Ένα από τα πλέον καλογραμμένα οινικά οδοιπορικά για την Σαντορίνη
με περιγραφές κάποιων από τα 11 οινοποιεία του νησιού, φιλοξένησε στην
ηλεκτρονική της έκδοση η δημοφιλέστατη και με αναγνωστικό κοινό εκατομμυρίων
ανθρώπων στις Η.Π.Α. αλλά και διεθνώς, εφημερίδα www.usatoday.com
Στο κείμενο που δημοσιεύθηκε στις 6 Αυγούστου μεταξύ άλλων γίνονται
αναφορές στις ιδιαιτερότητες του τοπικού αμπελώνα, την μοναδικότητα των κρασιών
της Σαντορίνης, καθώς και σε οινοποιεία του νησιού και στις μεθόδους
οινοποίησης που χρησιμοποιούν οι οποίες καταφέρνουν να συνδυάσουν τις παραδόσεις
στην διαδικασία με τις σύγχρονες μεθόδους. Ενώ, δεν λείπουν και οι αναφορές σε
εστιατόρια του νησιού που αναδεικνύουν με τον καλύτερο τρόπο τις μοναδικές
οινικές του ποικιλίες και γεύσεις.
Το δημοσίευμα υπογράφει η Marla Cimini ενώ πολλές
από τις πληροφορίες βασίζονται σε στοιχεία της Σοφίας Πέρπερα, οινολόγου και
διευθύντριας του «Γραφείου Προώθησης και Προβολής των ελληνικών κρασιών» στην
βόρεια Αμερική.
Greek drink-ology: Santorini's wine trail
Marla Cimini, Special for USA TODAY 3:15
p.m. EDT August 6, 2014
Santorini has some of the oldest vineyards
in the world under continuous cultivation, and the island uses a traditional
wine-making method that begins in the ground: The vines are trained to grow in a basket shape
(known as kouloura), sitting directly on top of the volcanic soil. These pruned
"baskets" protect the grapes from sun and wind damage, and some have
been known to last for decades.
Opened in 1989, Boutari
Santorini winery is considered a local winemaking pioneer, bringing modern
methods to the island. The cutting-edge winery uses stainless steel tanks, pneumatic
presses, and temperature controlled vats. Boutari is focused on Santorini's
indigenous white grape varieties, including Assyrtiko and Aidani.
On the
island, it is often said that Assyrtiko is the white that drinks like a red,
which you understand when you taste it. This winery features a spacious and
stylish tasting room, a retail boutique and offers tours every day except
Sunday. For a luxury wine getaway, Starwood's Vedema Resort offers a full
viticultural experience. Situated among the vineyards in the medieval village
of Megalohori, this property has a variety of wine-focused offerings. Their
extensive wine bar, Canava, is located underground in refurbished catacombs,
where guests can enjoy tastings and sample local varietals together with the sommelier.
This hotel also offers spacious suites, villas and several restaurants,
including the Vinsanto restaurant and lounge.
With an ancient wine culture dating back
over 4,000 years, the Greek island of Santorini's history is rooted deep in its
vineyards. Although this volcanic
island has experienced a major tourism boom in recent years, and visitors
travel across the globe just to soak in the spectacular views of world-famous
Caldera, it's really the native grapes that are the true heart and soul of this
stunning destination.
Apart from a few of the local wineries that
have embraced modern wine technology, the traditional grape growing and
winemaking methods have remained the same through the centuries.
In addition, the soil
on Santorini consists of mostly of lava, pumice stone and does not contain
organic matter. There is also very little rainfall during the year, and without
a source of water on the island, the vines only receive hydration from the
early morning sea mist covering the area.
So what makes Santorini wines so
distinctive?
According to Sofia
Perpera, enologist and director of the Greek Wine Bureau in North America,
"For me, the definition of minerality are the wines of Santorini, which
come from unique soil and these ageless vines. The Assyrtiko grape, which is
native to the island and represents more than 70% of the production, is the
main reason why the wines of Santorini are so special. In fact, I believe that
Assyrtiko will become known as one of the noblest white varieties of the world one
day. Usually, when a grape ripens it loses acidity and gains sugar, but
Assyrtiko has the ability to retain high levels of acidity and sugars at the
same time. This way, you get full-bodied white wines with excellent structure
that can age for decades."
She continues,
"People often associate Greek whites with freshness and crispness, but
Assytikos from Santorini can age beautifully -- evolving into a bouquet with
layers of complexity. On the island, it is often said that Assyrtiko is the
white that drinks like a red, which you understand when you taste it. It also
allows a wide range of food pairings from grilled seafood to fresh oysters --
and even meat dishes."
Currently, Santorini has 11 wineries, and
Perpera anticipates that more vineyards will open in the near future. She says,
"I expect to see more wineries being built. Although this will increase
competition and pricing for the limited amount of grapes available, in the end
this will push the growers to plant more vines, which is a good thing."
In addition to the
sprawling vineyards, Santorini's world-famous beaches are big tourist
attractions, along with the ruins of Akrotiri (often called the "Pompeii
of Greece"). Of course, the traditional cuisine of Santorini is an ideal
way to further explore the local wines, and many of the wineries serve small
plates of homemade Greek specialties.
All of the wineries on
the island are open regularly during the season (between May and October) for
tastings and tours. After that timeframe, appointments are necessary.
A few stops along the Santorini wine trail:
Boutari's Santorini winery
Opened in 1989, this
cutting-edge winery is considered a Santorini winemaking pioneer, bringing
modern methods to the island, including stainless steel tanks, pneumatic
presses, and temperature controlled vats. This winery features a spacious and
stylish tasting room, a retail boutique and offers tours every day except
Sunday. Boutari is focused on Santorini's indigenous white grape varieties,
including: Assyrtiko, Aidani and the red Aegean variety of Mandilaria.
boutari-santorini.gr
Santo Wines
Located at Pyrgos
village, this eco-friendly winery is built on five separate levels, ensuring
that the winemaking process is propelled by gravity, with the minimal use of
energy and pumps. This winery also features a modern "Oenotourism"
center for visits, tours and tastings, with an upper level terrace overlooking
the vineyards. Offering a robust selection of wines (including a sparkling),
Santo offers local produce specialties too, such as tomatoes, fava beans and
capers. Every year, this winery welcomes thousands of visitors from all over
the world, and hosts special events and weddings as well. santowines.gr
Gavalas Winery
Situated in a small
vineyard within the tiny village of Megalohori, this family-owned 18-acre
winery has been making wine since the end of the 19th century. The winery
features native grapes, such as Assyrtiko and Athiri -- and several rare local
varietals including Katsano, Gaidouria and others. Gavalas always welcomes
guests with a personal touch, as the owner often hosts private wine tastings in
the traditional "cavana" and offers vineyard tours. gavalaswines.gr
Vedema Resort
For a luxury wine
getaway, this Starwood resort offers a full viticultural experience. Situated
among the vineyards in the medieval village of Megalohori, this property has a
variety of wine-focused offerings. Their extensive wine bar, Canava, is located
underground in refurbished catacombs, where guests can enjoy tastings and
sample local varietals together with the sommelier. This hotel also offers
spacious suites, villas and several restaurants, including the Vinsanto
restaurant and lounge. vedema.gr
Getting around:
Tourists can rent a car
and drive to the wineries around the island, or contact a wine tasting company
for a private tour. Several options include Santorini Wine Trails, Wine in
Santorini and Wine Tours Santorini.
