Estate Argyros Atlantis Assyrtiko 2025

Tight, bright and spritely, this light-bodied and well-balanced Mediterranean white blend offers vibrant aromas of citrus fruits, such as lemon and grapefruit, along with hints of white flowers and a subtle minerality. The palate is crisp and refreshing, with notes of bitter lime, tangerine, lemon verbena, green melon and a lively acidity that balances the fruit flavors. Quite lean and bone dry, finishing with a saline twist.

Atlantis is a blend of 90% Assyrtiko, with 5% Athiri and 5% Aidani, all from relatively "young" 60-year-old Santorini vines cultivated in the traditional old Santorini style, utilizing low, circular basket shapes to shield them from the island's harsh winds and scorching sun. The grapes are farmed organically, harvested by hand, then fermented with indigenous yeasts for three weeks cool in stainless steel vats, then aged five months, also in stainless. Assyrtiko is the main Greek grape that adds sharp acidity and clean mineral flavors, Athiri is an indigenous white grape that brings bright lemon fruit notes and Aidani is a fragrant white grape that adds soft floral and tropical hints.

Estate Argyros is an artisanal Greek producer established in 1903, but the Argyros family has been involved in wine production for decades before that. The average vine age exceeds 70 years, while the oldest parcels of the estate are more than two centuries old. The average yield, on a plentiful vintage, rarely gets higher than 21 hl/ha, an impressively, if not catastrophically, low number, matched by very few wines around the world. Work in the vineyard is meticulous, with hundreds of man-hours per year per hectare, since every single vine is considered a unique organism.

The recipe in the cellar is that there is no recipe, with each plot being harvested, vinified and aged separately until very late in the production process. Each plot is treated with the required sensitivity in order to express its birthplace, while achieving purity and elegance. To achieve the quintessential Argyros style, patience is required, and many wines are kept in the cellars for years prior to release.