Product Description
"THIS IS ONE OF THE ISLAND’S GREAT ESTATES AND A BENCHMARK" – Mark Squires, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
"You owe it to yourself to check out this wine – if you’ve never experienced a Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko, you are in for a treat! With this 95 point score, it is no longer quite as much of an ‘insider’s’ find as it once was… As Mark Squires of The Wine Advocate says, if this wine had ‘Burgundy’ on the label instead of ‘Greece,’ you could easily double or triple the price, and nobody would blink an eye – it’s THAT good!
Assyrtiko an indigenous grape that has grown on the island since antiquity in harmony with the harsh conditions on the island (intense sun, strong winds, little rain), and the producer uses a unique pruning technique adapted to the elements that involves wrapping the canes of old and new vines into a wreath that resembles a basket made of vine twigs. Sigalas Assyrtiko is a somm favorite – you’ll find it on carefully curated restaurant lists because its complexity, acidity and minerality pair spectacularly with food. It is also a fantastic candidate for the cellar because while it is enjoyable now, it will continue to evolve over the next decade or longer just like a great white Burgundy! Enjoy!" – Jim Knight, The Wine House (7/7/17)
FROM THE PRODUCER
Classification: Wine with Protected Denomination of Origin "Santorini".
Varietal Composition: Assyrtiko 100%
Vinification techniques: Typical white wine vinification techniques. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperature.
Color: Pale Yellow, with green hues.
Nose: Aromatic, with citrus fruit and minerality.
Mouth: Minerality is evident, as a result of Santorini’s unique terroir. Quite "austere" as wine, with the acidity being the backbone of the wine, allowing it to age. Petrol notes and honeysuckle appear in aged Assyrtikos, similar to the German and Alsatian Rieslings.
Serving Suggestions: Fish, seafood and white meat with light sauces. Served at 10 – 11° C (50 – 52 ° F)
Age of vines: Over 50 years.
ABOUT SIGALAS
Founded in 1991, Sigalas wines were initially made at the converted Sigalas family home. In 1998 a new vinification, bottling, and aging unit was built in a privately owned area of Oia, on the northern part of Santorini. Here the Santorini Assyrtiko, as well as the Aidani, Athiri, Mandilaria and Mavrotragano varietals, thrive. The vineyards for these varietals are considered the oldest continuously cultivated vineyards in the world, over 3000 years.
The volcanic soils and climate of the viticulture area are the most unique and this "terroir" cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. This is indeed a very special place. The Sigalas Assyrtiko is arguably one of the most acclaimed white wines in the world.
ne House (7/7/17)