“This was a beautiful 100-year-old vineyard” Haridimos Hatzidakis told us when we visited him in 2017, “but the municipality turned it into a bike track for tourists.” That’s Santorini for you - a place where centuries-old vines grow in phylloxera-proof volcanic soils, and also one of the most visited spots in the Mediterranean - now attracting 3.4 million tourists a year. On an island where space is limited, the pressure to build on any undeveloped piece of land is immense. To choose to make a living growing vines instead, you need to be seriously dedicated. Get it right though, and the reward is wines that are the envy of the world - powerful, hugely complex, unique and long-lived.
Nobody did more for the cause than Haridimos. Before his tragic death in 2017, he was the leading artisan winemaker on the island. A pioneer of organic farming, wild fermentations, ageing in different vessels, low sulphur levels and single village wines, he was endlessly experimental. His handcrafted, rich whites, particularly from very old Assyrtiko vineyards, showed the world how good Santorini wine could be.
Haridimos’s distinctive vision still drives Hatzidakis. His family are determined to protect his legacy, and the winemaking team, led by Spyros Papandreou, continue to make wine his way. The wines are as good now as they’ve ever been. As hotels and resorts spring up all around them, the best Santorini wines become increasingly precious. Try them now, and start with Hatzidakis.
