As a long -standing fans of Greek wine and especially Assyrtiko de SantoriniWe have recently been stunned by the latest version of Gai'a, 2022 ammonite, an assyrtiko with intruder with a single intrigue of non -grafted vines of 300 years. Named for the ancient wrapped shells which are the symbol of the cellar, ammonite is from the first vintage of the cellar under the direction of the two daughters of the co-founders, Ledo Paraskevopoulou and Sofia Karasalou, who have extended their roles of vinification and viticulture alongside their fathers. While the father of Paraskevopoulou, Yiannis, is known for his complex “Wild Ferment” Assyrtiko using only native yeast, Leto puts his own contact on this new vintage of ammonite with a selection of yeast intended to allow “the grapes and the ground to speak”.
Made in an extremely limited quantity of 6,000 bottles – which is larger than normal due to a generous harvest – only 216 bottles of 2022 ammonite are available on the American market. Now supervising the management of all Gaia vineyards on the Greek continent as well as on Santorini, Karasalou says that 656 altitude feet, Thalassina Vineyard is one of the best places on the island to develop Assyrtiko. Its volcanic rocky floors have excellent water retention properties, which help maintain crucial soil humidity during the warm and dry months of Santorini. In addition, she says Robb report“The orientation of the Southwest offers an intense northern wind shelter which can threaten flowering in the spring and early summer.” Although the exact age of each vine is not known, the vineyard internal root system has existed for more than three centuries.
The Assyrtiko vines here are formed using the traditional Kouloura system, a method developed on Santorini. “This technique involves braiding the canes of the vine in the shape of a basket, near the ground,” explains Karasalou. Island visitors may not recognize vineyards as such; The vines have the appearance of nests of giant birds or baskets rather than lattice vines common to other wine regions. The form presents its advantages: “It protects the grapes from the strong winds of the island and the intense sunlight, reducing the risk of sunburn or damage,” she says. Being low on the ground also reduces the evaporation that would occur during the long hot and sunny days. The combination of old vines and volcanic soils leads to “grapes with an exceptional concentration and a particularly intense expression of minerality”, explains Karasalou.
The sisters behind exceptional wine
Gai'a
A cold and humid January in 2022 – which even saw several days of snowfall once in life on the Santorins and the neighboring islands – offered of abundance of groundwater, and a fresh summer has resulted in a high level of acidity and freshness. The Paraskevopoulou production manager tells Robb report That the season “produced fresh and aromatic wines with excellent structures, great aging potential and amazing elegance”. She carefully chose specific yeast strains to accentuate the “classic Santorini mineral flintness”, then matured the wine on her lees for 15 months, with 8% of used French oak barrels before the final mixture. “This helps to integrate the bright edges and give wine a little additional volume,” she says, undressing the overall profile while adding a feeling of roundness in the mouth.
Gai' 2022 Assyrtiko ammonite offers a bouquet of lemon and nectarine with touches of river rock and saline solution. Full and round, this wine is under tension by twin veins of acidity and minerality wrapped around the flavors of citrus and smoke which persist in the mouth long after the last sip. A reference for what can be achieved with Assyrtiko, this special bottling is not only the culmination of an exceptional site and an extraordinary vintage but of an overview of one of the members of one of the members GreeceThe best cellars.
