Best South Aegean Alcoholic Beverage Types
Vinsanto is a dessert wine hailing from Santorini. It is made with sun-dried Assyrtiko and Aidani grapes. Despite a surprisingly similar name, this Greek wine does not have much in common with the more famous Vin Santo from Tuscany. The grapes are sun-dried for approximately fourteen days and are then fermented and aged.
This wine has to be oak-aged for a minimum of two years, but most producers opt for longer maturation. The result is a sweet and dense wine packed with flavor and rich in aromas. Although both grape varieties are white-skinned, Vinsanto will attain a luscious golden color that tends to turn into darker amber hues as the wine ages.
This Greek white grape variety is indigenous to the island of Santorini, but it can also be found on other Aegean island such as Paros. The soil of the island, which is rich in volcanic ash, seems to enable the grapes to retain their acidity regardless of how long they ripen, which gives these wines a long aging potential.
Its popularity has grown recently due to its unusual character, which does not reflect the hot climate it comes from. Assyrtiko wines are dry, full-bodied white wines with citrus aromas and a pleasant minerality. This wine can also be blended with two other local varieties, Aidani and Athiri, during the production of the sweet wine Vinsanto.
THE BEST Assyrtiko Wine Varieties
Mavrotragano is an old Greek variety that is currently experiencing a revival. The grape originates from Santorini, and it was mostly used in bland dessert wines and blends. It was nearly extinct until the winemakers Haridimos Hatzidakis and Paris Sigalas used a novel approach to create concentrated dry wines that showed fantastic potential.
The wines made from Mavrotragano are densely colored with fruity and spicy notes reminiscent of dark berries, cinnamon, tobacco, and white pepper. They often have herbal and earthy nuances, and most examples will have bright acidity and firm, velvety tannins.
Kitron is a traditional citron liqueur hailing from the Greek island of Naxos. It is made from citron leaves (Citrus medica) that are macerated in neutral alcohol. The macerate is distilled, and the spirit is then mixed with sugar and water.
Kitron typically comes in three versions that differ in color and strength. Green-colored kitron is the sweetest and has the lowest alcohol content (30% ABV). The colorless version is bottled at 33% ABV, while the strongest yellow-colored variety comes bottled at 36% ABV.
Hailing from Nisyros, koukouzina is a traditional spirit that’s been distilled from grapes and figs. This alcoholic beverage is typically produced at old local distilleries called kazanari, and the preparation process follows the age-old traditional methods that have been handed down for generations.
The flavor is similar to that of Greek raki, while the alcohol content usually ranges from 42% to 43%. A carafe of koukouzina is commonly served as an accompaniment to a variety of local specialties, including chickpea fritters with skordalia.
Best South Aegean Alcoholic Beverage Producers
AWARDS
IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Gold
2024
International Wine Challenge - IWC Champion White Wine 2021
2021
BEST Domaine Sigalas Wines
AWARDS
IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Gold
2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020
Decanter World Wine Awards - Best in Show
2023, 2020
Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum
2022, 2021, 2020
BEST Estate Argyros Wines
AWARDS
IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Gold
2019
Concours Mondial de Bruxelles - Grande Médaille d'or
2022
BEST Estate I & M Argyros Wines
AWARDS
Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum
2017, 2016
BEST Argyros Wines
Best South Aegean Alcoholic Beverages
AWARDS
Decanter World Wine Awards - Best in Show
2018
AWARDS
Decanter World Wine Awards - Best in Show
2020
AWARDS
International Wine Challenge - IWC Champion White Wine 2021
2021
AWARDS
Concours Mondial de Bruxelles - Grande Médaille d'or
2022
AWARDS
USA Wine Ratings - Gold
2021
AWARDS
USA Wine Ratings - Gold
2021
AWARDS
Decanter World Wine Awards - Best in Show
2023
Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum
2021
AWARDS
Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum
2022, 2020
AWARDS
Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum
2022, 2020
AWARDS
Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum
2022, 2021
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