Pale gold and tightly wound, the ALS Assyrtiko opens on wet stone, oyster shell and white peach, then moves into a lean, taut palate of citrus pith and a briny, tidal salinity that lingers well after the last sip. Coming from 60-year-old, dry-farmed vines in Imerovigli, Santorini, the fruit is hand-picked on the windswept caldera terraces and carried across the water to be vinified on Syros in small batches resulting in a wine for the ages that is both a high voltage new-wave marvel and a testament to the majesty of the Cyclades.
Production is heartbreakingly limited, at around 1200 bottles per vintage. Drink now. Could cellar for 4-5 years. Enjoy slowly. (Or quickly–if time is also limited.)
