2015 Pure Santorini Assyrtiko
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Tasting notes
The 2015 Assyrtiko is unoaked and comes in at 14% alcohol. Since I first saw this over a year ago, it has blossomed, although even now it took two days to get there. The first day was much like the first taste last year—closed, tight and brooding. Some rest has done it good, though, and with another day in the fridge, it finally started to open and become more expressive. Concentrated and powerful, this finally shows some personality and touches of saline as it warms. It still leaned to dense and steely, though, with fine tension on the finish. It looks now like it will age better than originally anticipated, too, but let's continue to take that in stages. For the regular Assyrtiko, this is very impressive these days. It is not done evolving. If it holds and develops well—it still needs more expressiveness—it may be entitled to an uptick again.
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Mark Squires
More reviews and scores
The 2015 Santorini Estate was partly (20%) fermented and aged for five months in used French oak, per the customary formula here. This is a beautiful estate white. One of the things that is impressive here is how well it handles its wood. This upper-level Santorini isn't just about extra power and flash. It adds precision to the regular Assyrtiko, too, yet it is far more concentrated and lusher. It was simply brilliant the next day. This lacks the purity of the unoaked Assyrtiko, to some extent, but the finish is long, crisp and surprisingly transparent nonetheless. There is fine tension on that very tight and gripping finish. It's a wine you'll want to keep drinking because that acidity cuts the oak and makes this lively for its style. By the third day of tasting, the oak seems mostly gone, sliced and diced by the structure. I wasn't positive on first taste, but this is a wine-of-the-vintage candidate. There are, to be sure, some strong contenders in a year where the top wineries just delivered. This is a very serious candidate, though. Use this as a food wine. There's too much of everything to use it as a porch-sipper. Note: This Estate Santorini is distinguished in nomenclature from the regular Assyrtiko by having SANTORINI in bigger lettering, as well as in bottle shape, by more weight, and a cork rather than a screw-cap.
20% of the wine is aged in seasoned oak. Smoky and mineral and less aromatically fruity than the Gaia 2015 Assyrtiko. Herbal and stony. Then on the palate, stunning concentration of citrus and crushed stones. Essence of Santorini and Assyrtiko. Best vintage I have tasted of this particular wine but only just bottled so will be even better in another year. (JH)