***This new release wine is available as a pre-order - we will email customers when we receive the bottles and send them the next day***
Wine Type: White
Grape(s): 100% Assyrtiko
Country: Greece
Region: Tinos Island, Cyclades
Organic: Yes
Vegan: No
ABV: 13.5%
Winemakers: Thanos Georgilas and Stephane Derenoncourt
Winemaking: Vintage 2023 was a mild winter with a low amount of rainfall. Budbreak commenced at the end of March, later than usual. Flowering was set in early of June. Temperatures in May were elevated, as they were in June. July was quite warm with excessive heat peaks at the end of it. During August temperatures continued to be high. The vintage of 2023 was warm overall therefore, was characterised by high levels of concentration. Harvest took place very early in the morning.
In terms of winemaking the wines have become simpler in many ways. The vineyards were planted from 2001 onwards, but they didn't take any crop for the first 7 years. The soils are almost all grantiic sand. There are some small sections with a bit more clay and these go into the RARE expression. The Assyrtiko plot is situated at 450m and 10.000 vines/ha with north-east orientation. The yield is 25hl/ha.
They farm organically and spray infrequently as the site is so windy and dry - 6 times a year roughly for copper and SO2, whereas many other regions could be 15-20. They use some BD preps as well. Winemkaing is straightforward. Grapes are hand harvested, chilled overnight, whole bunch pressed. A natural sedimentation than racked to stainless steel with lots of light solids. Inoculated with yeast isolated from the Clos Stegasta vineyard. They want to extract the energy and minerality of the site. They also ferment one parcel in a 2 tonne foudre.
The vineyard is harvested over at least one week and can be several weeks depending in the season. After ferment it's left on lees for 6-7 months with no stirring. Bottled and released a few months later. 2023 is a more typical season, neither cooler (like 2022 and 2026) nor so hot (like 2024 and 2025) but it is the first year of the 3-year drought.
Tasting Notes: This is a beautiful expression, lifted, limey and salty on the palate. Very aromatic and open, with Burgundian textures.
