Greece has been producing wine for longer even than Italy, though you’d hardly think so, considering its continued absence from most of our supermarket shelves. Mind you, that could soon be about to change due in no small part to the growing popularity of what has become Greece’s signature white grape, assyrtiko. It first took off on the island of Santorini, but the grape is now being planted all over the country, in areas such as the Atalanti Valley in Central Greece and in Macedonia. Happily, it’s a brilliant pairing with all things Greek, including the ubiquitous Greek salad, and goes equally well with seafood from anywhere.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that assyrtiko has got progressively more expensive in recent years, especially examples from Santorini itself, where the growing conditions are exceptionally challenging, from the volcanic soil (the island was ripped apart by a devastating eruption back in 1600BC) to the lack of rain: Santorini gets a fraction of the mainland’s rainfall and instead relies on the moisture from the heavy mist that falls nightly over the island. It’s also subject to violent winds, which accounts for the unique way the vines are trained, coiled around like a woven basket. While the stems are cut back from time to time, the root systems can date back hundreds of years: “When we say old vines here, we don’t mean 40 years old,” explains Yiannis Paraskevopoulous of Gaia Wines. “We mean 400.”
The island’s vines are also widely spaced out due to the lack of nutrients in the soil, which contributes to exceptionally low yields and to the level of concentration and intensity that makes its wines so unique. As if that were not enough, the land available has been progressively swallowed up for development, to satisfy the demands of a booming tourist industry. No wonder grape prices now fetch €5 a kilo, compared with 85 cents back in 2010.
Most Santorini assyrtikos you’ll come across are unoaked, which generally best expresses their character, but some, such as Gaia’s Wild Ferment in today’s pick, have a proportion that is aged in oak and clay spheres. The grape is also used to make a relatively low-alcohol but intensely sweet dessert wine called vinsanto.
All of which raises a question: shouldn’t you just buy cheaper versions from elsewhere in Greece, then? Well, they’re good, but they really aren’t as good as assyrtiko from Santorini. The best parallel I can think of, from both a quality and price point of view, is chablis – which, yes, is chardonnay, but it’s just not like chardonnay from anywhere else. And, just like chablis, the best assyrtikos are very serious wines indeed, and have a real capacity to age. If you can hang on to them for that long, that is.
Five assyrtikos that are worth a try
Aldi Athlon Assyrtiko 2022 £7.99, 12%. Fresh, zesty, lemony and (mercifully) affordable: a good first-timer’s assyrtiko.
Kir-Yianni Assyrtiko The North 2021 £15.99 (or £11.99 if you buy any 12), Laithwaites, Averys, 13.5%. A richer, more rounded, tropical-fruited style that you’ll like if you’re into Kiwi sauvignon blanc.
The Society’s Exhibition Santorini Assyrtiko 2021 £17.50 The Wine Society, 13%. Pure, saline and thrilling, with a long, intense aftertaste. Drink with anything fishy– especially grilled squid.
Gaia Wild Ferment Assyrtiko 2022 £36.28 Great Wines Direct, £36.50 Fortnum & Mason, 13.5%. A gorgeous, sexy, creamy, slightly smoky white that will easily age for four or five years. A real splurge, but 100% worth it.
Domaine Hatzimichalis Assyrtiko Sauvignon Blanc 2021 £20 Oxford Wine Co, 13.5%. Intriguing Atalanti Valley blend that layers citrus on citrus, almost like preserved lemon. Cool white bottle, too.
For more by Fiona Beckett, go to fionabeckett.substack.com
