26th Thessaloniki Wine Competition: Top honors for the wines of Santorini

Best wine of the competition and best dessert wine: Vinsanto 2017 from Mikra Thira – Best white wine: Santorini Assyrtiko Grand Reserve 2023 from Santo Wines

The three-day tasting sessions of the 26th “Thessaloniki Wine & Spirits Trophy” competition, organized by the Union of Wine Producers of the Vineyard of Northern Greece, under the auspices and in cooperation with all bodies of the Greek wine sector, and under the supervision of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food as well as the National Chemical Laboratory, were held this year from 25 to 27 February 2026.

As every year, this year’s competition brought together 30 established tasters-judges from Greece and abroad – Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, oenologists, sommeliers and wine journalists – divided into six panels, who tasted 1,045 samples from Greece and Cyprus. Of these, 974 were wines and 71 were spirits.

(click on the links of this article to purchase and ship worldwide!)

The Medals

Medals were awarded to 76.6% of the wines and 69% of the spirits that participated in the competition, a fact that, according to the organizers, demonstrates the upgraded quality of the wines and spirits submitted each year to the “Thessaloniki Wine and Spirits Trophy 2026”. Specifically, wines were awarded 101 gold, 223 silver and 422 bronze medals, while spirits received 5 gold, 16 silver and 28 bronze medals.

BEST WINE OF THE COMPETITION

To award this distinction, the best wines from the six main categories that had won gold medals were re-evaluated by all judges in the “Trophy Judging,” the final stage of the competitive section of the “Thessaloniki Wine & Spirits Trophy.” At this year’s event the best wine of the competition was awarded to: Vinsanto 2017 from the Mikra Thira winery, in Thirasia. 

BEST WINE BY CATEGORY

Entries in the Wine Competition are divided into six categories: White, Rosé and Red still wines, Dessert Wines, Sparkling Wines and Retsinas. The best wines in each category were re-evaluated by all judges and the following distinctions were awarded for best wine by category (Wines from Santorini in Bold):

Best Red Wine: Megas Oinos 2016 | Ktima Skouras
Best Rosé Wine: Rosé Single Vineyard Skantzoxoirros 2025 | Ktima Alpha
Best White Wine: Santorini Assyrtiko Grand Reserve 2023 | Santo Wines
Best Dessert Wine: Vinsanto 2017 | Mikra Thira
Best Sparkling or Semi-Sparkling Wine: Scaperdas Frères Hommage Blanc De Noirs NV | Scaperdas Frères
Best Retsina: To Dakry tou Pefkou (The Pine’s Tear) 2024 | Kechris Winery

Distinctions won by wines from Santorini wineries

Santorini wines were awarded a total of 30 medals: 18 gold, 8 silver and 4 bronze, and some of them received additional special distinctions.

Gold medals (selected Santorini results)

• Tria Ampelia 2021 | OENO P | 96/100 — special distinction as a single-varietal wine from the Assyrtiko variety.
• Vinsanto 2020 | Santo Wines | 95/100.
• Santorini Assyrtiko Grand Reserve 2023 | Santo Wines | 95/100 — best white wine of the competition.
• Vinsanto Late Release 2005 | Argyros Estate | 95/100.
• Santorini Cuvee Evdemon 2022 | Argyros Estate | 94/100.
• Tria Ampelia Pithari 6 2023 | OENO P | 94/100.
• Tria Ampelia 2023 | OENO P | 94/100.
• Vinsanto 2017 | Mikra Thira | 94/100 — best wine of the competition and best dessert wine of the competition. 
• Santorini Assyrtiko 2025 | Santo Wines | 93/100.
• Santorini Nykteri 2024 | Santo Wines | 93/100.
• Santorini 2023 | Boutari Wineries | 93/100.
• Terrasea 2023 | Mikra Thira | 93/100.
• Vinsanto First Release 2017 | Argyros Estate | 92/100.
• Santorini Selected Tank 2024 | Santo Wines | 91/100.
• Santorini Selection Cuvee 2023 | Santo Wines | 91/100.
• Santorini Cuvee Gerontampelo 2022 | Argyros Estate | 91/100.
• Tria Ampelia 2024 | OENO P | 91/100.
• Aa 2024 | Domaine Sigalas | 91/100.

Silver medals (selected Santorini results)

• Tria Ampelia 2022 | OENO P | 90/100.
• Santorini 2024 | Mikra Thira | 90/100.
• Santorini 2024 | Canava Chrysou-Tselepos | 90/100.
• Vinsanto 12 years aged | Santo Wines | 89/100.
• Pure 2022 | Argyros Estate | 89/100.
• 1613 BC 2024 | Oenoous Fine Wines | 89/100.
• Nykteri 2024 | Mikra Thira | 89/100.
• Santorini Cuvee Palatia 2023 | Argyros Estate | 88/100.

Bronze medals (selected Santorini results)

• Nykteri 2023 | Canava Chrysou-Tselepos | 86/100.
• Laoudia 2024 | Canava Chrysou–Tselepos | 86/100.
• Mavrotragano 2023 | Santo Wines | 85/100.
• Mm 2023 | Domaine Sigalas | 85/100.

Not sure if your country allows wine import? Contact us at e-shop@santorini.net