Gai'a - Assyrtiko Wild Ferment Santorini 2022
One of the pioneers of the modern Greek wine revolution, Gai’a Wines (pronounced Yay-ya) was established in 1994 by Leon Karatsalos and winemaker Yiannis Paraskevopoulos (PhD, University of Bordeaux II). Their mission was to capture the best that Greece’s indigenous grapes have to offer by merging traditional viticultural and production methods with innovative techniques. The estate is named after “Mother Earth,” in honor of the unique terroir that gives birth to these world-class wines.
The grapes for the Wild Ferment Assyrtiko come from upland vineyards located in Pyrgos on the island of Santorini. This region of the island is known for producing more aromatic grapes than other parts of Santorini.
The grapes for the Wild Ferment Assyrtiko come from upland vineyards located in Pyrgos on the island of Santorini. This region of the island is known for producing more aromatic grapes than other parts of Santorini.
Wine Advocate: 93 Points
The Gai'a 2022 Santorini Assyrtiko Wild Ferment goes into steel tank (45%), a combination of acacia, French and American barrel (45%) and 10% amphorae. In terms of the oak, 50% is new wood. It is fermented with wild yeasts, and there has been a lot of discussion concerning how the acidic (low pH) Assyrtiko grape adopts to spontaneous fermentations (even the bad strains tend to behave well). This father and daughter winemaking team goes to great lengths to get it right (they do not do spontaneous fermentations at their Nemea property). This wine shows depth and salinity, and the oak is very nicely integrated with a distant hint of spice, aniseed and toasted almond. This wine has been produced since 2008. (ML)
