Assyrtiko (Greece)

Assyrtiko is a white grape from the Greek island of Santorini.

Typical Flavors


Lemon
Lemon
Lime
Lime
Peach
Peach
Passion Fruit
Passion

Flowers
Flowers
Flint
Flint
Mineral
Volcanic
Salt
Saline

Assyrtiko is fresh as a Lemonade.

Citrusy and Volcanic. Floral and Mineral.

Profile

Assyrtiko is light and dry with a mineral and crispy acidity:

SUGARDry
BODYLight
FRUITLow
ACIDITYHigh
Serving temperature:
8-10°C (46-50°F)

Food Pairing


Salad
Salads

Crab
Seafood
Fish
Fish
Shrimp
Shrimp
Tomato
Tomato

Assyrtico is very food friendly, especially with grilled fish and seafood.

Pairing Suggestions

Excellent Pairing:
Mussels. Garlic Prawns. Seafood Antipasti.
Fried White Fish. Sea Bass.
Green Salads with Lemon Acid Vinaigrettes.
Light Seafood Salads with Crab, Shrimps, or Prawns.

Cheese:
Soft Cheese. Feta.

Greek Specialities:
Greek Salad.

About Assyrtiko

The terroir in Santorini is volcanic and it reflects on the minerality.

Rainfall is scarce and it can be windy and sunny.

To protect the grapes, the Santorinians, had the brilliant idea to create spiral bush vines which grow low, close to the ground, and look like a basket.

This method is called koulara and when the "basket" reaches 75 years of age,
it is cut and a new plant sprouts naturally, producing a harvest within 2-3 years.

The lack of clay and potassium in the soil gives the vines a natural immunity against diseases such Phylloxera.

The mineral profile of Assyrtiko blends well with other grapes like Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.

Note: The grape is also used to make Vinsanto-like sweet dessert wines.