By now, most of our loyal subscribers are well versed in the pleasures, and the geography, of Greece's most famous white grape (at least of the 21st Century): Assyrtiko. This truly indigenous variety has captured hearts with its textured, mineral drenched, saline deliciousness–aided in no small part by its propensity to grow on beautiful, tourist trapping islands like Santorini. But if you want to find great Assyrtiko at the types of prices most Greeks would be willing to pay, you have to leave the islands and head somewhere slightly less trafficked, somewhere like Nemea, on the eastern edge of Peloponnese. That’s where you find George Skouras, growing Assyrtiko just a few miles from the coast (just like in Santorini!), and using those ancient grapes to produce a white wine of truly breathtaking value.
There’s a contradiction at the heart of Greek wine that’s hard to square. Greece has a winemaking and wine drinking history that puts practically every other European country to shame, and yet the wines have only gained international prominence in the past ten to twenty years. For centuries, the wine produced here has been consumed by locals and visitors, pleasant but unambitious. Then came figures like George Skouras. In the early 1980s, he already recognized the treasures Greece had to offer. He grew up in Argos, a town with over three millennia of wine growing and winemaking history. So he went to study winemaking at the enology school in Dijon, Burgundy, and returned home determined to establish his country as a viticultural destination. He championed local varieties such as Moscofiliero, Assyrtiko and Agiorgitiko. Through his hard work, he managed to put his native region on the map. Now, Skouras is one of the country’s most important wineries, and George’s marriage of tradition and contemporary know-how is perfectly summed up in today’s Assyrtiko.
George’s home region is the Peloponnesian peninsula. The Peloponnese covers an area roughly the size of New Jersey, with a predictably varied range of microclimates. The best wines come from two appellations, Nemea and Mantineia, marked out by their high elevations. His Assyrtiko vines grow on slopes near the tiny village of Gymno, a stone's throw from the main town of Nemea, and thanks to the unique geography of Peloponnese it is less than 10 miles to the coast, in three different directions! That coastal influence adds the crisp, saline minerality that makes the island versions of this wine so popular, but because it is at a higher elevation there’s also a lovely brightness and a touch less richness (Santorini is very, very hot in the summer!).
As the cuvée name makes very clear, this Assyrtiko is fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks, whole-cluster pressed, and then aged on the lees for four months. No malolactic fermentation occurs, preserving the pure, crystalline expression of coastal Nemea terroir. I would definitely serve this energetic beauty nice and chilled, though as it warms a touch in the glass more complexity will emerge: Peach skin, lemon-lime zest, white flowers, bay laurel, and hints of rosemary are all wrapped around a core of pure sea salt minerality. Take your pick of citrusy salads or fresh seafood as a pairing–Greek style grilled octopus would be a sure winner. There’s so much mineral laden wine here for the money it’s a bit outrageous . . . stock up!
