Tag: greece

PYRITIS ASSYRTIKO: THE GREEK ‘TRAGEDY’-ACT III

Consider this  ‘Act III’ of our little Greek ‘tragedy’, although it is really only a ‘tragedy’ for the supplier.  For us, and therefore you, it’s a great story.  Briefly, we had been working with a small Greek importer who was approached by a spirits company to purchase his business and inventory.  Clearly the idea of getting involved in ’burgeoning Greek wine market proved too seductive a muse. 

Two things happened along the way.  First, and not surprisingly, the spirits company did not have an effective marketing plan to distribute a portfolio of somewhat esoteric Greek wines to their existing customers or the broad market in general.  So the wines kind of sat around.  Part two was the fact that their spirits business exploded to the point that they needed every square inch of space to support an expansion.  Hence, there was no longer the space or inclination to continue the Greek project.

The severity of the price reductions got our attention and this scenario was the source for that surprisingly good Greek Nebbiolo from Karipidis, and the Assirtiko ’34’ from this same Karamolegos.  The final chapter (at least for now) is this top-of-the-line Assirtiko called Pyritis from Karamolegos winery.

Now imagine going from not even knowing what the grape was when we first tasted Assyrtiko all those years ago, to watching it blossom into something with a presence in the marketplace, has been a unique experience.  But presenting a super limited, reserve bottling Assyrtiko that retailed for roughly $85 a bottle is far beyond anything we could have imagined.  Yet here we are, except for the ‘$85’ part which we’ll get to in a minute.

The description is pretty familiar if you read our piece on the Assyrtiko ‘34’ a bit ago.  Santorini is a place like no other and they have been cultivating grapes here since the 17th Century, B.C.!  The vines here, as a result of the windswept terroir and volcanic soils, are almost in a ‘basket’ configuration with the canes literally woven together.  The basket-like way of pruning and “winding” the vines, called “kouloura,” is due to the weather conditions that have always existed on Santorini.  Thi configuration protects the grapes from the elements.

The Artemis Karamolegos Assyrtiko Pyritis 2017, like the ‘34’, comes from ancestral vines that exceed 120 years of age.  The selection of the Pyritis is much more specific and limited to two vineyards in Pyrgos and one in Megalochori, the elite spots on the island for those grapes.  Because of the stature of the vineyard sourcing, the winery uses only neutral yeasts and endeaver to stay out of the way in the cellar as much as possible to allow the vineyard maximum expression.  No oak here, only a healthy stay (10 months) on the lees. 

So what does super premium Assyrtiko taste like?  Again the descriptors are similar to its lesser sibling.  It hits the high notes on all of the key aspects of this varietal from this place, a region that is able to deliver compelling whites that are at the same time rich and driving.  The entry is an authoritative mix of grapefruit, white stone fruits, and an insistent minerality sitting atop a well-infused acidity.  The wine has drive and mouth filling volume, palate-stimulating cut and surprising persistence, yet everything is harmonious.  Delicious, provocative, and exciting at every turn, there are a few more nuances by virtue of the more specific sourcing.  In other words, this is Assyrtiko to the next power.

Wine Advocate had great notes as well, “The 2017 Pyritis is an Assyrtiko from three parcels of centenarian old vines from the villages of Pyrgos (mostly) and Megalochori. Unoaked, it comes in at 14.2% alcohol, with just 1.1 grams of residual sugar and 7.2 of acidity, plus a low pH of 2.85. A gorgeous Assyrtiko, this is textured, piercing and tightly wound. It is solid in the mid-palate and ripe, while not seeming overripe. It seems delicate as it dances over the palate, but it is not. Tense and taught, this looks built to age. We’ll take that in stages, as always…95 points”

This ‘tragedy’ has a happy ending as, thanks to the unique situation, we are able to roll out this one-of-a-kind, elite, $85 list price Assyrtiko at a fraction of that original tab, a mere $29.98!  Quantities are limited. 

AN ASSYRTIKO FOR THE AGES

The title is a little tongue-in-cheek, though we are completely serious about this remarkable effort. Years ago someone trying to hustle up business for a company that was a essentially Greek grocery wholesaler rolled in and showed us a few Greek wines. We were surprised at how good some of them were and were particularly taken with one in particular, a Santorini Assyrtiko from a winery called Sigalas. The grape was unfamiliar to us, as was the island appellation of Santorini, and this crisp white from Sigalas (which we sold for like $14-15 back then) became a regular item that sort of ‘anchored’ our Greek wine section, such as it was. Clearly there was more to Greek wine than Retsina.

Fast forward probably a decade and a half, and Sigalas now sells for around $40, and has been on the Wine Spectator Top 100. Not only that, from being an addendum to a Greek grocery company’s line, several wine importers have made commitments to an extensive Greek wine program. Given our love of these unique varietal, which comes off like a crisp white from, say, Alto Adige with even more minerality and aromas of the sea, we have been very receptive to being presented such wines and have found some real definitive beauties.

That said, the Santo Assyrtiko Santorini Selection Cuvee 2018 took us aback in a way that few examples ever have. Super intense on the palate, with bright white stone fruit, citrus, and pineapple center stage, but vivid acidity and penetrating minerality and salinity balancing it perfectly, this was a sizable white that was light on its feet but carried big flavors all woven together harmoniously. As we were doing some research for information on this breakthrough wine, we ran across a review from a source that we don’t regularly follow.

The piece, from Wine & Spirits, tells the story eloquently and provides some key details as well as a ‘quotable’ 95 point score. “Founded in 1947, this cooperative has some 1,200 grower-members, giving winemaker Nikos Varvarigos access to a wide variety of terroirs. For this cuvee, he prioritized fruit from Pirgos and Imerovigli, two of the highest points on the island, where the grapes ripen more slowly. This was particularly relevant in 2018, the earliest harvest he’d ever seen in his 33 years of winemaking. Vinified in stainless steel and left for 14 months on its lees, it’s a lush, expansive Santorini from its sunny lemon scents to its mouthfilling texture.

“The flavors are ripe, from pineapple to golden raisin, yet they’re balanced by a strong mineral impression, like the scent of hot sand. It holds its form and flavors for days after the bottle is opened, the powerful structure promising that this will just get more complex with age. Whenever you open it, make sure you have some lamb or meaty fish on hand.”

We doubt there will be a lot written about this wine as there wasn’t a lot of it, and that’s too bad. It is special. As to the article, a couple of comments. True or not, the purveyor told us that the 14 months time on lees was something of an error, a forgotten tank that was discovered later on and, once they tasted it, created a special cuvee bottling. Either way, this is an epic example of this distinctive varietal and terroir that should not be missed!

We don’t see it going with lamb necessarily as it is a crisp, high-toned white. A plate of fresh things from the sea would be our ideal match, or all by itself to appreciate all that is going on in the glass. We cannot comment on the assertion that it will “hold its form and flavor for days”. It would never be around “for days”(or even hours) at our house. It’s simply too good.