Domaine Vakakis (Samos)

Greece

"Our goal is to promote the unknown local varieties of Samos and Aegean as well as the Samian culture."

For 2,5 weeks we stayed in the village of Kampos on the western side of the Greek island of Samos. We decided to visit Domaine Vakakis, a winery located just over half an hour away according to our GPS. At least, that was the plan. What looked like a straightforward drive soon turned into a more adventurous journey, taking us almost twice as long to reach the winery.

Samos, a lush island

Located just off the coast of Turkey, Samos is part of the North Aegean Islands, alongside islands such as Lesbos and Chios. Compared to many other Greek islands, Samos is remarkably green, with a landscape that supports a wide range of agriculture, including viticulture. The island's combination of mountainous terrain and varied soils, including limestone and slate, provides suitable conditions for growing grapevines.

Our destination was Domaine Vakakis, located not far from the town of Karlovasi. Rather than taking the most direct route, we decided to follow the smaller roads through the mountainous landscape and vineyards. It seemed like a good idea at the time. The winding roads offered plenty of beautiful scenery, but our phone signal disappeared and with it, our GPS navigation.

We eventually found ourselves in a small mountain village, where we stopped at the village square to ask for directions. When we asked if anyone spoke English, several villagers immediately pointed us towards the same person. Fortunately, we were soon back on the right road. Who needs GPS navigation? Sometimes the most memorable part of visiting a winery is not just the destination, but the journey that takes you there.

An independent family winery

Despite arriving a little later than planned, we received a warm welcome from Alexandros at Domaine Vakakis. We had arrived just as a group was gathering for a winery tour and tasting, but Alexandros still found time to show us around. Our visit began in a traditional stone building that immediately caught our attention.

Inside, we noticed two old wells set into the floor. In the past, these were used to store wine. The building itself was originally the Vakakis family home and later served as their holiday house for many years. Today, it has been carefully renovated and offers visitors a glimpse into the way the family once lived. Although the house must have been rather small for an entire family, it now provides an atmospheric setting for welcoming visitors to the winery.

The story of Domaine Vakakis is also closely connected to the history of wine production on Samos. For many years, independent winemaking on the island was not possible. From 1934 onwards, local winegrowers were legally required to deliver their grapes to the regional wine cooperative. While this guaranteed a market for their grapes, it also limited the freedom of individual growers and winemakers to experiment with their own grape varieties, winemaking methods and wine styles.

Nicos Vakakis was one of the most prominent voices challenging this system. Determined to give Samos wine producers the opportunity to create and market their own wines, he fought the cooperative's monopoly all the way to European Commission. After years of legal proceedings, the rules finally changed, and in 2016 independent wine producers on Samos were officially allowed to bring their own wines to the market.

Local Greek grape varieties

At Domaine Vakakis, the focus is firmly on Greek grape varieties, with a particular interest in grapes originating from the Aegean islands. For us, this made the visit especially interesting, as the winery offers the opportunity to discover several indigenous varieties that are still relatively unfamiliar outside Greece.

The best-known grape variety on Samos is undoubtedly Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, the white Muscat that dominates many of the island's vineyards. Samos has traditionally been famous for its sweet Muscat wines, but today local producers are also exploring a wider range of wine styles.

The Vakakis family owns several small vineyards spread across the island. Their different locations, altitudes and soil types create suitable conditions for growing more than just Muscat. Alongside well-known Greek white grape varieties such as Assyrtiko, Domaine Vakakis also grows Vidiano, a variety that was new to us. For their red wines, the family works with several indigenous Greek grapes, including Avgoustiatis, which we had previously encountered at Goumas Estate on Zakynthos. Other varieties grown at Domaine Vakakis include Fokiano, Mavrotragano and Muscat à Petits Grains Noirs, also known as the red or black Muscat.

The latter has an especially interesting history on Samos. Once close to disappearing from the island, this rare grape variety is now being preserved and brought back into cultivation by Domaine Vakakis. For wine lovers interested in indigenous grape varieties there is still much to discover in the Greek wine world.

Tasting the wines of Domaine Vakakis

Most of the wine produced on Samos still comes from the island's wine cooperative. We had hoped to visit and feature more independent wineries during our stay, but that proved more difficult than expected. One producer did not respond, another was too busy and a third did not have any facilities for wine tourism. Fortunately, our visit to Domaine Vakakis gave us an excellent introduction to the diversity of independent winemaking on Samos.

Our tasting began with four dry wines from a series inspired by Pythagoras, the famous mathematician and philosopher who was born on Samos. The names of these wines refer to his mathematical ideas and discoveries. We started with Theorem, a dry and aromatic single-variety wine made from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains. Next came Pentagram, a fresh blend of Assyrtiko and Muscat Blanc. The rosé in the series, Pyramid, is made from Muscat Noir, while the red wine is an Avgoustiatis aged in French oak.

One of the more unusual wines we tasted was Alexandros' Experimental Retsina. Made from Muscat Blanc, with a subtle addition of pine resin, it offered a fresh and light interpretation of this traditional Greek wine style. While the resin was present it wan’t overpowering the wine.

Of course, no wine tasting on Samos would be complete without a sweet Muscat wine. We finished with Epogdoon, a soft and rich dessert wine that had spent eighteen months ageing in oak. With its deep golden colour and smooth character, it provided a fitting conclusion to our tasting.

For wine lovers visiting Samos, Domaine Vakakis provides an introduction to a range of wine styles beyond the island's well-known sweet Muscat wines, including dry whites, rosés, reds, Retsina and dessert wines.

Updated: 27-08-2026