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.