Santorini Assyrtiko

Santorini is one of the most photographed Greek islands. The iconic town of Oia seems tailor-made for touristic brochures and instagram #nofilter series.

Beyond the pretty pictures, this volcanic island is the cradle of Assyrtiko, a very special Greek white grape variety that has since been planted both on the mainland and even in the new world (Australia and California).

Santorini

The ancient volcano that formed this island is thought to have destroyed the civilization of Thíra and Crete when it erupted and formed the Cyclades archipelago.

At times it has been part of the various empires ruling the Mediterranean, from the Byzantines to Venice to the Ottomans. The Venetians were the first to really develop the wine industry in the 14th and 15th centuries. At the time, high alcohol, sweet wines were the most popular as they were more able to withstand lengthy shipping by boat.

The volcanic soils aren’t suited for most agriculture, but vines can grow in such poor soils and it became the main agricultural product of the island. Volcanic ashes are also unsuitable for the proliferation of phylloxera. So while most of Europe had to graft vines on hybrid rootstock that resisted the pest, Santorini remained able to keep these ancient vines, some of the root systems have been said1 to being up to 400 years old.

Another factor that vines have to deal with is the high winds that sweep the island. So traditionally, the vines have been trained into a low basket protecting the grapes.

All of these factors result in minuscule yields, rarely achieving over 15 hl/ha, compared to the max allowed of 50 hl/ha in Bordeaux or 80 hl/ha in Alsace.

Assyrtiko

Assyrtiko is a white grape, native from Santorini, and its main characteristic is to retain a high level of acidity in hotter climates. It is also very capable of expressing mineral notes which are characteristic of these volcanic wines.

Dry wines on the island are made with over 75% of Assyrtiko, the rest being Athiri and/or Aidani (2 other native varieties). While Santorini PDO is traditionally vinified without oak, the grape can take on oak ageing very well as it is prone to oxidation.

Nychteri wines are made from grapes harvested during the night so they keep cool, pressed and fermented to dryness right away, then aged for at least 4 months in partially filled oak casks to enhance its oxidative effects. These are dry, very high alcohol (16%) wines, and unfortunately very rarely found abroad.

Santorini Vinsanto the sweet vine that made the island famous for so long is made using dried Assyrtiko grapes and then oak aged for years (or dozens of years). Like many other wines in this style, they can age for a really long time, but given the yields of Santorini they are incredibly expensive and really hard to find.

Santorini PDO

Back to the dry wines made with Assyrtiko, you can find them at relatively reasonable prices given their production method:

Santorini at Winereco

These are usually meant to be drunk within 10 years of harvest, although it can pay off to give them a year or two before opening them. Expect intense aromas of ripe citrus (lemon) and herbs, as well as a marked minerality. You should be able to taste the volcanic influences in your glass. The high acidity makes it very food-friendly, and if you close your eyes you can imagine being on the island as you are sipping it.

Until next week, happy drinking!