Santorini [Barrel-fermented]

Score

95

Score

94+

"The Domaine Sigalas 2022 Santorini Assyrtiko Barrel opens to pretty creaminess with orange peel, candied citrus and almond paste. Along with those sweeter tones, you get well-dosed mineral tones or hydrocarbons that add hints of smoke or flintiness. It shows medium-plus richness and a good sense of firmness. Consumers and producers alike are beginning to realize the aging potential of Assyrtiko. A wine like this is on the right track to becoming more complex and finessed with time."

Score

93

"With a drawing of an oak barrel on the front label, the 2023 Santorini Assyrtiko Barrel reveals a softly textured mouthfeel with fleshed-out aromas of preserved lemon, white currant and waxy lemon leaf. The wine matures in lightly toasted barrels (two and three years old) for up to six months. Malolactic fermentation is not used on any of these white wines, not even partial. Ultimately, the wine is characterized by elegant mineral tones that work beautifully alongside the soft fruit flavors."