Wine Notes Series 1 Episode 3
Santorini Wines
Santorini is a Greek wine region located on the archipelago of Santorini in the southern islands of Greece. Traditionally very strongly influenced by ‘Italian wine makers it now has a wide range of blended wines made from other white grapes such as Athiri, Aidini and Assyrtiko as well as red grapes like Mandelaria. The volcanic soil has allowed vines to grow unhindered by parasites for many centuries. Three classifications of Santorini win exist – Santorini (made with 75% Assyrtiko, unoaked usually but bone dry and a high acidic quality, Ntkteri (mainly Assyrtiko but picked at night and pressed quickly then aged for at least 3 months in oak giving bone dry but more citrus and stone fruit flavours) and Vinsanto (based on Italian Vin Santo (old style only 51% Assyrtiko late harvest grapes so sweeter and generally treated like a dessert wine).
If you’d like to try some –
Olly’s Wine Rack of the Gods
3. Klein Constantia 2011
Recognised as the first wine farm in Southern Africa and was established in 1685. Napoleon Bonaparte had as much as 1,126 litres of Constantia wine shipped to St. Helena from 1815 until his death in 1821 whilst he was in exile.
The vineyards most famous wine is Vin de Constance. 2011 saw a change in ownership at the vineyard and in order to improve the freshness of their wines they reduced the barrel ageing to 3 years and used a mixture of Hungarian Oak and Acacia.
Decanter describes the 2011 as ‘having a deep gold with a gorgeously concentrated nose. On the palate, it is vibrantly fresh and sweet, with intense mouth-filling flavours of apricot, zesty orange peel, marmalade, honey, spice and ginger. Despite 152 g/L of residual sugar, the wine’s bright and judiciously balanced acidity ensures focus and a long, clean finish.’
The Food Group 