Compelling 95pt White from Sigalas, Only $26.98!

It doesn’t seem like that long ago when we began to dabble with Greek wines, though it in fact has probably been a decade now.   The story of Santorini itself dates back some 3500 years.   As seen on those History and Smithsonian Channel shows that highlight the volcanic destruction of the area, the ensuing tsunami that crushed Crete, and the artifacts and history that archaeologists were able to unbury and restore after thousands of years of being hidden, this is a unique spot. Tragic story, but fascinating stuff as well and we have the resulting volcanic soil left behind from this once-in-a-millennium disaster to thank for some truly outstanding white wine.

As most of you know, wine itself dates back even further in Greece, though what we knew about it prior to the turn of the century was, quite frankly, very little.  Back in the 90’s, most Greek wine was sold by Greek food suppliers to Greek restaurants.  We never caught a sniff of the stuff, and frankly didn’t think it mattered much anyway. Truthfully, back in the 90’s, most Greek wines were pretty pedestrian. Retsina, anyone? Opa!

But the Sigalas Winery was always a bit different, a real eye opener in fact. Founded in 1991, Sigalas’ wines were initially made at the converted Sigalas family home. In 1998 a new vinification, bottling, and aging facility was built in a privately owned area of Oia, on the northern part of Santorini. Here, Santorini’s indigenous Assyrtiko and Athiri grapes thrive. The vineyards for these varietals are considered the oldest continuously cultivated vineyards in the world, over 3000 years.

The volcanic soils and climate of the viticulture area are truly unique and this "terroir" cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. This is indeed a very special place.

The wines are grown on the back side of the island’s caldera, with terraced vineyards extending to the top of the ancient eruption zone itself. Obviously, these soils are completely volcanic, nearly black in color, and the vines themselves aren’t so much trellised as wrapped around themselves to protect the fruit from the elements. The vineyard work looks back-breaking and the pictures are amazing.  So are the wines. We were flat-out stunned at the quality for the price emanating from this tiny winery in the middle of the Mediterranean. These wines possess a lightness on the palate in conjunction with a depth of flavor and drive that is beyond expectation. 

The wines are unoaked, floral-yet-minerally, stone-fruited and crystalline in their flavor presentation, and authoritative without being edgy.  Intensely flavored, food friendly, yet they have enough flesh for simple ‘patio’ applications should that be the call.  For most folks that taste these for the first time, these will likely make the same impression that they made on us way back when.  

Mark Squires from RobertParker.com has been a huge (Wine) Advocate for these wines over the last decade and was seriously impressed himself (again) by the Sigalas Assyrtiko Santorini 2016 we’re proffering today.  He writes, “The 2016 Assyrtiko is unoaked and comes in at 14% alcohol. One of the island's benchmarks, this is always in fine form these days–and always rather hard to evaluate when it is young. Deceptively, this bottling doesn't seem intimidating on first taste, but it always hides many layers. I tend to decant them or taste them again the next day when they are young. Otherwise, you tend to miss too much.   Wonderfully elegant and finishing with a salty nuance, this shows impeccable balance. Its best feature is the lingering and intense finish, with plenty of tension and grip. It has far more power than it seems on a casual sip and that power doesn't go away as the wine airs and warms. I tried it the next day, in fact, and it put on weight, absorbed the salt and showed even more power. Two days later, it still preened in its power and precision, fresh as a daisy and wholly unevolved. (The salt was back, too.) The gripping finish that coated the palate was simply impressive. This is another beauty from Sigalas, something that has a lot of upside potential still. Granting that I do not have them side by side, this might even be superior to the 2015. It's hard to overlook the superlative combination of concentration and intensity. If nothing else, it is a worthy competitor to the 2015 and fully its equal...95 points.”

All of this prose and a monster 95-point score for a Greek wine? For those of you that have bought Sigalas Assyrtiko from us over the years, you will understand when we answer that question with a hearty, “Heck, yeah!”  It seems that these guys are only getting better to boot, with their 2015 (a Wine Advocate 94 pointer) something of a benchmark and this one arguably a tick or two better.  The only downside is that, given the unique environment in which this is grown, they will never be able to ramp up production.  Get yours now, summer awaits…