TN: A study in minerality, a blind tasting

WINE TALK
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Last summer I arranged a blind tasting on white wines that could arguably be described as “mineral”. However, this wasn’t a serious academic study or analysis, but instead a fun way to get people to taste some “mineral” whites blind.

For me the wines were only half-blind, since I was the one who brought them, but I had still arranged the wines so that the order was randomized and I didn’t know which was which. I could guess out correctly most of them, but I still tried to approach and taste the wines as if I didn’t know anything about them. A few times I was even quite successful at that, because my guess turned out to be wrong!

Anyway, the attendees agreed that virtually every wine could be described as “mineral” in some way or the other. Since it is both vague and quite sweeping term, we didn’t go into detail whether it is particularly useful in a tasting note, but we did agree that some wines are even best described as “mineral” if they don’t have any obvious fruity, floral or oaky characteristics, yet are intensely flavored in their own way. Even some wines here matched that kind of description quite accurately.

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Medium-deep honey-yellow color. Sweet-toned and varietally correct nose with instantly recognizable Riesling aromas of honey and beeswax, some lemon marmalade, light mineral notes of stone dust and an evolved hint of wizened peach. The wine is ripe, dry-to-dry-ish and somewhat evolved on the palate with a pronounced and even somewhat bitter streak of steely minerality, ripe lemony citrus fruits, some sweeter notes of lemon marmalade, light saline notes and a hint of chalk dust. The wine feels like it must’ve been quite lean and austere in its youth, but age has unwound the wine a little and granted it pleasant sense of concentration, making its mouthfeel quite smooth and silky. Crisp, high acidity. The finish is crisp, long and slightly lean with intense flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some quinine bitter notes, a little bit of honeyed richness, light tart notes of borderline unripe apples, a tangy hint of saline minerality and a touch of beeswax.

Although I love Gessinger’s sweet wines, I’ve often found their dry Rieslings quite lean, austere and rather forbidding in style. The wines tend to be very noticeably mineral with quite little in the way of fruit, making them come across as very incisive and quite noticeably bitter. However, this wine shows that the wines just need time: you can taste the pronounced minerality and bitterness, but the fruit has developed a nice sense of richness and concentration over the years, making the wine feel not only approachable, but also enjoyably nuanced now. Good stuff, excellent value at 7€. (90 pts.)

  • 2016 Anne et Jean-Francois Ganevat Arbois La Flandre - France, Jura, Arbois (30.7.2021)
    Organically farmed Chardonnay made with purchased fruit. Fermented spontaneously, vinified completely without any SO2. Aged for 2 years in old oak foudres. 12,5% alcohol.

Youthful pale green color. Somewhat wild, funky and slightly bretty nose with sweet-toned aromas of waxy funk, some cider apple, light juicy notes of ripe lemony citrus fruits, a little bit of smoky phenolic spice, a hint of Band-Aid and a touch of quince. The wine feels intense, somewhat concentrated and quite noticeably saline on the palate with slightly wild flavors of waxy funk, some tangy Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of rustic farmhouse cider, light stony mineral notes, a hint of bretty leather and a touch of phenolic bitterness. The high acidity lends great freshness and intensity to the wine, but the fruit ripeness and the slightly oily mouthfeel keep the wine from coming across as particularly lean. The finish is dry and crisp with long, nuanced flavors of tangy salinity and stony minerality, some tart green apple notes, a little bit of phenolic bitterness, light bretty notes of leather and waxy funk, a hint of lemony citrus fruit and a sharp touch of acetic VA.

A fresh and precise Jura Chardonnay that has an obvious but not excessively pronounced funky edge to its aromas. Instead of overwhelming the finer nuances, the slightly waxy and leathery notes of brett only seem to add complexity to the wine, blending wonderfully with the sweeter fruit notes while letting the sharp, more acid-driven flavors of green apples and lemony citrus fruits stay in the limelight. Although not primary in any way, the wine feels still quite youthful and shows good potential for future development. Will continue to improve at least for the next 5 years or so, most likely for much longer. Priced according to its quality at 34,90€. (92 pts.)

  • 2019 Domaine François Cotat Sancerre Les Caillottes - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre (30.7.2021)
    A single-vineyard Sancerre from organically farmed 25-yo vines. Fermented spontaneously and aged in old, neutral demi-muids. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol.

Youthful, pale green color. Youthful, fresh and ever-so-slightly primary nose with slightly restrained aromas of ripe greencurrants, some sour apple candy tones, a little bit of cool wet stone minerality and a hint of cucumber. The wine feels broad, juicy and ripe yet at the same time wonderfully firm on the palate with a medium body and bright flavors of fresh green apples and greencurrants, some mineral notes of wet stones, a little bit of tangy salinity, light zesty nuances of ripe citrus fruits and a hint of wool. Bright, balanced high acidity. The finish is long and lively with dry flavors of tart green apples, stony minerality, some lemony citrus fruit notes, a little bit of crunchy white currant, a hint of ripe gooseberry and a touch of cucumber.

A still very youthful, bright and zippy Sancerre that doesn’t show any of the vegetal qualities normally associated with Sauvignon Blanc. However, even though the wine shows some obvious ripeness, the overall feel is very dry, fresh and crunchy, wonderfully light on its feet. As a whole the wine feels perhaps a bit too young and linear at the moment, and even with air, the nose came across as slightly closed. However, the overall style here is beautifully pure, fresh and brimming with potential. This is a pleasantly chiseled vintage of Les Caillottes that is going to take another few years before it starts to realize its potential - and it will improve for much longer. Good value at 26€. (90 pts.)

  • 2018 Domaine de l’Ecu Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Orthogneiss - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (30.7.2021)
    A biodynamic Muscadet. Harvested by hand. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Aged on the lees in concrete vats. 12% alcohol. Annual production approximately 18,000 bottles.

Quite deep and moderately concentrated grassy green color with subtle honey-yellow highlights. Odd, somewhat closed and slightly dull nose with aromas of grappa-like fusel alcohol, some reductive notes of rubber gloves, a little bit of honeyed sweetness, light fruity notes of white peach and a hint of leesy yeast. The wine feels somewhat neutral and slightly concentrated on the palate with a medium body and lively yet still somewhat dull flavors of rubbery reduction, grappa-like notes of fusel alcohol, a some red apple tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light sweeter notes of white peach, a hint of varnish and a touch of leesy yeast. Crisp with high acidity. The finish is lively, fresh and acid-driven on the palate with somewhat dull flavors of rubbery reduction, some salty mineral notes, a little bit of white peach, light tart notes of fresh citrus fruits, a little bit of crunchy white currant and a hint of wet stones.

An odd and atypical bottle that was very unlike any of the previous bottles I’ve had of this vintage - even people to whom I served this wine blind and who had tasted it many times before didn’t recognize it. I wonder if this was just an off bottle, as it seemed so odd and dull compared to how it normally is - or then the wine has just evolved into a weird direction, as it has been a year since I’ve had this wine previously. While the wine is fresh and lively with a good deal of minerality, it doesn’t feel positively neutral but instead odd, dull and somewhat austere this time. I wonder what has happened here. Can’t say the wine was worth the 13€ this time. (82 pts.)

Pale straw yellow color. Rich, somewhat sweet-toned and quite attractive nose with complex aromas of creamy oak and some peanut butter, a little bit of fresh red apple, light funky notes, a mineral hint of cool wet stones and a lifted touch of ethery VA. The wine feels quite concentrated, slightly wild and quite impressive on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and some obvious sense of dry extract. Intense flavors of ripe golden apples and juicy white fruits, some creamy oak, a little bit of smoky toasty character, light mineral hints of tangy salinity, a hint of browned butter and a touch of phenolic bitterness. The mouthfeel is slightly viscous and oily, but the overall impression is still surprisingly precise and structured, thanks to the high acidity. The finish is structured, concentrated and quite acid-driven with intense, lengthy flavors of ripe golden apples, some nutty oak tones, a little bit of creaminess, light stony mineral notes, a hint of honeyed richness and a touch of tangy salinity. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the aftertaste.

A big, broad-shouldered and quite mineral Somló that marries noticeable but not overdone use of oak, obvious ripeness and quite high dry extract, wonderfully fresh acidity and quite pronounced minerality, all effortlessly into one. The overall style is a bit less mineral and slightly more oaky than a typical Somlói Juhfark, but a very impressive effort all the same, showing enough sense of place so that the wine was quite instantly recognizable as a Juhfark. Although the wine isn’t young anymore, I can imagine it will continue to improve for many years more, hopefully integrating the oakier tones even better with the fruit as the wine ages. All in all, a harmonious and well-made effort that combines a sort of rustic charm with more modern expression. Excellent value at 3100 HUF (approx. 10,50€). (93 pts.)

  • 2016 Argyros Assyrtiko - Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Santorini (30.7.2021)
    A blend of Assyrtiko sourced from multiple sites around Santorini, all ungrafted, averaging 80 to 100 yo. Fermented and aged on the lees in stainless steel tanks. 13,5% alcohol, 3 g/l residual sugar, 7,4 g/l acidity, pH 2,8.

Youthful, pale green color. Youthful, crisp and very intense nose with pronounced aromas of zesty lemon, some smoky volcanic mineral notes, a little bit of struck match, light sour apple candy tones, a hint of salty ocean air and a touch of sappy herbal greenness. The wine feels ripe, concentrated and even slightly oily on the palate with a medium body, yet very lively, crisp and racy at the same time with intense flavors of zesty lemon, pronounced salinity, some volcanic mineral notes of smoke, a little bit of crunchy white currant, light stony mineral tones and a hint of apple peel bitterness that seems to taper into a subtly grippy sensation on the gums. The bracing acidity lends a wonderfully brisk, almost electric feel to the wine. The finish is crisp, lively and wonderfully long with intense, zesty flavors of lemon, tangy salinity, some smoky volcanic notes, a little bit of steely minerality, light stony notes of salt lick, a hint of crunchy white currant and a touch of apple peel bitterness.

A wonderfully crisp, focused and zippy Assyrtiko that has evolved wonderfully from my last taste of the wine three years ago: back then the wine was too youthful for its own good, coming across as nervous, primary and even slightly green in taste, whereas now the wine felt like a textbook Santorini Assyrtiko - albeit a very youthful for such. Seeing how ridiculously young and high-strung the wine is even at 5 years of age, this really feels like built for the long haul. It is terrific already now, but I can imagine this will improve wonderfully for another 10-15 years, if not even longer. I served the wine blind to a handful of people and many said immediately that the wine must be Assyrtiko, so I guess the sense of terroir here is quite noticeable. Solid value at 24,90€. (92 pts.)

  • 2013 Bott Frigyes Juhfark Vinculum - Slovakia, Južnoslovenská, Štúrovský (30.7.2021)
    100% organically farmed Juhfark from the volcanic soils of Garam Mente, aka. the Garam river valley. Fermented and aged in old Hungarian oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol. Bottle closed with a glass vinolok.

Concentrated medium-deep yellow-green color. Slightly evolved and quite nuanced Juhfark nose with aromas of sweet cotton candy, some damp wool, light mealy apple notes, a little bit of some vague vegetal character (asparagus? kale? something.), a hint of wizened yellow fruits and a nutty touch of slivered almond. The wine is lively, medium-bodied and clean on the palate with noticeably mineral flavors of lemony citrus fruits, steely minerality, some quinine bitterness, a little bit of tangy salinity, light tart notes of Granny Smith apple and grapefruit, a hint of woolly lanolin and a sweet touch of honeyed richness. Although the high acidity makes the wine feel very incisive and structured, the age has resolved the wine a little bit, granting it a silky smooth mouthfeel. The finish is lean, crisp and slightly bitter with intense flavors of stony minerality, zesty lemon, some evolved waxy notes, a little bit of tangy green apple, light woolly notes of lanolin, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of cantaloupe.

A rather typical Juhfark with some age: even though the wine doesn’t come from Somló, which is The Location for the variety, the wine shows the hallmark minerality and high acidity the cultivar is so know for. The overall style here isn’t particularly flashy, but instead rather lean and having heavy emphasis on not only minerality, but on tart, acid-driven fruit notes as well. Furthermore, the wine has developed some woolly lanolin notes that seem to be quite typical of the variety as well, once it ages. There’s good sense of finesse, freshness and intensity here, but the wine isn’t that approachable; I’d probably let the wine age and unwind a bit more and then serve it with food - it is quite austere on its own. Great value at 13,70€. (89 pts.)

  • 2017 Anselmo Mendes Alvarinho Contacto - Portugal, Minho, Vinho Verde (30.7.2021)
    From vineyards located in Monção and Melgaço. The name comes from the brief skin contact the wine gets before fermentation. 13% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar, 6,0 g/l acidity.

Medium-deep lime-green color with faint yellow highlights. The nose feels at first quite restrained with vague aromas of sour apple candies, some quince, a little bit of stony minerality, light floral notes of white flowers and a weird, pungent hint of latrine. With air the nose gains more fragrant zesty notes of lemon while the intensity of the stony and saline mineral nuances increase as well. The wine is ripe, clean and quite broad yet also fresh and medium-bodied on the palate without much sense of weight. Somewhat restrained flavors of mealy red apple, some juicy white fruit notes, a little bit of zesty citrus fruits, light stony mineral notes, a tart hint of key lime and a touch of pithy grapefruit bitterness. Bright, high acidity. The finish is clean, fresh and somewhat neutral with a rather light, medium-long aftertaste of zesty citrus fruits, some mealy red apple, a little bit of stony minerality, light brackish notes of salinity and a bitter hint of pithy grapefruit.

A fresh and sophisticated but also rather lean and slightly underwhelming Alvarinho. I had hoped some aging might have made the wine more expressive and less lean, but the wine feels as lean and linear as ever. However, on the other hand, the wine still feels very youthful, so it might be that a few years in a cellar amounts to nothing, really, and the wine should be kept in a cellar for +10 years to see any noticeable difference. Who knows? All in all, this was good, but nothing that would win me over. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 14,46€. (88 pts.)

Concentrated, intense lime-green color. Clean, chalky and slightly evolved nose with pure aromas of green apples and zesty citrus fruits, some sweeter notes of juicy yellow fruits, a little bit of fresh white peach, light developed notes of woolly lanolin and cow parsley flowers, a hint of steely minerality and a vague touch of old wood spice. The wine is firm, crisp and lively on the palate with a medium body and dry, clean and somewhat neutral flavors of tangy salinity, steely minerality, some tart notes of lemony citrus fruits and tangy Granny Smith apple, a little bit of chalk dust, light evolved notes of wool, a hint of wizened yellow fruits and a sweeter touch of white peach. The bright, high acidity lends great sense of structure to the wine. The finish is clean, long and steely with sharp flavors of tart green apples, some lemony notes, a little bit of chalky minerality, light woolly notes of lanolin, a hint of tangy salinity and a sweeter touch of ripe white fruits.

A clean, crisp and focused 1er Cru Chablis that is starting to show the first signs of age with its light woolly notes typical of developed Chablis, but still comes across as surprisingly youthful for its age. Shows good sense of intensity, freshness and precision. Has lost the incisive leanness and slightly smoky notes of reduction that were quite evident in the wine in its youth, now emphasizing more its fresh, acid-driven fruit flavors, intermingled with the steely and chalky mineral notes. Starting to drink quite well, but shows great potential for future development - will improve for years more. Not perhaps the most characterful Chablis out there, but nevertheless is pretty much a textbook example of the classic, low-key 1er Cru Chablis style. Priced according to its quality at 26,90€. (92 pts.)

  • 2017 Argyros Assyrtiko Cuvée Monsignori - Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Santorini (30.7.2021)
    From selected, ancient parcels in Episkopi, Santorini, where the vines are at least 200 years old and give only minute yields. Fermented in stainless steel vats - some lots spontaneously, others inoculated - and aged on the lees for 11 months in stainless steel. Total production 40,000 bottles. 14,15% alcohol, 7,42 g/l acidity, pH 2,87, dry extract 21,9 g/l, total SO2 upon bottling 108 mg/l and free SO2 30 mg/l.

Pale, rather neutral whitish-green color. Remarkably concentrated but also very fresh and zippy nose of ripe lemony citrus fruits, stony minerality, some pungent saline notes, light Riesling-like notes of peaches, red apples and white flowers, a little bit of cantaloupe and a sweet hint of tropical yellow fruits. The wine is ripe, very concentrated and muscular on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and youthful flavors of juicy and very ripe lemony citrus fruits, pronounced tangy salinity, some apple peel bitterness, a little bit of stony minerality, light sweet notes of peach-driven yellow stone fruits, an incisive hint of cool steely character and a touch of spicy red apple. The aging on the lees and the bâtonnage have given the wine a rich, somewhat creamy mouthfeel, which is further emphasized by the sense of dry extract, but the bracing acidity and pronounced mineral tones keeps the wine from coming across as particularly substantial or weighty. The finish is crisp, dry and acid-driven with a noticeably mineral aftertaste of tangy salinity, lemony citrus fruits, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of tart green apple, light sweet notes of ripe stone fruits and a touch of white flowers.

A very ripe, concentrated and bold Assyrtiko that packs a ton of punch, but at the same time carries itself with remarkable poise and grace. Tasting this side-by-side with the entry-level Argyros Assyrtiko, you can taste the sense of ripeness and concentration here, yet the wine never once comes across as ponderous or clumsy - thanks to the exceptional acidity and sense of minerality that are the hallmarks of Santorini Assyrtiko. The only thing that this wine was lacking compared to its entry-level version was the volcanic smoky character, which seems to be quite typical of Santorini Assyrtiko, yet was completely absent here. Probably something to do with the winemaking? Who knows. All the same, this is a very impressive, muscular and still very youthful powerhouse of an Assyrtiko that will continue to improve for a good number of years more, but also drinks pretty well already now. Pretty pricey at 39,90€, but manages to deliver for the price. (93 pts.)

Medium-deep yellow-green color. Youthful and fruity, even somewhat tropical nose with aromas of fresh apricot, some candied gummi bear tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light rich nuances of beeswax and a hint of orchard flowers. The wine is crisp, lively and fruity on the palate with a medium body, yet showing some ripeness and sense of concentration. Dry and very focused flavors of lemony citrus fruits, tangy salinity, some tart green apple, light pithy notes of grapefruity bitterness, a little bit of fresh white fruits and a hint of steely minerality. The bracing acidity lends terrific sense of freshness, structure and intensity to the wine. The finish is crisp, lively and mouth-cleansing with bright, dry and acid-driven flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some tangy Granny Smith apple notes, a little bit of steely minerality, light oceanic salty tones, a hint of crunchy white fruits and a tropical touch of sweet, exotic fruits.

A crisp, fresh and zippy Alvarinho that is still remarkably youthful - at times even almost primary - at the age of 5 years. Despite its pronounced minerality and racy acidity, the wine never comes across as lean or austere, but instead sports a good deal of fruit and concentration to serve as a nice counterpoint. Seeing how surprisingly little the wine has evolved in the cellar over the years, I can imagine this will continue to improve for years more. A very lovely little drop and a steal at 13,90€. (91 pts.)

  • 2015 Sadie Family Chenin Blanc Skurfberg - South Africa, Olifants River (30.7.2021)
    From three Chenin Blanc vineyards in Olifants River, planted between 1940 and 1955. All vineyards vinified separately, fermented spontaneously and aged on the lees in oak foudres and concrete tanks. The lots are blended after 12 months of aging, after which they are left to marry for another 6 months. 13,5% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar, 5,4 g/l acidity and pH 3,3.

Deep and somewhat concentrated yet still quite youthful yellow-green color. Ripe and impressively concentrated nose with complex aromas of waxy character, wizened apricots, some smoky reductive notes, a little bit of nuttiness, light leesy nuances of creaminess, a hint of cantaloupe and a touch of alcohol. The wine is concentrated, moderately full-bodied and still surprisingly crisp at the same time with intense flavors of crunchy quince, tangy salinity, some waxy tones, a little bit of creamy richness, light lemony notes of fresh citrus fruits, a hint of ripe red apple and an evolved touch of wool. The pronounced acidity lends tremendous sense of power and focus to the wine. The finish is crisp, long and concentrated with powerful, dry flavors of stony minerality, fresh apple and quince, some steely notes, a little bit of waxy richness, light leesy nuances of creaminess, a hint of honeyed sweetness and a subtle touch of wool.

A remarkably concentrated, structured and simply exceptionally impressive South African Chenin Blanc that is starting to exhibit a little bit of evolution, yet still comes across as quite youthful and full of aging potential. Stunning texture. Seems to take a bit of time before fully blossoming, this is very impressive from the first sip, but only gets better with air. Although a stunner now, I can imagine this will continue to improve for years more. This bottle was bought at approx. 25€ and at that price this is a steal - the wine delivers even at double the price. (94 pts.)

Moderately deep golden yellow color with a subtly greenish hue. Rich, evolved and very seductive nose with inviting aromas of lemon marmalade and stone fruit preserves, some wet stone minerality, a little bit of browned butter, light creamy notes, a hint of beeswax and a touch of exotic spices. Lovely! The wine is crisp, lively and wonderfully focused on the palate with a silky-smooth medium body and intense medium-sweet flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits, honeyed richness, some evolved buttery notes, a little bit of candied ginger, light steely mineral notes, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of wizened nectarine. The rather pronounced, vivacious acidity keeps the wine balanced and quite structured and makes it taste medium-sweet rather than fully sweet despite the high residual sugar. The finish is crisp and lively with long, medium-sweet flavors of salt and lemons, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of creamy richness, light evolved notes of browned butter, a hint of grapefruit marmalade and a touch of chalky mineral bitterness.

A very fresh, harmonious and wonderfully evolved Mosel Riesling that has started to develop those rich, creamy and buttery notes some Rieslings tend to exhibit with enough age, yet doesn’t come across as one bit mature. Despite its evolved qualities, the emphasis is on the sweet yet crisp fruit, at times even incisive minerality and wonderfully structured acidity. While Pauly-Bergweiler hasn’t managed to impress me that often with their wines, this is just outright classic stuff: a delicious sweet Spätlese that is a real treat on its own, but drinks wonderfully with savory desserts or a wide variety of different cheeses. In a wonderful spot right now, but will continue to improve for years more. Good value at 24,90€. (93 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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My guess is the underlying character will emerge with a bit more time. While already extremely balanced, this is very, very young. We’ll see… A brilliant wine. Been a long time since I was last so excited about a white Santorini other than Hatzidakis :slight_smile:.

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I greatly enjoyed your notes, thank you!

So wonderful!

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Here, OTOH, I feel that these are usually at their best in the first ten years. Just as you note about this bottle, my experience is that they stay ultra-charged and almost explosive for quite a while. And yes, they can remain very good for 10+ years, but, once those qualities start to recede a little, I find that, as a rule, they are not gradually replaced by a greater degree of complexity. Which is why I tend to drink them while they’re still electric [cheers.gif]

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I wish I had more experience on aged Assyrtikos. However, when I visited Santorini in 2016, I managed to find 2006 Boutari Kallisti Assyrtiko and Argyros Ktima 2004, that were simply fantastic. The Argyros wine seemed to be at its peak and the Boutari one still on its way up. Both had wonderful nuances of caramel, toast, nuts, cream and browned butter that made the wine appear as if they had been aged in oak, even though (IIR) neither one of them had seen any wood, ever. I wouldn’t describe neither of these wines as ultra-charged, but I was thinking that these younger Argyros wines might develop into something similar with enough age.

A propos, are you still on the map what is going with the Argyros lineup? I thought Argyros had just a basic Assyrtiko labeled as “Argyros Santorini Assyrtiko” and then a more expensive wine made of selected fruit labeled as “Ktima Argyrou Assyrtiko” or “Estate Argyros Assyrtiko”, depending on the market.

However, now that they’ve introduced these single-vineyard wines, I think the basic bottling has disappeared, the Estate Argyros Assyrtiko has taken its place as the entry-level Assyrtiko and the single-vineyard wines now sit where Estate Argyros used to be. Any idea if this is what has happened with the Argyros range?

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You always provide me with interesting ideas for wine tastings! Excellent notes with many wines I’ve never encountered.

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As far as ageing Santorini Assyrtiko is concerned, I think it really depends. I’ve been following for nearly twenty years and the picture that seems to emerge is pretty much a moving target, stylistically, vintagewise, and producerwise. Some have aged well, that’s for sure. But, overall, I don’t feel there’s a lot of consistency in that particular respect. I think it is still pretty much a shifting landscape, the focus possibly becoming a little sharper over the last five or six years. We’ll see, I guess :slight_smile:

On the Argyros range, that’s my impression too, I haven’t been seeing the “simple” Assyrtiko around lately. Might have missed it, though, simply because I was always focussing on the “Estate” bottling (always a clear preference for just a few Euros more). Plus, now, the two single vineyards (only had 2017 of both, both excellent, Monsignori more my thing). Never really cared that much for the rest of their range, frankly, except, of course, the various Vinsantos which are outstanding, but I hardly ever drink that type of wine.

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One thing I should say, though, is that I used to follow much more closely before than I do now, and certainly across a greater number of different producers. At some point, there was a lot of “expansion” there, which continues. Generally, something like that can only be a good thing, I suppose, but I still felt that the wines of some top producers were not necessarily the better off for it. A bit of a sweeping observation, but, basically, more different bottlings leading in some cases to what I perceived as wines with less focus, my interest often flagging a little as a result, while prices only continued to rise… That, plus, in hindsight, I think coming across Hatzidakis early on in my exploration probably kind of spoiled me for everything else. A matter of elective affinities :slight_smile:

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The Vinsantos are nothing short of outstanding - especially the ones aged for 12 and 20 years! But that is also reflected in their price as well…

Have you tried their French Oak Fermented Assyrtiko recently? Most of the oaked Santorinis I’ve tasted haven’t really been my thing - too “new world” in style - but when I visited the winery in 2016 and tasted their oaked Assyrtiko (2015 vintage), I was pretty much blown away. Only old, large-format oak so you don’t get any obvious oak aromatics, but much more depth and complexity compared to the Estate Argyros - which is already one of my favorite Assyrtikos to boot.

From what I understood, they used to make it more oaky and “international” in style, but now they have been making it in a more restrained fashion for a few years and it really showed. I’m usually the first one to dismiss wines showing anything but a bare minimum of oak influence, yet this was easily one of my favorite Assyrtikos I tasted during that week.

I don’t know if they’ve changed their lineup once again, since I couldn’t find the wine anymore from their website.

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Nope, didn’t even know they made one. I’ll check with the local importer who is a friend of mine. Earlier, with producers like Gaia and Sigalas, though, I generally had a clear preference for the non-oaked version.