Argyros, “Monsignori” Santorini
Santorini, Greece 2017 (750mL)
Regular price$50.00
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Argyros, “Monsignori” Santorini
Today, we reveal a miracle wine: For more than 200 years, a microscopic patch of ungrafted, seemingly immortal vines has soaked up Santorini’s mythical volcanic soils. Argyros exclusively tends to these primeval trunks like a shepherd does his prized flock, and then vinifies the few precious clusters it yields to create an Assyrtiko of jaw-dropping beauty. This is “Monsignori,” a powerful, bottomlessly deep prestige cuvée that has no equal in terms of pedigree, singularity, and flavor.
The best analogy would be to imagine if the depth of Grand Cru Burgundy merged with the mineral power of Grosses Gewächs Riesling, and then was injected with a massive dose of coastal influence. But make no mistake: Today’s two-century-old Assyrtiko vines (the oldest on the island) produce strikingly unique creations. The world is filled with thousands and thousands of grape varieties, but Assyrtiko is among the most vivid and distinct of them all. When we previously offered Argyros’ entry-level bottling, we noted that it was sculpted from the legendary hands of Vulcan and Poseidon. If that remains the case, then today’s rarely seen “Monsignori” is the granddaddy of them all. It is a genuinely perfect bottle of elite white wine, with one unavoidable shortcoming: quantity. There is and never will be enough to meet demand. I firmly believe any wine cellar is incomplete without this opulent, mineral-loaded, centuries-in-the-making Assyrtiko front and center, so take all you can.
The best analogy would be to imagine if the depth of Grand Cru Burgundy merged with the mineral power of Grosses Gewächs Riesling, and then was injected with a massive dose of coastal influence. But make no mistake: Today’s two-century-old Assyrtiko vines (the oldest on the island) produce strikingly unique creations. The world is filled with thousands and thousands of grape varieties, but Assyrtiko is among the most vivid and distinct of them all. When we previously offered Argyros’ entry-level bottling, we noted that it was sculpted from the legendary hands of Vulcan and Poseidon. If that remains the case, then today’s rarely seen “Monsignori” is the granddaddy of them all. It is a genuinely perfect bottle of elite white wine, with one unavoidable shortcoming: quantity. There is and never will be enough to meet demand. I firmly believe any wine cellar is incomplete without this opulent, mineral-loaded, centuries-in-the-making Assyrtiko front and center, so take all you can.
Santorini has volcanic soils, ancient kouloura vines, and whites that display surprising ageability in the bottle, so the fact that Assyrtiko is still so undervalued perplexes me. Greece may not be your first thought when discussing world-class whites, but experiencing Argyros’ top-of-the-line Assyrtiko will vault it to the top of your list. Surrounded by the electric blue waters of the Aegean Sea, Santorini’s black volcanic earth is the product of a primordial volcano whose explosion dwarfed that of Mount St. Helens’ by more than 100 times in magnitude. One of the largest seismic events in earth’s history, the eruption of Thera left behind hundreds of meters of volcanic ash and the crescent-shaped island towering out of the Aegean waters looking into the caldera (crater) below. This volcanic terroir is just one of the major factors that define Assyrtiko’s incredibly unique flavor profile.
Although wine is believed to have a 3,500-year-old history on the island, with some current rootstocks that are hundreds of years old (phylloxera is deterred by sandy/volcanic soil), most Santorini estates are relatively young due to the centuries-long Ottoman occupation. By Greek standards, however, Argyros is no spring chicken: Fourth-generation Matthew Argyros is currently running this 116-year-old family estate. Most of his Assyrtiko vines are ungrafted, very old (60-150 years), trained in the classic kouloura method, and dry-farmed. So, with a lack of groundwater and irrigation, how do they stay hydrated? Drop by drop, the vines soak up mist that blows in from the sea, thus creating mouthwatering salinity and highly concentrated flavors unlike any other white wine on earth.
Argyros does, however, own one extraordinarily special patch of vines that were planted well over 200 years ago, and those select few antiques comprise today’s bottle. Yields are painfully low, but the sustainably farmed crop produced from it makes otherworldy wine. In order to preserve the wisdom and fascinating subtleties of these historic vines, work in the cellar is gentle and simple. Grapes are kept on their skins for roughly 12 hours before fermenting in a combination of (mostly) stainless steel and a touch of twice-used, 500-liter French barrels. The resulting wine then proceeds to age in these same vessels with an occasional lees-stirring regimen for an additional six months.
The back label of today’s powerfully layered Assyrtiko perfectly encapsulates this extraordinary wine: “Vines commanding respect, by name and nature. We cultivated these rare beasts and turned their fruit into wine, showing nothing less than utmost respect.” Accordingly, Argyros’ 2017 “Monsignori” is not for the faint-hearted—this is a rip-roaring, mineral-loaded white that detonates upon the cork’s removal. A dazzling mosaic of ripe citrus, stone, and tropical fruit seamlessly blend together with ocean spray, salt-preserved Meyer lemon, tangerine peel, citrus blossoms, crushed shells, stirred lees, black volcanic stone, and gunflint. Incredibly dense, hyper-concentrated green and yellow apples, white pear, pineapple core, and mango dominate the palate before a deluge of crushed minerals storm into the mix. Essentially, “Monsignori” is a perfectly sculpted statue carved out of prehistoric volcanic rock; the tension, intrigue, and balance is on par with the finest wines of the world. If consuming this wine in the near future, decant for 30 minutes and serve just under cellar temperature in Burgundy stems. I would add that it is extremely important not to serve this wine too cold or its personality will be lost. Also, it will age with the best of them—10, even 15 years is certainly not out of the question, so I STRONGLY urge you to save a couple. Enjoy!
