Winemaker Notes
Located in Imerovigli, the sub-region of Oia Santorini, Sigalas’s Assyrtiko basket trained vines (Kouloura) average 60 years of age, and are tended in black lava, volcanic ash and pumice soils. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperature. The wine comprises of 50% free run juice. 80% full cluster is slowly pressed and spends 5 months on lees.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Santorini Assyrtiko, the flagship 100% Assyrtiko (usually producing around 100,000 bottles), is unoaked and comes in at 14.5% alcohol. Ripe and dense, this is a big wine on the palate, yet it is never overripe and it is sometimes stonewashed in demeanor. It shows good balance while it coats the palate, and it finishes with great fruit supported by impressive structure. The main flaw here is that this is underdeveloped and not yet fully expressive. That, of course, is something that will only be fixed by a couple of years in the bottle. It should hold well after that.
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.
