2018 Thalassitis Assyrtiko, Gaia, Santorini
The wine that kickstarted the winemaking revolution on Santorini, this is Santorini at its purest and most precise. Put your nose in the glass and you are immediately transported to the island. You are hit with lemon zest, sea spray, hot volcanic earth and an ethereal hint of curry plant and throubi (like a cross between oregano and thyme), which both grow wild in the vineyards. This benefits from a few years of bottle age that has created a wonderful harmony with hints of preserved lemon and ginger. The wine explodes with flavour on the palate, but everything is steely and precise, with such a long finish. Our Buying Director, Steve Daniel, was asked to describe the wine in one sentence 30 years ago - ‘Volcanic Chablis on steroids’ - and that description still holds true today. If you only get to taste one wine from Santorini, and want to know what the fuss is about, then this wine is the original and the bench mark.