Domaine Hatzimichalis — Alepotrypa 2020

A real surprise in the blind tasting of mainland Assyrtiko was the Alepotrypa 2020 from Domaine Hatzimichalis. After the first sip, the bottle had been provisionally shoved to the very bottom of the ranking. But unlike, say, the Assyrtiko from Nemea Winery, this wine then steadily climbed its way up over the course of the evening. It had simply caught me off guard at first — with an insane explosiveness.

The nose doesn't actually give away what awaits you on the palate. There, the wine sprints into every last corner, teasing with intense aromas of apples and pears, but also sage. The longer you drink it, the more you recognize that same dimension on the nose, and the whole thing comes together harmoniously. Only a trace of CO2 draws unnecessary attention to itself in between. At 14.5%, the wine is also right at the top in terms of alcohol — and just like the previous year, it shows that racy mainland Assyrtiko can handle a whole lot in that regard. The wine is outstanding and accordingly deserves 94 points. In Germany you can buy it for under €10, which is a spectacular price-to-quality ratio.