Estate Argyros - Cuvee Gerontampelo Santorini Assyrtiko 2020
Price: $99.96
| Producer | Estate Argyros |
| Country | Greece |
| Region | Santorini |
| Varietal | Assyrtiko |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Sku | 602992 |
| Size | 750ml |
Available for the first time ever with the 2020 vintage! The Cuvee Gerontampelo Santorini, made from Assyrtiko, is crafted with the fruit from ungrafted vines aged between 180–200 years! This wine undergoes a meticulous fermentation process in French oak, with portions in 500-liter barrels, barriques, and an oval 12hl vat, resulting in a multidimensional wine with concentrated flavors and a lengthy, evolving finish. Gerontampelo, means "old vine" in the local dialect of Santorini.
Wine Advocate: 95 Points
This is the inaugural vintage of a new wine presented by Estate Argyros. The 2020 Santorini Assyrtiko Cuvee Gerontampelo is the barrel-aged white, and the philosophy is somewhat adjacent to a Nykteri (without the oxidation). The name "Gerontampelo" comes from the local island dialect for "wise vineyard," and the fruit comes from Megalochori and near the winery in Episkopi (a site that delivers an especially floral expression of Assyrtiko). The wine sees 12 months in various oak formats and then spends an additional 12 months in stainless steel, where it ages on the lees with bâtonnage. The alcohol content is powerful at 15%. Aromas of tropical and star fruit are delivered with almond cream and kumquat. The effect is seamless and smooth, and this bottle is for the Pouilly-Fuissé lovers out there. I'm told the super-concentrated grapes were like "small marbles" in this vintage. (ML)
