Cuvee Monsignori is Estate Argyros’ vision on what Santorini Assyrtiko can actually be. Excessively old Assyrtiko vineyards, at least two hundred years old, giving minute yields. Fermented, partially uninoculated, in stainless steel, at cool temperatures and aged for ten months in stainless steel tanks on fine lees. A wine of breed, extract and length, that needs about four years in bottle to unfold and can be confidently kept for more than a decade after vintage. A rare and superb Greek wine of great value.

A particularly vibrant, aromatic and vivacious example, salts and citrus dominate the nose. The palate has a frozen grapefruit iciness, the sherbetty brightness of the nose echoed here. Zingy and sparkling with fruit and acidity. Its color is light green lemon. Its aromas are citrusy with an emphasis on lemon, grapefruit and orange peel, followed by notes of peach and pear and at the end come some notes of mineral and tea. The mouth is very complex and balanced with its acidity being very high, the minerals being intense and the aftertaste being lemonade. It is one of the wines that can evolve for at least a decade.

ABOUT ARGYROS

There are people who consider Mattaios Argyros, and his late father Yiannis, to be both the best sweet winemakers and the best white winemakers in Greece. Established in 1903, Estate Argyros, is currently the largest private owner of vineyards in Santorini. With a focus on sustainable farming practises and indigenous varieties, these past generations have positioned them well. A new winery and visitor centre were finished in 2015 and all this combined shows Argyros to be one of the great Ktimas of Greece. Based in Episkopi Santorini, they own 42ha of vineyards with ungrafted -original rootstock - phylloxera safe vines, averaging 70 years old, including some of the oldest on the island at over 200 years old. The vast majority of their vineyards are trained in the famous Basket shape (Kouloura) and even when given a choice, Argyros use this method, which they believe offers greater control over canopy, allowing for finer balance leading to better quality fruit. This use of Kouloura is the reason for the Estates incredibly low yields that when matched with state-of-the-art winemaking based on a philosophy of minimal intervention, produce a style that is clean, precise and razor sharp. These are truly wines of finesse and poise that benchmark the greatness that is emerging from Santorini.