On the Greek island of Santorini, winemakers are exploring new methods to sustain their vineyards as rising temperatures and drought severely impact grape production. Among them, Yiannis Boutaris, a sixth-generation winemaker, is piloting a program to irrigate drought-stricken vines using treated waste water collected from homes and hotels.

Santorini, known for its centuries-old wine tradition, has been experiencing increasingly hot summers and scarce rainfall in recent years, conditions that have decimated many of its historic vineyards. The island recorded its highest temperatures in six decades during 2023 and 2024, trends attributed to climate change. The scarcity of water has been exacerbated by the demands of a growing tourism sector, which draws millions of visitors annually.

The Assyrtiko grape, Santorini’s signature variety, has been particularly hard hit. Production plummeted from 2,500 metric tons in 2022 to just 500 tons last year. This significant decline has driven the price of grapes to around €10 per kilo, comparable to levels in prestigious French wine regions such as Champagne. In contrast, northern Greece, which faces milder heat conditions, sees prices closer to 80 cents per kilo.

Boutaris emphasized that the new approach seeks to preserve the island’s rich winemaking heritage while adapting to changing environmental conditions. “We are not abandoning tradition, we are adapting the vineyard to the new circumstances,” he said. The practice of irrigating with treated waste water, originally developed in California’s Napa Valley, is considered both a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative to desalination plants.

However, the introduction of this method has raised some concerns, with critics questioning whether the use of treated waste water could affect the flavor profile of Santorini’s distinctive wines. Stefanos Koundouras, a professor specializing in viticulture, noted that there are already observable challenges in maintaining the quality and unique characteristics of the region’s wines.

Another local winemaker, Yiannis Papaeconomou, also supports water recycling as a necessary adaptation. “We must adapt and proceed in a new way of thinking and, you know, find a way out,” he said, reflecting the broader sentiment among Santorini’s vintners facing an uncertain climatic future.

As climate pressures mount on Mediterranean agriculture, the experiment on Santorini represents a broader effort to balance tradition with innovation in the face of environmental change.