GAIA | Assyrtiko | Wild Ferment | 2017
assyrtiko
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The wine we are going to review today is one that we hold dear to our hearts – Assyrtiko Wild Ferment 2017 by Gaia Wines. This is a single varietal, assyrtiko wine from the Santorini region – a wine that has been fermented on wild yeasts. A wild-fermented wine uses native yeasts that are found on the berries and in the vineyard. Wines made with native yeasts often taste different from the wines made with cultured yeasts. Nowadays, cultured yeasts are the norm – most winemakers use yeast products that are specially designed to make the perfect sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir. When wild yeasts are used, the results are not always as consistent as with the traditional process, but they are always interesting and wines tend to have unmatched identity. But enough of all that theory, without further ado let’s move on, straight to the tasting phase!
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:
Visual
Straw yellow color with pastel yellow hues towards the rim of the glass.
Olfactory
The nose is strong, filled with sweet fruits and citrus flavours: lemon, peach, yellow pear, yellow mirabelle, acacia blossom, overripe gooseberry, yellow apple, pineapple, apricot, elderflower, quince, daffodil and some insistent hints of straw grass and hay.
Gustatory
The wine is dry, with high alcohol level, high acidity and ripe tannin. It feels zesty, crisp and elegant, with an appealing fruity-citrusy accent and a ripe, full body. This is a quite bold, complex and firm assyrtiko wine, with nuanced woody hints and mouth-watering acidity. The wine has a good balance, as it feels citrusy-refreshing, supple and well structured on the mouthfeel – a noble and fine assyrtiko wine indeed.
Aftertaste
The wine has a long finish and a quite elegant, woody-crisp aftertaste.
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This is definitely an exceptional wine of Greece and, with a total of 92.0 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.
Conclusion: this is a very fine assyrtiko wine that is right there, at the summit of its prime form. Besides the fact that it has been fermented on wild yeasts, the wine has been aged in new french and american oak barrels and old acacia barrels, which enriched the wine with those elegant woody and floral hints. Drink now or in the next 2 years, as this is a fine example of a white wine with very good bottle ageing potential. What makes this wine truly unique, is that those wild yeast strains that prevail are the ones which will eventually determine the wine’s character and thus, every tank and barrel is different. Thus, when fermentation ends, the winemaker picks only those tanks and barrels which are able to express the elegance of the assyrtiko grape variety. In order to explore the full potential of this wine, we would suggest to pair it with aromatic seafood dishes, like for example a greek classic shrimp saganaki or some santorini style lobster spaghetti. Enjoy!
WineStatistics tasting results:
GAIA
Assyrtiko | Wild Ferment | 2017
grape: | assyrtiko |
overall rating: | 92.0 |
maturity: in its prime
conclusion: exceptional | (a must try)
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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.
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