SANTO WINES | Santorini | Grande Reserve | 2022
assyrtiko

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The story of Santo Wines is the story of Santorini’s viticulture itself. Founded in 1947, the Union of Santorini Cooperatives is the island’s largest wine producer – a collective force of 1,200 local growers dedicated to preserving an ancient agricultural heritage. Their mission is to safeguarding the island’s unique volcanic terroir, promoting traditional cultivation methods, and ensuring the sustainability of native grape varieties.

Today we are going to review a wine that is a rarity even in its homeland in Greece – a single-varietal assyrtiko wine from the iconic terroir of Santorini PDO – Santorini Grande Reserve 2022 by SantoWines. Assyrtiko is an indigenous grape variety of Greece, valued for its remarkable ability to express terroir and retain vibrant acidity even under the scorching Mediterranean sun. Originating from the volcanic soils of Santorini, Assyrtiko produces white wines of striking minerality and depth, often compared to Riesling due to its structure and complexity. Traditionally trained in the unique kouloura basket shape to protect the vines from fierce winds and heat, Assyrtiko has lately spread across mainland Greece – from Macedonia to the Peloponnese, as well as other Aegean Islands. This particular wine is sourced from ungrafted, 100-year-old vines – a testament to the island’s phylloxera-free soils. After a brief maceration – a process that enhances aromatic complexity, the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and then transferred in 225L medium-toasted French oak barrels at 2nd and 3rd fill, where it ages for 6 months on its fine lees and another 6 months after the lees were removed, followed by 12 months of ageing in the bottle. This whole process is designed to build aromatic complexity and texture while honoring the grape’s varietal character.

Rising from the remnants of an ancient volcano, the Santorini island stands as one of the world’s most distinctive winegrowing regions – a windswept, sun-drenched island where vines root in pure volcanic ash, pumice, and basalt. These mineral-rich and porous soils are almost devoid of clay and organic matter, providing natural immunity to phylloxera and forcing the vines to struggle for survival, yielding grapes of remarkable concentration and salinity. Santorini boasts a dry mediterranean climate with low rainfall and intense summer heat, which is tempered by cool sea breezes and the powerful Meltemi winds from the Aegean Sea, which moderates temperatures, prolongs ripening, and keeps vines free from disease.

To withstand the fierce winds and scorching sun, local growers employ the ancient ‘kouloura‘ training system – vine canes woven into protective basket-like wreaths that cradle the grapes near the ground. This training method shelters the grapes from the winds, salt spray, and direct sunlight, while also helping them capture precious moisture during the humid nights. Santorini’s vineyard produce exceptionally low yields, often below 20 hl/ha, resulting in wines of profound intensity and complexity. Assyrtiko is the island’s champion grape that expresses the terroir through it’s piercing acidity, vibrant citrus, smoky minerality, and a saline finish that mirrors the surrounding sea. Smaller plantings of Aidani and Athiri lend aromatic lift, elegance and finesse. The wines of Santorini embody the island’s dramatic landscape with their mineral-volcanic character, where every sip speaks of fire, sea, and stone – the Ancient Greece itself.
color: deep yellow color
clarity: pale golden hues

In the glass, the wine presents a deep and captivating yellow color, shimmering with pale golden hues that catch the light at the rim, hinting at its richness and the time it has spent maturing in oak.

intensity: rich & oaky
fruit character: ripe & dehydrated

The olfactory profile is rich and intricate, leading with a pronounced oak-derived character. The foreground reveals a delightful medley of dehydrated fruits – think of dried apple, quince, and pear, that are beautifully interwoven with secondary notes from its time spent in the barrel, bringing hints of as vanilla, fresh oakwood, and a delicate touch of tree sap. Waxy undertones of honeycomb and beeswax add another layer of complexity, while the background reveals herbal nuances of hay, oolong tea, and pear leaf – all resting on a delicate mineral foundation of chalk and wet sand, with a touch of cantaloupe.

sweetness: dry | acidity: high | alcohol: high | tannin: medium | balance: fine
finish: lasting | aftertaste: seedy-crisp

On the palate the wine feels both powerful and elegant. It is bone dry, with a razor-sharp acidity that slices through the wine’s richness, providing incredible structure and freshness. The texture is firm and complex, with a well-integrated alcoholic warmth that adds presence and body, while a subtle phenolic bitterness adds depth and a savory edge, leading to a long and seedy-crisp aftertaste that resonates with a subtle saline minerality and leaves a lasting impression of power over finesse.

maturity: developing | drink now or in the next 3 to 4 years
verdict: great | benchmark wine | a wine that has all the traits to become legendary

Overall, this is a textbook example of an oak-aged Assyrtiko – a wine that brilliantly marries power with finesse in a style reminiscent of a top-tier Grand Cru Chablis. It is a wine of amazing complexity that adds a new dimension to the already sophisticated aromatic profile of this volcanic grape variety, showcasing both its varietal character and its structural integrity. While it is still developing, it is ready to be enjoyed now thanks to its vibrant energy. However, the wine holds a good potential for ageing and will gain even more complexity and aromatic sophistication over the next 3 to 4 years.

The wine’s firm structure and complexity make it a versatile partner. For a complementary pairing that would highlight its saline minerality, serve it with a whole-grilled sea bass stuffed with lemon and fennel. For a congruent experience, consider a creamy lobster risotto or scallops in a buttery sauce, which would match the wine’s rich texture. But if you want to create a surprising ‘wow-effect’, go ahead and pair this wine with roasted pork loin with an apple and herb stuffing – the wine’s acidity will cut through the richness of the meat, creating a very harmonious culinary experience. Cheers!

SANTO WINES | Santorini | Grande Reserve | 2022
variety: assyrtiko
country: Greece
region: Santorini | Cyclades
rating: 95.2

The unique ‘kouloura’ (the ‘basket-shaped’) pruning method is an ancient vine training technique of Santorini. This method is a practical solution to the island’s harsh climate, protecting the precious grapes from the strong ‘Meltemia’ winds and the intense summer sun. Due to Santorini’s volcanic soil, the region is immune to the phylloxera pest that wiped out most of Europe’s vineyards in the 19th century, as a result, the island is home to some of the world’s oldest ungrafted vines, some of which are several centuries old.

© 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. Cheers!