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Santorini power
by Maria Netsika

Santorini is my favourite island. I admit it! And it goes back to the old days. Since I first stepped my foot at Fira and I was blinded by the bright white houses, shining under the relentless sun. My eyes followed the contour of the red cliffs, plunging into bottomless ends and I imagined the caldera flooded by the sea. That was it. Love at first sight! I became slave eternal. And rightfully so, as the beauty of Santorini has no match. An island of many graces, wine being one of its most interesting ones.

The Santorini vineyard
The island's road network leads you from the capital, Fira, to Emporio, to Perisa, to Akrotiti, higher up to Pirgos, then down to Messaria, Kamari and north at dreamy Oia. Chose your destination at will and… sum up your resistance to hordes of people. No matter where you go, you will always be surrounded by vineyards.
It is true that, in Santorini, tourism is chasing vineyards. However, the Santorini vineyard is still resisting nowadays covering some 12.000-13.000 stremma (1.200-1.300 ha) from 40.000 stremma a hundred years ago. The vineyards have the power to consume your gaze, despite your will. Lying low and round-shaped, they are nothing like the tall, strong vines found in most places.

The Santorini vineyard is definitely peculiar. To start with, it is the oldest in Greece, as some of the vines are older than 300 years old. And that is because phylloxera, that annoying insect that still destroys vineyards globally, never came to this island. Thankfully, Santorini's sandy ground is hostile to the insect. Vineyards are grown in this land, covered with lava, holystone, rust and ash from the nearby volcano. Being a vine in Santorini is not easy. You need to fight serious drought, as rain is rare. Frequent north winds, the same ones that allowed the ancient Greeks to call the island Anemoessa (wind-ridden) still blow relentlessly, swiping everything on their run. But there is a solution for everything. It is the dense nocturnal mist, rising up from the caldera that offers plants much needed humidity, whereas viticulturers take care of the winds. They prune the vines low and intertwine them together like a basket protecting the grapes from the wrath of the sandstorm. And if you need numbers, you will be amazed of how low the production per stremma is: just 300-400 kilos!

Grapes and wines
Assyrtiko dominates the Santorini vineyard. It is a white variety maintaining a relatively high acidity, even when it is fully ripe. This grape is used by winemakers to produce the Santorini P.D.O.* wine. A refreshing and lively white, known for its pure, bright fruit, zesty acidity and mineral aftertaste. A unique total! With these attributes in its suitcase, the most dynamic Greek white grape started its journey from Santorini and has conquered Macedonia, Central Greece and the Peloponnese.
The Santorini P.D.O. wine also contains Athiri and Aidani, two other whites grapes from the Aegean vineyard. On the other hand, the sweet dessert wine Vinsanto is made by Assyrtiko and Aidani grapes. The island has a long-standing tradition on sweet wines, apart from dry ones. To produce the Vinsanto, local winemakers sun-dry the grapes. Which means they spread grapes under the sun to dehydrate and shrink, so that their sugar content increases. Post vinification the wine ages in oak barrels to produce a sweet elixir with a deep golden colour, a soft, velvet taste and aromas reminding of figs, honey and chocolate.
Santorini also brings a red proposition to your table. Mavrotragano is one of many unknown varieties of the island's vineyard (add Katsano and Voudomato in this list), that dedicated winemakers –to the delight of wine aficionados– have managed to save from extinction. This grape gives us a wine of intense character, just like any other thing produced on this beloved island.

Santorini produces many bottled wines, to be found on almost every culinary corner of the island. Do you prefer light and fruity wines? Or rather rich ones? Or maybe aged wines? The options are many, for all tastes, to choose from.
The next challenge for Santorini winemakers is to create wines that can be aged. If you are lucky, try the 2003, 2000 and 1997 vintages. Impress yourselves to the complexity, the vivacity and their mineral character.

Assyrtiko, Santo Wines
Santorini P.D.O.*
This Santorini reveals rich mineral and flower aromas, as well as a citrus-flavoured character. Somehow it combines fabulously fruit, honey and spice flavours with a savoury minerality, leading to a dry finish.
Santorini, Domaine Sigalas
Santorini P.D.O.
Sigalas's Assyrtiko always delivers great quality in just about any vintage. Vibrant and youthful, this beauty is pure pleasure with fresh citrus aromas bursting from the glass, layers of mineral notes and a core of tangy acid. Brilliant now, it should evolve nicely over the next 5 years.
 
Assyrtiko by Gaia, Wild Ferment, Gaia
Santorini P.D.O.
Assyrtiko grapes from the upland vineyard of Pyrgos. Grape must left to ferment in small inox tanks and in new French oak barriques. Dr. oenologist and winemaker Yiannis Paraskevopoulos, producer of this wonderfully elegant, crispy, mineral Assyrtiko, is determined to discover every dimension of the beloved multifaceted variety.

Santorini, Hatzidakis Winery
Santorini P.D.O.
Textbook Assyrtiko: crystalline, great volcano minerals and no shortage of fruit. Complete, confident and zesty. Crisp and clean, is a superior example of Santorini's wonderful purity and typicity. Perfect for your favourite grilled fishes.

Estate Argyros, French oak fermented
Santorini P.D.O.
Dynamite from very old Assyrtiko vines (150 years old in family-owned vineyards), made in the classic oaked style fermentation plus 6 months ageing in 500 lt French oak barrels. The wine possesses great intensity, good acidity to bring it into balance, citrus and smoke in the mix too.
* Protected Denomination of Origin

 
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