If you’ve been following us for a while, it’s no longer news that the Greek island of Santorini is producing among the world’s most thrilling and intensely mineral white wines from the Assyrtiko grape. And although you’ll only find a dozen or so estates sprinkled across the island, a couple have rightfully demanded our undivided attention. One in particular is Domaine Sigalas:
Years ago, while visiting, I tasted a few bottles that immediately catapulted Sigalas onto my shortlist of “must experience'' producers. Every vintage since has brought me right back to that eye-opening visit, conjuring vivid imagery of Santorini’s warm sun, rich volcanic soil, and salty sea air. Of course, I’m not the only one to have fallen in love with the island’s wines in recent years, and a surge in the popularity of Santorini wine has created a corresponding surge in price and demand. In response, Paris Sigalas and his team set out to capture a new expression of the southern Aegean, blending their signature Santorini Assyrtiko with the indigenous Monemvasia from the nearby island of Paros. The result is a two-island, two-grape blend that seamlessly marries minerality, richness, and refreshment. And then there’s the price—a scandalously low number for a white of such quality!
Established in 1991 by Paris Sigalas along with Christos Markozane and Yiannis Toundas, Domaine Sigalas is widely considered to be one of Greece’s most exemplary white wine producers. An undisputed master of Assyrtiko, Sigalas can work magic with the variety in any style—bracingly dry, saline, and mineral-driven; barrel-fermented and texturally rich; or a lusciously sweet vinsanto. But Assyrtiko isn’t the only trick Sigalas has up his sleeve: The brilliant winemaker is constantly experimenting with indigenous varieties and pushing the boundaries of viticultural potential within Santorini, and now beyond, in the island of Paros. Despite the domaine’s rapid rise to fame, Sigalas has always favored quality over quantity. One of the island’s early pioneers of organic viticulture, Sigalas maintains staggeringly low yields (15-30 hl per hectare) while battling intense heat and whipping wind in his vineyards.
This is the second vintage for “AM,” made with equal proportions of Assyrtiko from Santorini, and Monemvasia from the island of Paros, just 40 miles north. The vines for today’s wine average 50 years in age. The Assyrtiko provides the intense volcanic minerality that Domaine Sigalas is known for, while the Monemvasia gives the wine fleshy, textural fruit, substantial build, and fragrant aromatics. Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks and a brief maturation preserves the pure, vibrant character of both varieties.
Pale lemon-green in color, today’s wine is the paragon of pure, delicious, easy-drinking refreshment. Don’t expect the complexity or longevity of Sigalas’s pure Assyrtiko—that isn’t what this wine is about. This is a wine for hot summer days and warm summer nights, for seasides and poolsides, for laughter and for light-hearted fun. But it’s not overly simple, either. The Monemvasia gives today’s wine a serious structural boost, with impressive palate weight that’s balanced by Assyrtiko’s brisk, briny acidity. Ripe peach blossom, salted melon, pineapple, quince, apricot, and Bosc pear notes spread effortlessly across the creamy, concentrated palate, accented by zesty lemon and lime peel, wet river rock, and smoky minerality. Enjoy this mouthwatering white in the near term, around 45 degrees, in your favorite all-purpose white stems. It begs for a pairing that’s equally flavorful and refreshing—think chilled seafood, crunchy salads, and fresh herbs—or serve up shrimp sautéed with tomatoes, olives, and feta, straight from the skillet, with plenty of bread for dipping, as the Greeks do.
