How wonderful to taste the wines of Santorini right here, in the United States.
They're bright, with pleasant acidity and a distinctive touch of minerality from the volcanic soils in which the grapes are grown. Most of the wines are white, made from Santorini's premier wine grape Assyrtiko as well as two other local grapes, Athiri and Aidani.
The soils resulted from a mammoth volcanic eruption some time between 1645 and 1500 B.C. This created Santorini's dramatic rocky landscape, which plunges sharply to the sea, its breathtaking heights crowned with brilliant whitewashed buildings.
No wonder this Greek island in the Aegean Sea is a tourist draw. But now there's a movement to make it just as well known for its unique agricultural products. Underway is a three-year campaign called "Unbox Santorini Volcanic Terroir," which focuses on PDO agricultural products--PDO meaning Protected Designation of Origin.
Funded by the European Union and Union of Santorini Cooperatives "Santowines," the campaign focuses on wine, fava beans and Santorini tomatoes, which you can eat fresh there or canned abroad, as in the double concentrated tomato paste above. Learn more about these products here.
Traveling across the United States, the promotion stopped in Los Angeles at République, where five of the wines were poured.
The standout was the Assyrtiko Grande Reserve 2017, oak-aged, golden-toned and with such rich flavor that I found it irresistible.
First up was the Santo sparkling brut 2015, made by the traditional Champagne method and 100% Assyrtiko. This is the first Assyrtiko sparkler produced by a winery in Santorini.
The fruity, bone-dry Santorini Assyrtiko 2018 that came next would be ideal for pairing with anything from fish to spicy Asian cuisine.
Santorini Aspa 2018 blends 75% Assyrtiko with 15% Athiri and 10% Aidani. Oak-aged for three months, this wine is crisp, full-flavored, dry and lively.
And for dessert, there is the liqueur-like Vinsanto 2012, made from sun-dried grapes and aged in oak for three years. The composition is 85% Assyriko and 15% Aidani. Deeply colored, the wine is almost syrupy, with notes of raisins and honey. It's beautiful by itself or with a very simple dessert--you would not want to overpower the luxurious flavor.
République paired the wines with appetizers including big eye tuna tartare with Santorini tomatoes and kaluga caviar, and Gioia burrata toast with Santorini favas and a slice of Périgord black truffle (above).
To learn more about Santorini wines and to locate distributors of Greek wines across the United States, go to the website of Diamond Wine Importers.
A map on the site shows Santorini's location in the South Agean. A glossary of Greek wine varieties includes Assyrtiko and Athiri, and a photo gallery shows how Santorini's dry-farmed grape vines are trained to grow close to the soil.
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