Mykonos gets the headlines, but serious wine people whisper about Tinos. On the high plateau between Falatados and Volax, the land turns lunar: round granite boulders the size of houses, dry-stone terraces, and low bush vines that have learned to live with the meltemi wind. This is one of the most distinctive wine terroirs in Greece, and a Tinos wine tasting belongs on any Cyclades itinerary.
T-Oinos and the Clos Stegasta
T-Oinos, founded by Alexandre Avatagellos with celebrated French sommelier Gerard Margeon, farms the Clos Stegasta parcels at around 450 metres among the boulders. Its Assyrtiko and rare red Mavrotragano are regularly ranked among the finest Greek wines. The stone-built winery sits low in the landscape, the same dry-stone, cube-and-terrace Cycladic architecture you see in the old villages. Visits run daily on request with prior booking, ending in a guided tasting of three wines: Assyrtiko, the Mavrose rose, and Mavrotragano.
Volacus Wine
A few kilometres away, the organic family vineyard Volacus Wine takes its name from the volakes, the granite boulders that surround its Malagousia vines. In summer (roughly June to early September) they open for evening tastings Wednesday to Sunday by arrangement; sunset between the boulders with a cold glass of Malagousia is a Tinos memory you keep.
Natural-wine lovers should also hunt the island lists for Domaine de Kalathas, a cult micro-winery resurrecting forgotten old-vine varieties.
Make a day of it
Start in Volax village in the morning: basket weavers, a tiny amphitheatre, lanes squeezed between boulders. Book your tasting for the afternoon, then stay for dinner at a village taverna. Book wineries ahead, and agree on a designated driver; the roads are narrow, dark and beautiful.
Where to stay on the wine route
The vineyards are a 15-20 minute drive from Dyo Choria and Triantaros, the two balcony villages we call home. If you are deciding where to stay in Tinos for wine touring, our four holiday houses are traditional Cycladic architecture at its most honest: stone walls, marble lintels and hand-renovated village homes turned comfortable vacation rentals. Check the houses above and message us through the contact section; we will happily help you book the wineries for your dates.




































































































































