Winemaker Notes
Mild yellow color with golden shades. White flowers and citrus aromas. Powerful and intense in the mouth with strong acidity. Intense minerality and lasting aftertaste.
Serve with large, high-fat fish, shellfish, spaghetti with sea food, meat (poultry and pork), and creamy cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This wine is named after the Greek word for "baton" and pays tribute to winery founder Haridimos Hatzidakis, who passed away in 2017 (but had started making this wine in 2016). In fact, in 2016 he started experimenting and set out to make a different expression of Assyrtiko that would age sur lie in stainless steel. He would pay greater attention to lees management in general. This innovation, widely practiced today, is what put Santorini whites on the map.
A crisp white variety full of zippy acidity, Assyrtiko comes from the volcanic Greek island of Santorini but is grown increasingly wide throughout the country today. Assyrtiko’s popularity isn’t hard to explain: it retains its acid and mineral profile in a hot climate, stands alone or blends well with other grapes and can also withstand some age. Somm Secret—On the fairly barren, windswept Mediterranean island of Santorini, Assyrtiko vines must be cultivated in low baskets, pinned to the ground. The shape serves to preserve moisture and protect the growing grapes in its interior.
