The Sigalas Assyrtiko Release

Domaine Sigalas is a wine estate founded at Oia in 1991 by Paris Sigalas, a mathematician turned vigneron, on the basalt and pumice of the island’s northern terraces. The estate farms more than twenty hectares above Oia. It works four varieties: Assyrtiko, the dominant grape, planted in the traditional kouloura basket-vine that shields the bunch from the meltemi; Athiri, a white variety blended into lighter wines; Aidani, a white aromatic variety; and Mavrotragano, the indigenous Santorini red, which has returned to broader cultivation over the past two decades.

The estate releases the first allocations of the new Assyrtiko vintage in the second week of January. The senior cuvées — Kavalieros, Nykteri and Seven Villages — carry the PDO Santorini designation and are served at fine-dining houses including Selene at Pyrgos and Spondi in Pangrati. The new vintage undergoes final tasting at the underground cellar through January. The first allocations reach Greek lists in the second half of the month; the London merchants Berry Bros & Rudd and Lay & Wheeler receive their allocation in February; US distribution opens later in the spring through the estate’s New York importer.

The visitor cellar at Oia is open for tastings from late April through mid-October.