Following the “Food & Wine Pairing Experience” and the meeting of Santorini’s volcanic vineyards with the mountainous terroir of Amyntaio, Rizes welcomes GAIA Wines on Friday, 11 September 2026.
Can a destination tell its story through a plate and a glass of wine? In Santorini, where vines have been cultivated continuously for more than 3,000 years on volcanic soil, gastronomy is far more than a part of hospitality — it is an integral part of the island’s identity. Against this unique backdrop, Rizes Gastro Taverna has created a series of distinctive wine and gastronomy experiences that introduce guests to some of the most authentic expressions of Greek terroir.
True to its name, Rizes — meaning “roots” — returns to the roots of Greek cuisine. Overlooking the Caldera, it brings together leading Greek winemakers, indigenous grape varieties and contemporary Greek cuisine, transforming each evening into an immersive journey through the places, people and stories behind Greek wine. Here, the experience goes beyond taste: it unfolds through the warmth of the shared table, encounters with the people behind the wines, and the feeling that every dish and every glass carries with it the story of an entire place.
From Santorini to Amyntaio: “Two Terroirs, One Vision”
The second stop on this wine journey took place on 28 August, when Rizes Gastro Taverna partnered with Artemis Karamolegos Winery and ARKTOS Elevation Vineyards for the “Two Terroirs, One Vision” experience.
The evening brought together two completely different Greek wine-growing landscapes in a creative dialogue: the dry, volcanic soil of Santorini, where centuries-old vines are trained into low basket-shaped formations to protect them from the island’s strong winds and intense sun, and the cool, mountainous terroir of Amyntaio in Northern Greece.
Through a selection of wines and a specially designed pairing menu, guests discovered how altitude, climate, soil and different winemaking philosophies shape the character of Greek wine. The culinary team at Rizes created dishes designed to complement each wine, following the restaurant’s philosophy of authentic Greek flavours, seasonal ingredients and familiar recipes reimagined through a contemporary lens.
From the intensity of volcanic soil to the freshness of mountain vineyards, the evening highlighted the remarkable diversity of Greece’s wine regions and the ability of wine to offer a different, deeply authentic way of discovering Greece.
Third Stop: Rizes Gastro Taverna × GAIA Wines
The wine journey continues on Friday, 11 September 2026, as Rizes Gastro Taverna welcomes GAIA Wines for another evening dedicated to Greek terroir, contemporary winemaking and the natural connection between wine and gastronomy.
Founded in 1994 by two visionary oenologists, and with more than three decades of experience in the Greek wine industry, GAIA Wines has built its story around two of the country’s most important wine-producing regions: Santorini and Nemea. Through a contemporary approach to winemaking and a deep respect for the land, the winery highlights the distinctive character of their indigenous grape varieties.
For the evening of 11 September, a selection of GAIA Wines will be paired with a specially curated menu created by the culinary team at Rizes, creating an experience that unfolds course by course and glass by glass. Each stage of the dinner will reveal a different aspect of the wines and their origins: Santorini’s volcanic landscape, Assyrtiko and other Greek grape varieties, seasonal ingredients and a contemporary interpretation of Greek cuisine will come together for an evening that celebrates the destination’s gastronomic identity through all the senses.
Taste as the Most Authentic Way to Discover Santorini
These evenings form part of Rizes’ philosophy of approaching gastronomy not simply as dining, but as an authentic, immersive way of connecting with a destination. On an island with one of the Mediterranean’s most recognisable wine identities, the connection between local cuisine and Greek wine gives visitors another way to experience Santorini — through its culture, ingredients and, above all, its people.
“These evenings are not simply wine and food dinners. They are an opportunity to bring our guests closer to the people, places and stories behind every bottle. Following the exceptional experience we shared with Artemis Karamolegos Winery and ARKTOS Elevation Vineyards, we are particularly delighted to continue this journey with GAIA Wines, one of the most recognisable names in contemporary Greek winemaking,” says Apostolos Maras, Sommelier at Rizes Gastro Taverna.
With the Santorini Caldera as its backdrop, the evening of 11 September promises to be another experience where wine, gastronomy and place come together, offering guests a different way of tasting and understanding Greece.
Places for the Rizes Gastro Taverna × GAIA Wines experience are limited and advance reservations are required.
Event Information
Rizes Gastro Taverna × GAIA Wines
Friday, 11 September 2026
Rizes Gastro Taverna, Fira, Santorini
T: +30 22860 21885
Email: reserve@rizessantorini.com
W: www.rizessantorini.com | IG: @rizes_santorini | FB: rizessantorini
Rizes Gastro Taverna is part of AESTIAN GROUP.
