with a light to medium-bodied Oregon Pinot Noir. Both wines will display an aromatic range of flavors with delicate floral notes that make a beautiful pairing.

If you decide on Prime Rib or Filet Mignon your selection of wine should steer you to the big full-bodied red wines. A Cabernet Sauvignon, a full-bodied Zinfandel or an Italian Sangiovese would all be excellent wines to pair with these dishes.

With the choice of a seafood dish your wine selection can vary. Here are a few great choices for the different fish dishes you might select. If you decide on oysters, a great option is Champagne or Sparkling wines. With crab or shellfish, a nice buttery Chardonnay goes well. You can also look at a crisp Pinot Gris with cold shellfish or a refreshing Riesling with warm shellfish.

With a pasta seafood dish, a crisp white wine makes a great pairing, and a Pinot Gris, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc are all excellent pairings.

With a more meaty or dense fish, like salmon or halibut, you can introduce light and lovely Rose’ or light to medium bodied Pinot Noir. These dishes also pair well with a light crisp Chardonnay or Pinot Gris.

Dessert and After Dinner drinks – Course Four

So here is where the fun begins and your imagination can take off.

The dessert course can be formal or light and include after dinner wines or liqueurs. Here are a few ideas for you to consider:

• Port Wines are a wonderful dessert companion. Either Ruby or Tawny Port can accompany many dessert selections.
• If you are serving a heavy cake or tort look into the late harvest dessert wines at your local markets. They make a wonderful companion.
• Sherry Wines such as a Fino or an Oloroso make a wonderful dessert course. Fino can also accompany meat and wild game. Oloroso pairs well with shellfish.
• Different liqueurs can accompany many kinds of desserts and make a sweet addition to an after dinner coffee. In the past, we have provided a liqueur bar, so everyone can make their own choice.

Once you have your menu in place, and the Holiday Wine Pairing Ideas complete, it will have you singing along with the best Holiday Carolers.

Enjoy a very festive Holiday Season!

A very special thank you to our dear friend Kathy A. for sharing her wine country Christmas photos for this post.

As we always say…

“We should always drink what we like!”

What grape varieties make your Style of Champagne?

Today we have three grape varieties approved for the production of Champagne.

• Pinot Noir
• Chardonnay
• Pinot Meunier, which is a black grape.

Each variety provides a unique element to the finished wine. Pinot Noir provides structure and body, Meunier gives a fresh fruitiness, While Chardonnay provides elegant longevity.

Champagne labeling

Champagne and Sparkling Wines are produced as both a Blanc or Rose. Blanc is Champagne made from whites grapes, labeled as Blanc de Blanc, made 100% from Chardonnay grapes. Rose’ Champagnes are made from red and/or black grapes and labeled as Rose’. They are usually a rare production for the winery. Blanc de Noir is a white wine made from red/black grapes.

Champagne Sweetness levels

When it comes to picking your favorite bubbly the labeling can be confusing.

Is Extra Dry really dry or should I look at Brut?

The last step in the Traditional Method of Champagne production is “dosage”, this is when a mixture of sugar syrup and wine is added to the bottle prior to corking. The amount of sugar added in this process will determine the finished style of the wine.

A popular style for Champagne is Brut and the most commonly produced by the Champagne houses.

See the sweetness level chart with explanations to help you figure it all out. Which one will be the wine you like best?

It is the residual sugar levels in Champagne that determine the sweetness levels. They are listed from driest to sweetest.

• Brut Nature: 0-3 grams per liter
• Extra Brut: 0-6 grams per liter
• Brut: 0-12 grams per liter
• Extra Dry: 12-17 grams per liter
• Sec: 17-32 grams per liter
• Demi-Sec: 32-50 grams per liter
• Doux: 50+ grams per liter

Whether you enjoy a Brut Nature or Demi-Sec popping a bottle of Champagne always makes a celebration more festive. You can not go wrong with whatever style you select.

You might also enjoy our post on Champagne vs. Sparkling Wines! https://theartoffoodandwine.com/champagne-vs-sparkling-wines/

Let us know in the comments below what is your favorite Champagne style?

CHEERS!

St. Francis is the patron saint of animals and his namesake winery rolled out the red carpet for all animals large and small.

Old and young, big and small, birds, turtles, horses, hamsters, animals of all breeds came with their owners ready to celebrate and receive their blessings.

This event benefits the Humane Society of Sonoma County, which provided animals with life savings services year round and during the wildfires of 2017 and 2019. https://humanesocietysoco.org/

The event offered many ways to donate to their organization including purchasing wine by the glass, a silent auction, and a raffle. They even had a “Winery Dog of the Year” contest. (We didn’t win, but we should have since we have the cutest dogs!)

The dogs receiving their blessing:

We gathered our furry friends and headed to St. Francis Winery & Vineyard. Everyone was excited and ready for their blessings! As for us, we were ready to enjoy some wine! St. Francis was pouring two wines by the glass with proceeds benefiting the Sonoma Humane Society.

Guests chilled out and drank some wine while they waited for the “Winery Dog of the Year” contest, raffle, and silent auction. This year a collie, named Giuseppe, was named “2019 Winery Dog of the Year”.

The two St Francis wines available for purchase by the glass were:

• 2017 Sonoma County Chardonnay
  • A medium bodied Chardonnay with aromas of green apple, pear and caramel. This is a well balance wine with a smooth and creamy finish.
• 2016 Sonoma County Old Vine Zinfandal
  • This beautiful well balanced wine brings bright berries on the nose, red raspberries and blackberries. It is a medium bodied wine with hints of cinnamon spices and a long lingering finish.

These wines are a great value and available for purchase at St Francis Winery.

This is an event that we highly recommend. It is so much fun for everyone and benefits a wonderful Sonoma County cause. Next October we hope to see you and your furry companions there!

This question can leave you scratching your head!

Add in Prosecco and Cava, and the confusion only deepens. Let’s take a minute to pull back the curtain and simplify this mystery.

Champagne vs. Sparkling Wines

Champagne can “only” be called Champagne in the Champagne region of France and this term is protected by the European Union. The region is about 45 minutes outside of Paris and is the only place the term Champagne can be applied to a wine that uses a prescribed method of production.

“In victory you deserve Champagne, in defeat you need it” Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)

Sparkling wine is made in many different countries and regions around the world. Grape varietals and production techniques can differ from region to region.

Some producers continue to use the term Champagne in their labeling of sparkling wine however the European Union has banned those wines from importation.

Different production methods used to make Champagne and Sparkling Wine:

Champagne vs. Sparkling Wines:

Champagne, Sparkling Wines, and Cava are all made using the Traditional Method, more formally known as “Methode Traditionelle”.

• This method uses the principle of a second fermentation in the bottle. This method is used in other regions of France to produce sparkling wine, but they cannot use the term Champagne.

• The secondary fermentation method is used in Spain to produce Cava, in Portugal to produce Espumante, and in Italy to produce Franciacorta.

What is Prosecco?

Prosecco is produced using the Charmat Method. This is a single fermentation method using a closed tank which is quicker and cheaper. The name Prosecco comes from an Italian village near Trieste where the grapes and the wine originated.

Steps for the Traditional Method of Producing Champagne:

• Press – In the first step the grapes are pressed quickly to avoid oxidation or skin color bleed from the grapes.
• Primary Fermentation – Next the fermentation process begins in stainless steel or old oak barrels. It goes through malolactic conversion and the base wines are high in acid and low in alcohol.
• Blend or Assemblage – This step allows for the blending of grape varietals from different vineyards and vintages.
• 2nd Fermentation in the bottle or “Prise de Mousse” – This is the heart and soul of the traditional method. Bottles are closed with a crown cap (plastic capsule). This process can last up to 12 weeks.
• Sur Lie Aging and Elevage – This occurs while the wine is in the bottle, allowing for autolysis which is the breakdown of dead yeast cells that forms sediment.
• Riddling – Remuage – This is the moving of the sediment to the neck of the bottle. Today this process is done by machines called Gyropalete. They turn and move the bottles allowing the sediment to move into the neck.
• Degorgement – Dosage – When the sediment is in the neck of the bottle then the crown cap can be removed and the sediment expelled. The bottles are then topped off with a mixture of wine and sugar syrup.
• Cork and Bottle Age – This last step is corking the bottle, adding the wire cage enclosures and foil.

The steps in the Charmat Method:

The Charmat Method can be known as the Tank Method or Cuve Close. This method is less labor intensive, quicker and cheaper than the traditional method of production. These are the steps involved.

• First step – The wine undergoes primary fermentation in a pressurized tank.
• Second step – Following fermentation a liquid solution of yeast, sugar, and wine, which is referred to as “liqueur de tirage”, is added to the wine to start the second fermentation. This all happens in the same pressurized tank.
• The Second step (continued) – Fermentation takes place for about 4 to 5 days.
• Third step – Once the wine reaches 5 psi atmospheres of pressure the wine is chilled down to stop the fermentation.
• Final – The wine is then filtered and bottled straight out of the tank.

This method does not produce the high quality wine styles of the traditional method. However, it will allow for a sparkling wine that preserves the aromatics and fruit qualities. Prosecco is an example of sparkling wine produced in the Charmat (or tank) Method.

Noticeable differences between the Champagne vs. Sparkling Wines Methods

Let’s explore the differences between Champagne vs. Sparkling Wines:

Traditional Method wines have more contact with the lees which allows the bubbly to have aromas and flavors of nuttiness, toast, and caramel.

• The texture will be creamy and smooth.
• The bubbles will be uniform and have a smaller mouth feel.
• Every bottle is unique due to the secondary fermentation, disgorging, and dosaging occurring in each individual bottle.
• These wines will be under greater amounts of pressure, and it is typically around 6-7 atmospheres of pressure.

Charmat Method sparkling wines are fruitier than the traditional method wines. This is due to the shorter fermentation period.

• The tank method typically makes the bubbles larger and they will have a coarser mouth feel.
• Each bottle that comes from the same batch and will be uniform and have all of the same characteristics.
• These wines are typically under less press than the traditional method, around 2-4 atmospheres of pressure.

When it is time to celebrate you can never go wrong with Champagne!

Our favorite glasses for Champagne and Sparkling Wines:

The correctly shaped glass is essential. Our favorite Riedel Champagne Glasses are linked here.

Great cocktail recipes using Champagne or Sparkling Wine:

• Prosecco Cocktails with Pomegrante are elegant and festive
• Mimosas are a classic way to use Champagne and we have an entire guide to creating the perfect Mimosa Bar
• We’ve added Champagne to our Cranberry Orange Liqueur to create a gorgeous Champagne cocktail
• Just 4 ingredients are needed to make our Blackberry Champagne Cocktail!

Cheers!

There are some simple truths of pairing food and wine. Below we will give you some guidelines for your next get-together or dinner party

In today’s kitchen, long gone is the old myth of red wine pairing with red meat and white wines pairing just with fish and poultry!

Luckily, we now make decisions on choosing a wine to pair with food based on whether we want to complement or contrast the dishes or snacks we are serving

Five simple things to consider when pairing food and wine:

• Try to match the regionality of the food and wine by pairing the county of origin of both
• Consider the occasion and/or the weather. For example, is it summer or winter?
• Wine can be served at least as sweet as the food it is served alongside
• You can beat the heat in food with some sweetness in the wine you choose
• Food that is smoked always goes well with an oaky wine

Remember:

The most important thing is to drink what you like!

The simple truth about wine:

A simple truth about wine is that the flavor of the wine will change when served with food. The wine’s flavor and characteristics, when tasted on its own, will not be the same as when it is tasted with food.

We differentiate with four sensory tastes:

• sweet
• salty
• sour (acidity)
• bitter

The Impact of Food on Wine:

If you apply some simple basics of food and wine pairing it will help you start down the road to great new adventures. These adventures can lead to exploring wines from different regions and countries. Begin to try pairing wine with foods from the same regions and the related season.

We hope this will help to open your mind to discovering new wines, regions, and their countries of origin.

Continue to follow us and look for additional information to learn more about the amazing art of pairing food and wine.

Some of our favorite snacks and appetizers to pair with wine:

• Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
• Baked Brie with Garlic
• Easy Candied Pecans
• Honey Roasted Cashews

This annual September tradition is full of fun, sun, relaxation, food, and play. We go every year and below is a quick guide to navigating a weekend around Capitola.

The beautiful seaside hamlet of Capitola offers visitors a unique world along the coastline of Northern California, just 5 minutes from Santa Cruz and 30 minutes from San Jose / Silicon Valley, you will feel a world away.

Here are the highlights from our 37th Annual Capitola Art and Wine Festival experience.

Kicking off the Capitola Art and Wine Festival Weekend

The weekend kicked off with dinner at one of our favorite restaurants on the Esplanade, Paradise Beach Grill. The grill offers a wide variety of amazing seafood dishes. I chose the Coconut Prawns while others dined on Macadamia Ahi Tuna and the Louisiana Steak Salad. Their Clam Chowder should not be missed! Most Thursdays through Sundays they highlight local musicians, check their website for event schedules.

Best breakfast in Capitola

On the morning of the festival we always head to one of our favorite breakfast spots, Zelda’s on the Beach. We start the day with Bloody Mary’s all around, accompanied by their warm Blueberry Muffins. It just doesn’t get any better than that. They have a full breakfast menu and also serve lunch and dinner.

You’ll love the service, smiling faces, and scrumptious breakfast menu. Enjoy dining on their large outdoor patio, which has the most amazing views of Capitola beach, the painted houses, and the Capitola wharf.

A day at the Capitola Art & Wine Festival

After breakfast head out to the festival! The Capitola Art and Wine Festival combines art, food, wine, and entertainment. It’s a great time to wander and enjoy the talents of 160 artists and taste the wines from 22 wineries from the Santa Cruz mountains.

Enjoy the variety of food and the culture from the colorful local artisans in the marketplace. From morning into the evening you can wander, sip, swirl and shop the day away. You probably find yourself purchasing some jewelry, art, or tasty treats. We certainly did!

Enjoy the local talent at the Festival

As you stroll through the village you can find plenty of local talent to enjoy! The Great Morgani is an accordion-playing former stockbroker turned street artist who wears colorful costumes every day!

On Sunday, start the day with the sounds of Santa Cruz Pipes and Drums. They march on the Esplanade around 11 am, serenading everyone with their bagpipes, to open the day of fun and enjoyment.

Where to stay in Capitola:

After a fun-filled day at the festival, we head back to our rental house along the Soquel river, just steps off the Esplanade. You can find quaint family homes available for rent on VRBO. We love to relax and vacation on the river, while being just steps away from all the action. Some rental properties provide canoes, kayaks or paddleboards for your use. Most have barbecues available!

Recipes for a great “night in” with friends:

Saturday night we always plan to “cook in” and enjoy great food and good wine with amazing friends. When you’re right on the water what better way to spend the evening? No driving and lots of good conversations. This is our idea of a dream night!

This year the dinner menu included Steamed Clams in Garlic Butter and Chardonnay along with Skirt Steak with Mustard Sauce, and Watermelon Feta Salad, all served with the most amazing Garlic Bread! A perfect end to a perfect day.

All of these amazing dishes are easy to make at home too!

Mornings mean Homemade Bloody Mary’s

The weekend would not be complete without our Homemade Bloody Mary’s by the river and a walk on the beach. You might find yourself feeding the ducks.

Please join us next September for a fun weekend at the Capitola Art and Wine Festival. We will be ready with a cold Bloody Mary for you!

Check the Capitola Art and Wine Festival website for full details on future festivals: https://capitolaartandwine.com/

A morning stop at Tips Roadside

Start the morning with a brunch stop at Salt & Stone restaurant in Kenwood for Bloody Mary’s, Mimosas, or an Espresso Martini. The Bloody Mary’s are a good enough reason to stop, but even better when paired with their chicken and waffles this dining gem is a MUST add to any trip. The staff is amazing and treat you like family. Next time you are on Highway 12, in Sonoma Country, stop by and enjoy!

If you want to make your own fluffy waffles, homemade Bloody Mary’s or Mimosa’s try our easy recipes.

Sonoma County Weekend wine tasting favorites

When it’s time for wine tasting your options are endless. There is definitely more than you can do in a day so spend the weekend!

Here are just a few favorites.

• St Francis Winery & Vineyards: Join them for the blessing of the animals on the first Sunday in October. All proceeds benefit the Sonoma Humane Society.
• Landmark Vineyards: The exterior patio is great for a picnic and bocce ball. Ask them about their horse-drawn carriage tours. Their wines never disappoint.
• Chateau St. Jean: This historic Chateau is draped in European style and charm and offers a wide array of tasting options from Wine Flights and Cheese Bites to The Chef’s Table.
• Kunde Family Winery: They have several tasting options. A favorite is their private wine cave tour followed by a ride to their tasting deck with amazing valley views.
• Imagery Winery: This winery offers fun for all, from their outside picnic area to their outdoor games like Cornhole and Jenga. The winery also pairs art and wine with a unique art collection.
• Eric Ross: End your day at Eric Ross in Glen Ellen. When you enter the doors to their tasting room you are in for a treat. It is friendly, unrushed, and offers a superb lineup of great wines.

These are just a few of the amazing wineries that Sonoma County has to offer. Keep an eye out for more wine country adventures.

Dining in Glen Ellen

The little hamlet of Glen Ellen has a lot to offer from dining and wine tasting, to just lingering the day away in shops. This small wine country jewel is a mix of country comfort and down-home charm.

We selected the Glen Ellen Star for dining. Awarded one Michelin star in 2019 this restaurant should not be missed, but reservations are highly recommended. The menu features wood-fired pizzas, roasted vegetables, and an array of seasonal entrees. You’ll enjoy every minute. This dining experience will cap off an incredible Sonoma County weekend.

With fellow Pinot Noir lovers assembled we headed up the Santa Cruz Mountains to Regale Winery. Walking into the grounds of Regale is an experience unto itself because it is built to resemble an Italian old world villa. The landscape alone takes your breath away. The garden patio offers colorful flowers, water fountains, beautiful arbors, olive trees, and an outside fireplace. They just added a bocce ball court and cornhole game to enhance your wine tasting experience!

Pinot Noir and Pizza are the perfect pair

On National Pinot Noir Day the owners of Sleight of Hand Pizza were firing up the pizza oven and offering a variety of yummy delights. We got to pick our favorite pizza and once we made our selection the fun began! Today we selected the Lemon Pepperoni pizza, which included pepperoni, preserved lemons, mozzarella, goat cheese, basil, and tomato sauce. It was out of this world!

Look for Sleight of Hand Pizza at Regale Winery on the 1st or 3rd Sunday’s of each month or in the San Jose Bay Area. Better yet follow them on Instagram @sleightofhandpizza or hire them for your party.

Regale Winery offers a variety of fine wines, but today called for Pinot Noir with our pizza. We decided to sample the 2014 Estate Pinot, 2014 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir and the 2014 Carneros Pinot Noir, all of which paired perfectly with our pizza.

Regale Pinot Noirs

2014 Carneros Pinot Noir is a well-balanced wine with aromas of dark cherry and plum. On the palate, you will find layers of raspberry and baking spices. This wine pairs well with food!

2014 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir is soft like velvet on the palate, with flavors of raspberry and blackberry. On the nose, it delivers the aroma of berries and cocoa toffee. It is well balanced and fruity.

2014 Estate Pinot was our favorite of the day. On the nose, it presents dark red fruit with hints of sweet tobacco and cocoa. This Pinot has a silky smooth finish. A truly wonderful food pairing wine.

Regale is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays. Next time you are traveling between San Jose and Santa Cruz go visit them! https://www.regalewine.com/

Exploring the walled city of Dubrovnik

We had the pleasure of cruising from Venice, Italy to Athens, Greece. We joined a group of like-minded wine lovers for a wine and food cruise, hosted by Napa Valley’s Laird Family Estates.

One of our favorite days was spent exploring the walled city of Dubrovnik, Croatia. The city sits inside a limestone fortress constructed in the early Middle Ages. It has been well preserved to the present day. The TV series, Game of Thrones, was filmed within the city walls, and many travelers make an effort to visit for this reason.

When you enter the walled city of Dubrovnik you discover a blend of old-world history and charm, alongside the bustle of new shops and restaurants. Dubrovnik, Croatia was heavily damaged during the Croatian War, however now it has been beautifully restored. The city is alive with activity.

We took the opportunity to cool off on a hot day with an appetizer and a crisp bottle of Croatian Rose Couvee Krauthaker during lunch. We chose a spot overlooking the old marina, called Restaurant Orsan. It’s perfect for a respite from the crowds and you can see all of the gorgeous boats in the marina.

Shopping and Culture

This enjoyable city has great shopping! There are some incredible jewelry and clothing stores within the walled city, especially on Stradun, the Old Town’s main street. The limestone-paved pedestrian street runs through the historic part of the city surrounded by the Walls of Dubrovnik. If you find yourself there on the weekend Friday is the fish market and Saturday is traditionally a market day.

We visited a beautiful church called St Saviour, which is a fine example of a Dubrovnik Renaissance building. It has been preserved in its original form until the present day. The architecture within the city is just beautiful!

Walking the historic walls

If you decide to walk the historic walls be sure to wear sturdy footwear. Be prepared for the fee to be paid in cash (Kuna only) or with a credit card.

Tickets for the Dubrovnik city walls walk are 250 Croatian Kunas/ 33.02 Euros/$36.50 USD (2023) per adult. An even easier idea is to print the tickets at home and present the paper ticket to the staff at the walls. The staff will scan the barcode and you’re ready to go!

Walking the walls in the morning is recommended, especially in the summer heat.

Dinner in Dubrovnik

We capped off the perfect day by taking a cable car up to the top of Srd Hill. At the top of this mountainside is the beautiful Panorama Restaurant and Bar. We had the chance to linger and watch the incredible sunset at a popular spot high above Dubrovnik. It’s ideal for drinks, dinner, and dessert. In our opinion, this is a don’t miss location.

You can experience the best spot to view the old city of Dubrovnik and the surrounding Adriatic Sea. This breathtaking location is ideal for lunch, dinner, or just a cocktail. We made reservations prior to the trip (recommended, as it fills up fast) for 5:30 pm. This allowed us to have dinner while watching the sunset and see the day slowly fading into the Adriatic Sea.

The food at The Panorama Restaurant offers recipes that are made with authentic cuisine from the Dubrovnik region. Not to mention the wine list is excellent. Our favorite dish by far was the King Prawns in a Tomato Caper Sauce. We paired it with a bottle of Sauvignon, Štampar.

When you plan your trip be sure to make a reservation in advance for dinner. If not, just go for the view and enjoy a cocktail overlooking the bay and an amazing sunset.

The merchants and restaurant employees in Dubrovnik could not be nicer and more helpful.

Have fun, speak to all of them, and explore it all!

The day began in the charming City of Fira. Later we made our way out to the Boutari Winery. Here we had the opportunity to tour the vineyards and the winery. We ended with traditional Greek lunch and a tasting of their fine wines. 

The “stefani” method of vine pruning:

On Santorini, the soil is a mixture of light pumice gravel, sand, and black lava stone. The vineyards are low lying and sparsely planted with a unique vine pruning method called “stefani”. This method of pruning shapes the vines into a wreath or basket. This helps protect the vines from the intense Aegean winds and allows them to collect whatever moisture is available with the morning dew.

We tasted the unique white wines produced from the Assyrtiko grape and then visited the wine caves before making our way to the village of Oia.

Greek Salad and Baklava!

No day in Santorini would be complete without a traditional Greek Salad of fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. Simple and so satisfying. Enjoy a great dinner on a hot day, paired with a crisp Greek white wine, a bit of Ouzo, and dessert, which, of course, must be Baklava! Santorini will win your heart.