Pearls of Santorini

Recently, in the course of a late summer that reached into October, we had the pleasure of tasting three exceptional wines from Mikra Thira. This week the results of the “50 Great Greek Wines” competition were published, and all three of them were on the list. A good moment, then, to share our own impressions.

The basics on the grape – taste, Santorini versus the mainland, food pairings – can be found in our big Assyrtiko guide.

1. Mikra Thira – Santorini Assyrtiko 2021

Production: The “Santorini Mikra Thira” was aged in a steel tank and stayed 4 months on the lees. The fermentation temperature lay between 16 °C and 18 °C. The alcohol content is 13.9%.

Tasting notes: This wine is aromatic with hints of lemon, basil and mint. On the palate it is refreshing, with a touch of salty, chalky tannins. It is perfectly balanced with a good acidity. Here you simply get a little of everything!

Rating: 94 points! Really a fine result for this difficult vintage!

2. Mikra Thira – Nykteri 2021

Production: The Nykteri is produced from the three late-harvested grape varieties Assyrtiko, Aidani and Athiri. The joint fermentation process is completed in French oak. There the wine then matures for four months before it ages for a further year in bottle in the estate's cellar. The alcohol comes to rest here at a still fairly moderate 13.5%.

Tasting notes: The nose is more subtle, but on the palate this wine demands full attention. An initial bitterness gives way over time to a supple complexity. This wine only reveals its true potential with aeration and promises still greater potential in the years to come. Interestingly, the publication of the 50GGW list now confirms this impression – because the wine tasted there was the 2020.

Rating: 92+ points! There is still a good deal to come in the years ahead ... It would not surprise me if in two or three years the wine has already overtaken the regular Santorini and stands at 95 points.

3. Mikra Thira – Terrasea 2021

Production: What is special about the Terrasea is of course where the grapes come from. It is in fact the first wine made entirely from material from the smaller piece of the Santorini crater, the island of Thirasia. That exclusivity naturally makes itself felt in the price as well. 60% of the wine was vinified in a stainless steel tank and the remaining 40% in French oak barrels of second and third use. There it stayed on the lees for 4 months. The fermentation temperature, in the tanks as well as in the barrels, lay between 16 °C and 18 °C. Alcohol is again a little higher, at 13.8%.

Tasting notes: The nose recalls fairly late-harvested Assyrtikos from the Greek mainland, with clear stone-fruit and honey notes. It made me think, for instance, of the impressive 2019 from Olympia Land Estate, which carries a hefty 15% alcohol (see here). I am always pleased when Santorini wines move a little away from the puristic and allow some fruit. In keeping with that first impression, the wine also begins oily on the palate and then unfolds a symphony of complex aromas that resonate for a long time.

Rating: 94 points! Wonderful, what has come into being on Thirasia in such a short time.

In Germany all three wines are available from Wein am Limit (no business relationship). The vintage offered there is still the 2020.