Description
Gai’a, Santorini Assyrtiko “Wild Ferment”
We know you love the exciting range of wines coming out of Greece these days, and we also know that the uniquely complex, volcanic wines of Santorini are among everyone’s favorite island wines, which is why we are super-confident that you will adore today’s discovery. Gai’a, a rising star in the wines of Greece, has created a truly exceptional version of this now-beloved, vacation-paradise-in-a-bottle wine. By fermenting with wild yeasts in an innovative selection of barrels—French oak, American oak, and Acacia—plus some stainless steel, they are able to blend from a multitude of Assyrtiko expressions to achieve what can best be described as volcanic island wine nirvana. Luxuriously textured, yet perfectly balanced by precise acidity and loads of saline minerals, “Wild Ferment” has quickly risen to the pinnacle of what Assyrtiko can achieve. This is a must-try bottle not just for Greek wine lovers, but for lovers of the world’s best white wines, full stop!
First, a little Greek language homework: Gai’a is pronounced yai-yah, and the best way to remember that is to imagine two American tourists discovering the impossibly beautiful beaches and towns of Santorini and then giving each other a high five . . . “yay-yah!” And it should be exciting! Gai’a was founded in 1994 by two highly regarded Greek agonomists, Yiannis Paraskevopoulos and Leon Karatsalos, with a simple but lofty goal in mind: Focus entirely on two varieties, Agiorgitiko and Assyrtiko, in their most respected regions of Nemea and Santorini, and produce global benchmarks that will spread the gospel of Greek wine far and wide. Did they accomplish that goal? Almost 30 years later, the answer is a resounding yes.
The porous, black volcanic rocks of Santorini have been home to Assyrtiko vines and winemaking since before Plato and Socrates, but the intrinsic quality of this special combination of grape and terroir first came to prominence in the early middle ages when crusaders from Venice captured the island from the Byzantine Empire. The Venetians soon discovered that Santorini wine, at that time both sweet and high in alcohol, was able to withstand long journeys at sea. Fast forward about 700 years and the wines, now generally dry and mineral in style, were introduced to the boom of tourists that began hitting the Greek Isles during the middle of the 20th Century. Given the special terroir and the harsh conditions that make mass production almost impossible, even the most average Santorini should be uniquely delicious. But Yiannis and Leon aren’t interested in average; their goal is always to be the beacon by which other wineries are guided.
Gai’a’s “Wild Ferment” was dreamt up as a way to harness the raw, natural power of Santorini into a wine that is even greater than the sum of its parts. After harvesting the gnarly, classically trained bush vines, some as old as 100 years, the fruit is placed in steel tanks for a 12-hour skin maceration. Then, it is dispersed among four different fermentation vessels: French oak barrels, American oak barrels, Acacia wood barrels, and stainless steel tanks, where it is fermented, of course, with only wild yeasts. After fermentation, the wine rests on the fine lees for many months before the final blend, or assemblage, is made. This type of hands-off winemaking does carry risks, and occasionally a barrel may not finish fermenting, but the skill of blending is what assures that the wine that is finally bottled is of the utmost quality and complexity.
Given the meticulous and innovative approach that Gai’a takes in growing and producing their “Wild Ferment,” this is definitely an Assyrtiko that deserves a bit more attention when serving. I highly recommend a good decant of at least 30 minutes to allow all the complex aromatics to unfold. Serve it cool, not cold, at around 50 degrees in a Burgundy stem and watch as it evolves throughout a meal. Heady aromas and flavors will emerge: Orange blossom, star jasmine, Meyer lemon, Key lime, nectarine, sagebrush, nori, and sea salt all culminate in a very long, flinty and mineral laden finish. The super precise, laser-like acidity gives a first impression of this wine as being very light on its feet, which it is, but it also has a surprising richness of texture and depth. It’s a fantastically delicious balancing act, and it deserves a lovely meal of something super fresh from the sea. It is also a great candidate for a bit of cellar time, so be sure to grab enough to enjoy over the next 5-plus years!
