by Nico
Manessis
Decanter Magazine
The Greek
Assyrtiko has been popular for years in Austria, writes NICO MANESSIS,
but it's now gaining fans worldwide
When I
first tasted Assyrtiko on Santorini in the 1980s, it left a deep
impression. It still does. It was an experience that opened my eyes
to the potential of indigenous Greek grape varieties. The profile
was reminiscent of a hypothetical Mediterranean Loire Valley Chenin
Blanc - a bone-dry Savennières in a ripe vintage.
The thrill
of my discovery was offset by the thought that this wine was still
relatively unknown, its illustrious roots taking hold more in history
books than in the vineyard. Sporadic research over the years put
the number of grape varieties in Greece at more than 300 but, because
of lack of exploitation, some died out. Of the estimated 150 white
varieties that remain, Assyrtiko has now emerged as arguably Greece's
finest cultivar. Deservedly so. Its vines are impervious to drought,
resistant to oidium and downy mildew and adapt easily to a wide
range of soils and micro-climates.
Assyrtiko
is the only known white variety in the Mediterranean that manages
to achieve ripeness while maintaining high acidity. On the other
hand, it is a tricky grape to vinify, because of its high phenol
content and tendency to oxidise. Wherever it grows, its wines have
an unmistakable presence: invariably severe profile, low-key citrus
or honeysuckle aroma, full-flavoured, smoky, mineral-laden palate
and long finish.
The best
results from Assyrtiko and its blends come from two regions - the
Cycladic island of Santorini (pictured), in the southern Aegean,
and the more recently planted mainland vineyards of northern Greece.
The grape flourishes on Santorini's volcanic rock, where it either
originated or was introduced following the volcanic eruptions between
1640 and 1620BC. It comes into its own here, gaining added depth
and concentration - qualities unmatched by any other Greek white
wine currently being produced. Assyrtiko has an average vine age
of 80 years and grows on its own rootstock. A dearth of rain combines
with the island's volcano-grey topsoil - severely lacking in organic
matter - to produce an average yield of 28hl/ha (hectolitres per
hectare).
Santorini's
grey soils, scattered with white pumice stones, are a far cry from
the more traditional rows of vineyard landscaping. It is an arid,
desert-like environment. and yet, out of this unending struggle,
Assyrtiko shines. An ingenious method of pruning was devised to
help it survive the destructive Aegean winds and prolonged periods
of drought: each vine is trained to grow round in a circle and upwards,
eventually enveloping itself with a protective skein that is not
unlike a woven basket.
In 1971,
two Santorini appellations were introduced: a dry white and an amber-hued
visanto. To make the visanto, sun-dried grapes of Assyrtiko - mixed
with 10% of the more aromatic, rare Aidani - are laid on mats or
terraces for up to 10 days. Following a slow, long fermentation,
they are cask-aged. Assyrtiko's searing acidity and high residual
sugar (as much as 300g/l [grams per litre] for the older vintages
like the 1982 Arghyros) produce more of an elixir than wine. Santorini
visantos have remarkable staying power - analysis of an 1895 vintage
showed 418g/l of residual sugar and also a towering acidity of 14.2g/l
(in tartaric).
At the
forefront of Assyrtiko mainland production is the Gerovassiliou
estate at Epanomi, outside Thessaloniki. Soils contain sand and
clay as well as patches of limestone. The latter gives lower yields,
with maturation slower (4-5 days) and acidity higher. Evangelos
Gerovassiliou, a believer in Assyrtiko, says: 'Its aroma is higher,
though there is less body. The smoky character is still there but
not as pronounced, since our soils contain less pyrite than those
on Santorini. Acidity comes in at 7-8g/l regardless of drought -
and even after 12 hours of skin contact, the profile is intact.'
For his
estate white, Gerovassiliou blends Assyrtiko with 15% Malagousia,
a semi-aromatic variety whose apricot-like Viognier character achieves
sensational results. As with most quality modern Greek wines, quantities
are not enormous. Assyrtiko's hectarage is estimated at around 11,500
stremmata (1,150ha), just more than 15% of the total wine-producing
land in Greece. Most wine is sold in small lots by boutique estate
wineries.
This lesser-known
grape is a star in its own right. It makes a wine full of character
that has impressed the palate of many an insider. Now it is enticing
non-specialists who are in search of something different. Beth von
Benz, sommelier at Manhattan's Judson Grill, enthuses: 'A plus with
Greek wines is the romantic connection Americans have with the island
of Santorini.' She rates Assyrtiko as a 'wonderful aperitif wine
suggestion or an excellent match with hard-to-pair food dishes.'
At the
trendy The Real Greek restaurant in London, Paloma Campbell thinks
that Londoners are fed up with New World wine lists and are keen
to try new tastes. 'Our customers are very open-minded,' she says.
'They love the variety of flavours and character Greek wine has
to offer.'
So broaden
your horizons - think Greek and try Assyrtiko. You may be surprised!
Nico
Manessis is an expert on Greek wine and author of The
Greek Wine Guide
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