3 | Wine | Other White, White, Greece

"The 2011 Santorini is an exceptional Assyrtiko from Sigalas, another great moment for this estate. On opening, I was actually surprised at how fruity and accessible it seemed, since these often need a lot of time to show well when young. It seemed elegant and refined, with a lush texture and a beautifully lingering finish. I suspected that was only half the story. Indeed, it was not even half the story and as it turns out it was really shut down. The next day it fulfilled the promises it gave in the first hour or so, fleshing out, seeming deeper and more intense. It still wasn’t done. After letting it air out for awhile on Day 2, this seemingly gentle, young Sigalas became quite intense, the acidity taking charge, the wine still remaining rich and mouth coating. It is crisp and persistent, beautifully put together and impeccably balanced, mingling elegance with that fine structure. It is built to age. This is a wine that should drink better in the next year or two, even if it is entirely enjoyable now."

"Dry on the palate, freshness with noted acidity, medium body and flavours of mint on the finish. Enjoy as an aperitif, with seafood as well as with dishes cooked in white sauces. Makes an interesting combination with creamy pasta dishes and goat’s cheese."

This wine was named #90 of Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2012.

"A rapierlike white, delivering apple, pear and grapefruit flavors flanked by plenty of mineral and slate notes. Ripe orange accents linger as plenty of spicy hints mark the vibrant, long-lasting finish."

"Dry white wine with rich yellow color and greenish tints. Crisp, fresh with lemon character and citrus flavour. Its great acidity and round finish makes it a perfect summer wine."

"This blend has often been nice for the price, but it certainly seems to be trending upwards. With fine persistence and intensity, this is beautifully balanced and tightly wound, with better aromatics than the winery’s regular, unoaked Assyrtiko due to the blend (5% each of Athiri and Aidani added to the Assyrtiko), if not as much depth and intensity. This is simply lovely this year, one of the finest values in this report, transparent, focused and crisp, yet caressing and accessible. If you’re looking for fruity and sweet, this is not as likely to fulfill your goals. It is an overachiever, though."

"The 2010 Robola has evolved brilliantly with a little more time to settle down, finally showing better integration of its parts and revealing itself to be ageworthy as well. This is a rather obscure grape for most consumers and little understood. This shows what it is all about. Pulling this wine out of the refrigerator and tasting it promptly is a really bad idea. It is big and crisp. At 50?F or below, it was all acid, no fruit, austere, shrill and charmless. In the mid-fifties, I began to see hints of the wine I first saw again, and it did not really hit stride until it passed 60?F, finally becoming somewhat more fruit forward – relatively speaking. This, in short, not only remains lovely, but seems to have improved considerably, showing the ability to project both fruit and power. The finish is intense and gripping. It has somewhat grassy, but restrained nuances. It should hold better than I first thought, although I am going to remain a bit conservative, and it is not yet at peak. Just for a cherry on top, the price is nice, too."