2022 Gaia Thalassitis Assyrtiko, Santorini

Among 153 wines from 29 different global vineyard countries proposed by Decanter experts and tested in this blind tasting.
 

Gaia Estate is one of the pioneers of the modern Greek wine revolution, founded on the Aegean island of Santorini in 1994 by winemakers Leon Karatsalos and Yiannis Paraskevopoulos (who also opened a winery in Nemea, on the mainland, in 1997). Made since the island winery’s inception, Thalassitis challenged the standards for dry Greek wine, and today remains one of the standard-bearers of the indigenous Assyrtiko grape. Fruit for this wine is sourced from very low-yielding, self-rooted 80-year-old vines on volcanic slopes of up to 250m in Episkopi, Akrotiri and Pyrgos. It is unoaked to accentuate the fruit purity and distinctive minerality, sees no malolactic fermentation in order to retain freshness, and is left on lees for four months with regular stirring to add texture and complexity.

95 points Classic White Wine of the Year 2023 decanter.com

Minerals galore. Like the smell of rain, the taste of wet slate, with a briny oyster shell tang. When the fruit shows through it is all fresh lemon juice – crisp, bright and bitey. Takes you straight to Greece and the sea and salty air – just needs sun and some grilled octopus.

Tina Gellie

Slightly lemony, bright, but also with a waxy edge lending richness and texture to a salty, slender, stony wine.

Anne Krebiehl MW

A slightly wild leesy funkiness to the aromas, yet clean and brilliantly unoaked. Fruit purity shows through. The palate is confident with lemon pith, green scrubby herbs and stone. Very steely, stately acidity with a belting finish.

Michaela Morris