Gaia Santorini Thalassitis Assyrtiko 2021 – 750ml Winebow

94pts Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

The 2021 Thalassitis is an unoaked Assyrtiko, dry and coming in at 13.8% alcohol. Yep, “This is the Way.” (If you are reading this and do not answer “This is the Way,” just know that the Mandalorians will not be happy.) Bright, pure and a little tense, this shows off some power and adds a long and mouthwatering finish. It’s elegant, precise and balanced too, not an overripe fruit bomb. This is completely unevolved today, looking like it desperately needs a couple of years to age. That will just help it settle down and evolve. It won’t be at peak and should still be evolving at that point. It should hold for a decade from now and probably more. This looks like a terrific Thalassitis, oriented to structure but showing good fruit too. Where its ceiling ultimately is will not be fully clear for some years. For the moment, it is impressive and worth leaning up. Considering how top labels on Santorini have spiked in price, this is also a pretty reasonable price point.

Winemaker Notes

The flagship white of the Gai’a portfolio, this wine is bone-dry with strong character: full-bodied, well-structured with crisp acidity, distinctive minerality and delicate honeysuckle aromas. This white wine will continue to evolve for 2-5 years, as the mineral notes soften the palate will develop more nuanced flavors of fruit and honey.

Food Pairing : A classic pairing for seafood, fatty fish, as well as poultry and even lamb stewed in lemon sauce.

About the Winery

GAIA WINES was founded in 1994 by Leon Karatsalos and Yiannis Paraskevopoulos.
Thalassitis, a Santorini A.O.C. white wine, inaugurated the company’s first appearance, and quickly won a place in the Greek wine market. The 9,800 numbered bottles of Thalassitis in 1994, rapidly rose to more than 100,000 in 1999, all the while maintaining its commitment to quality.

In 1996 GAIA WINES acquired a private vineyard in Koutsi region of Nemea, along with a perfectly equipped winery of a total capacity of 3.000hl.