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Assyrtiko
One of the finest noble white grapes of Europe, its origins
come from the island of Santorini, where it has its greatest expression
of
character, due in large part to the influence of the island’s volcanic
soil. It
is naturally resistant to most diseases and another reason why it has
become a
popular grape, re-planted throughout Greece. Assyrtiko makes up 70% of
the
vineyards of Santorini. It has the unusual quality of maintaining high
levels
of alcohol and acidity at the same time, making it one of the few white
grapes
of the Mediterranean that also possess long aging potential. Assyrtiko
produces
dry, full-bodied white wines with citrus aromas combined with a pleasing
mineral character derived from the volcanic soil it is grown in.
Assyrtiko is
also blended with Athiri and Aidani to make the sweet wine, Vinsanto.
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Athiri
One of the most ancient of Greek grape varieties, Athiri was
once made into a sweet wine, prized during Byzantine years. The name of
the
grape indicates its origin from the Island of Santorini, also known as
“Thira”
in ancient time. Athiri, on it’s own, produces medium-bodied wines with
delicate aromatic qualities. It is also used to make Vinsanto and dry
white
blends with Assyrtiko and Aidani
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The Wines
The dry white and dessert wines of Santorini are made
predominantly from the noble white grape variety, Assyrtiko. It is grown
together with Athiri and Aidani in a field blend throughout the island.
These
varieties are handpicked separately from the basket vines grown directly
on top
of the soil, making harvest time a challenging and time consuming
process. The
dry whites are known for their bright, fresh acidity as well as their
pleasing
citrus and mineral qualities, all attributes that make them very
food-friendly.
The sweet Vinsanto wines also benefit from the naturally high acidity of
Assyrtiko, helping the wine avoid that cloying character, so often found
in
other dessert wines. There is also a small production of dry red wine
made from
an interesting red variety called, Mavrotragano. The red Mandelaria
grape,
grown on other Aegean Islands, is also produced on Santorini. In 1971,
when the
Greek Wine Appellation system was newly established, Santorini was one
of the
first to be recognized as an Appellation of Superior Quality.
Santorini, Appellation (PDO Santorini)-Dry White
These dry white wines must contain a minimum of 75%
Assyrtiko, with the remaining percentage allowed from Athiri and Aidani.
These
are dry, full-bodied wines with pronounced acidity and intense extract
also
giving them the potential for long aging. The wines combine citrus
aromas with
a pleasing mineral character due to the influence of the island’s
volcanic
soil. During the aging process they often take on qualities reminiscent
of
Alsatian Riesling. Because of the grapes’ strong attributes and the fact
that
the variety handles oak well, many of the wineries also produce a small
amount
of barrel fermented Assyrtiko.
Vinsanto, Appellation (PDO Santorini)- Sweet Wine
One of the most historic and popular wines throughout the
ancient world, Vinsanto was especially prized during the Byzantine
years, when
the Venetians controlled the trade routes of the Mediterranean. Vinsanto
was
named “Vino di Santo” by the Venetians, according to place of origin as
was the
custom, but then later became known as Vinsanto. This wine must be at
least 51%
Assyrtiko with the remaining percentage allowed from Athiri and Aidani
and some
small amounts of locally grown native white varieties. Traditionally,
Vinsanto
is made as a “vin doux naturel”, from late harvested grapes sun dried
for 12-14
days, then crushed and fermented with a minimum 9% of alcohol. Vinsanto
can
also be made as a “vin de liqueur” with the addition of alcohol or
distillates
of wine. In this case the alcohol required must be at least 15%.The
appellation
also requires a minimum of 24 months aging in oak barrels, where the
wines
develop a golden-orange color with a complex bouquet of dried fruits and
raisins, together with sweet spice.
Nykteri, Appellation (PDO Santorini)-Dry White
These dry white wines must contain a minimum of 75%
Assyrtiko, with the remaining percentage allowed from the Athiri and
Aidani
varieties. Traditionally, Nykteri was a wine made from grapes harvested
and
processed during the night or “nikta” in Greek. This is no longer the
standard
practice. Today the rules allow the wine to be vinified in stainless
steel
tanks or barrels and then aged in oak barrels for at least 3 months.
Red Wines
There is also a small
production of dry red wines made from
interesting red varieties for online casino, Mavrotragano and Mandelaria. Mandelaria is
grown on
other Aegean Islands as well as Santorini.
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