Winemaker Notes
Bright straw yellow color with greenish highlights. Aromas of medium intensity, drupes, white flowers and unique herbal notes. Rich, intense taste and moderate acidity both providing flavor balance and a long finish.
Accompanies a variety of flavors such as poultry and white meat, seafood and and shellfish.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Savatiano is unoaked, very dry and comes in at 12.2% alcohol. Right on track with what I've been seeing lately, this is pure and unadorned on the finish, with mouth-coating texture and persistence. While it shows off supporting acidity and some grip, its slightly unctuous demeanor in its youth incorporates the acidity well and avoids anything jarring. The question I always have with these is whether it is worth holding them. I've seen some older vintages hold very well (like the 2015 seen about two years back), but I'm never sure there are a lot of advantages to holding them. As my enthusiasm increases, so do expectations. Still, this is so exuberant, so intense in its youthful purity that I have to lean up for the moment. It is a nice and sometimes exceptional follow-up to last year's version. Don't hesitate to dive in while this is young, but there is probably no rush. I like to be cautious, but it will likely hold well longer than indicated.
There are hundreds of white grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles.
A picturesque Mediterranean nation with a rich wine culture dating back to ancient times, Greece has so much more to offer than just retsina. Between the mainland and the country’s many islands, a wealth of Greek wine styles exists, made mostly from Greece’s plentiful indigenous varieties. After centuries of adversity after Ottoman rule, the modern Greek wine industry took off in the late 20th century with an influx of newly trained winemakers and investments in winemaking technology.
The climate—generally hot Mediterranean—can vary a bit with latitude and elevation, and is mostly moderated by cool maritime breezes. Drought can be an issue for Greek wine during the long, dry summers, sometimes necessitating irrigation.
Over 300 indigenous grapes have been identified throughout Greece, and though not all of them are suitable for wine production, future decades will likely see a significant revival and refinement of many of these native Greek wine varieties. Assyrtiko, the crisp, saline Greek wine variety of the island of Santorini, is one of the most important and popular white wine varieties, alongside Roditis, Robola, Moschofilero, and Malagousia. Muscat is also widely grown for both sweet and dry wines. Prominent red wine varieties include full-bodied and fruity Agiorghitiko, native to Nemea; Macedonia’s savory, tannic Xinomavro; and Mavrodaphne, used commonly to produce a Port-like fortified wine in the Peloponnese.