Haridimos Hatzidakis is the most adventurous figure in the Santorini estates Since his landmark 2003 by far the best wine of the vintage his style has shifted towards natural
He continues to be a risktaker with his numerous singlevineyard efforts Recently I had a chance to catch up with his latest as well as some of the older wines His commitment to bottling single vineyards has been exemplary More Santorini producers need to follow his example There are so many unmapped vineyards that beckon and deserve to be discovered Tourlos Kontarades and Melihines in random order are just a few that spring to mind from my walks The vineyard map of Santorini should sooner rather than later read as Burgundys Pyrgosbased Hatzidakis has been a gutsy explorer of his terroir The reviewed wine struck a cerebral note that no other wine of the terrific 2011 vintage could strike Not your usual sulfurbriny Santorini mineral cocktail The coolerclimate village of Pyrgos harvests up to two weeks later than other warmer vineyards such as lowerlying Vourvoulos or Akrotiri From a blend of two single vineyards on the various Louris subplots on a sliver of soil leaps this pearl of a wine It is an emphatic signature of one of the great terroirs that alas continues to be built over New megavillas have sprung up amongst prime vineyards on the fringes of Pyrgos and Megalochori The old adage that each plane touchdown equals more cubic meters of cement has never rung so true As the crisis bites one can only hope that a return to farming of various Santoriniotes up and down the country will offer a real buffer on this cementboom madness blighting this unique terroir
Initially reductive and dull Count 40 minutes or best carafe it before the fireworks light up White pepper followed by an intriguing redflower aroma Explosive stoney midpalate splendid depth of fruit Linear Concentration yet finesse on the finish Bone dry Focused A very fine expression from these old vines Strikingly different
Best 20122018
Wine: Hatzidakis 2011 Assyrtiko Sélectionne
Year: 2011
Link: http://www.hatzidakiswines.gr
Score: 17.5
Type: White
Variety: Assyrtiko
Area: Aegean Islands