I'm not sure we've ever had a Greek wine before but we certainly should have as they are quite fantastic at producing a good bottle. Let's find out about this one.
One of the pioneers of the modern Greek wine revolution Gaia Estate was established in 1994 by Greek winemakers Leon Karatsalos and Yiannis Paraskevopoulos. Operating two different wineries they make cutting edge wines in both Nemea and Santorini. Gaia's main aim is to present the potential of the indigenous Greek grape varieties to wine enthusiasts worldwide.
This wine is made from the island's indigenous variety Assyrtiko (pronounced Ah-SEERtee-koe) which is renowned for combining full flavoured maturity whilst retaining considerably high acidity. The grapes are produced exclusively from vineyards in the Episkopi, Akrotiri and Pyrgos regions, at elevations of between 50 to 250 metres above sea-level. The vines are between 70 to 80 years old and produce a particularly low yield of between 18 to 25 hectolitres per hectare. The vines are cultivated in volcanic soils which are porous with a high mineral content.
Gaia Wines Thalassitis Santorini Assyrtiko 2018 @ £25.95 - Buy it here!
Thalassitis is a bone-dry wine with strong character: full-bodied, well-structured with crisp acidity, distinctive minerality and delicate honeysuckle aromas.
It's different but comforting and most definitely refreshing so come and give it a go. Cheers!