| Assyrtiko | |
|---|---|
| Grape (Vitis) | |
 | |
| Color of berry skin | Blanc |
| Species | Vitis vinifera |
| Also called | see list ofsynonyms |
| Origin | Santorini |
| Notable regions | Greece |
| VIVC number | 726 |
Assyrtiko orAsyrtiko is a whiteGreek winegrapeindigenous to the island ofSantorini. Assyrtiko is widely planted in the aridvolcanic-ash-rich soil of Santorini and otherAegean islands, such asParos. It is also found on other scattered regions ofGreece such asChalkidiki.[1] Assyrtiko is also being grown by the Paicines Ranch Vineyard in theSan Benito AVA of California with Margins Wine making the wine,[2] by Jim Barry Wines inClare Valley,South Australia,[3] at theAbbey of New Clairvaux in Northern California since 2011, and at Kefi Winery in Monroe, North Carolina by a first generation Greek family.[4] The original Assyrtiko cuttings were imported in the USA in 1948 byHarold Olmo, grape breeder at theUniversity of California, Davis, where they were stored until the abbey of New Clairvaux took interest in the early 2000s.[5]
On Santorini, manyold vine plantations (over 70 years of age) of Assyrtiko exist, of which many are non-grafted. These plantations have shown resistance toPhylloxera. As the only European grape vine known to be resistant towine blight, there is speculation that the actual source of this resistance may arise from the volcanic ash in which the vines grow, and not from the vine itself.[6]
Themineral profile of the grape bodes well for blending and in recent times it has been blended often withSauvignon blanc,Sémillon andMalagousia.[1] Assyrtiko grapes clusters are large, with transparent yellow-gold skin and juicy flesh. In the volcanic soil of Santorini, there appear to be some unique characteristics that develop in thegrape variety, and therefore in the wine. One of these characteristics is that Assyrtiko does not lose itsacidity even if it isvery ripe. Throughout Greece, the grape isvinified to make a variety of dry andsweet wines, includingVinsanto-like musky and syrup-sweetdessert wines. InRetsina, it is often blended with the less-acidicSavatiano grape.[7]
Assyrtiko is also known under the synonyms Arcytico, Assirtico, Assyrtico, Asurtico, and Asyrtiko.[8]
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