On the large southernfacing slope of this jewel of a island vineyard lie the villages Pyrgos Kalistis and Megalochori For centuries they have been the heartland of Santorinis wine production Alas with no strict enforceable land zoning new large eyesores continue to be built One sadly often appreciates something only after it has been lost Still demand has resulted in some good news from this diminishing acreage Perhaps the newly found momentum of boutique wineries springing up will buffer this madness Will it usher this underthreat terroir into commonsense longterm planning What is heartening bonedry wines have scaled new heights beyond a great lowyield vintage that 2013 has turned out to be The quality competition amongst 11 existing wineries soon to be joined by three new ventures is escalating That can only have a positive effect Viticulture cannot be done on hot air it needs capital to improve I have argued in these pages that the way forward in order to protect and add value to these rare vineyards is to identify name places and enable us to enjoy more of this great terroir through minimalintervention winemaking More than anyone Gavalas has upped his game There are modern wines across the board where terroir shines through a 21stcentury touch The exciting feature of this reviewed wine is not the Natural Ferment though that has a say in the overall style Hatzidakis has spoilt us with bottling several Pyrgos single vineyards The grapes in this new departure by Gavalas mostly come from their Megalochori estate Broadly speaking Pyrgos is crisper a study in minerals Megalochori is not blunt on the mineral front yet is softer highlighting finesse Thirty years ago wine from these vineyards was shipped to Athens in bulk from the now defunct Megalochori wineries of Akilas Chryssou and Venetsanos Fastforward to now wine is bottled and increasingly exported throughout the world Santorini Assyrtiko are in fact the first two words that professionals in cosmopolitan wine markets have become aware of in modern Greek wine It only took 20 years
White flowers Incisive aroma of honey meshing with supple briny phenolic yeastiness Creamy lemony plump texture Marine salinity on the playful lasting finish A forward approachable soft style Brimming with a unique sense of place Best 20142019
Wine: Gavalas Santorini Natural Ferment
Year: 2013
Link: http://www.gavalaswines.gr
Score: 17
Type: White
Variety: Assyrtiko
Area: Aegean Islands