Sigalas Santorini Barrel 2023
Type: White
Country: Greece
Region: Santorini
Grape Variety: 100% Assyrtiko
Viticulture: Organic Farming
Climate: Mediterranean climate that is characterized by warm temperatures, low rainfall but high humidity
Terroir: Grapes picked from selected blocks over the island. Average age of vines is 60+ years old
Ageing: Rigorous grape sorting by hand on a conveyor belt. Whole bunch gentle yet long pressing. Fermentation in stainless steel tank. Maturation in French oak barrels* of 225 and 500 lt for 6 months in contact with fine lees. Mild stirring when necessary, during the first couple of months. (*Barrels: 10% new (light toast) – 90% 2nd and 3rd use)
Color: Bright lemon
Nose: Complex nose with aromas of citrus zest -orange and lemon-, as well as honey, tropical fruits, and vanilla
Palate: Harmoniously integrated barrel offering structure and rich mouthfeel. Long aftertaste
About the Winery:
The winery of Domaine Sigalas is nestled between vines on the scenic plain of Oia in the northern part of Santorini. The 40 hectares of surrounding vineyards are cultivated in a sustainable manner and the winery’s annual wine production reaches 200,000 bottles. All wines are crafted with great attention to the varieties of Santorini and the neighbouring Cyclades.
In every story of the birth of the Assyrtiko, there is one chapter about Paris Sigalas. He is the pioneering winemaker who applied mathematics and other innovative ideas to oenology and viticulture to elevate Santorini’s wines to international stardom. The 1991 Santorini is his maiden vintage, the first wine to be labelled Protected Designation of Origin, marking the start of operations at Domaine Sigalas.
Coming from a winemaking family, like most Santorinians, the future mathematician Paris Sigalas spent his summer holidays on the island. Together with friends, he helped out with grape picking and in the production of the family’s wine, a process that increasingly fascinated him.
Gradually, Sigalas took over the reins of his grandfather’s vineyard and started crafting wine by his own guiding principle: “the dynamic evolution of tradition”. It is the belief that innovation and technical savviness can coexist in a creative relationship with the ancient wine-growing traditions of the island.
As Paris Sigalas has said, it was his passion for tasting and evaluating wine that eventually set the high bar for his own wines.
