Estate Argyros, Cuvee Monsignori, Santorini, Greece, 2022

Overview of the Wine
Founded in 1903, the Argyros Estate is located on the island of Santorini, famed for its spiraling vines and white washed churches. In 1950, the Argyros vineyards were passed down to the founder’s son, who tripled the estate from 5 to 15 acres. Yiannis Argyros, the third-generation owner of the estate who took over in 1974, began looking beyond the local market for his wines. The inorganic soil of the island of Santorini is naturally immune to Phylloxera and many other vineyard pests, reducing the need for synthetic herbicides & pesticides. Estate Argyros practices sustainable viticulture, using composted grape must as fertilizer, and plowing the vineyards with mules.

The estate vineyards are located primarily in Episkopi and Pyrgos, which are prime locations for Assyrtiko. The ungrafted vines range in age from 30 to over 150 years, and are trained into basket-shaped bowls, a traditional technique called ""kouloura"". Today, Mathew Argyros, the fourth generation of family winemakers, continues his father's legacy by making legendary wines from Assyrtiko and other indigenous Santorinian varietals, using traditional techniques.

Winemaker
Mathew Argyros

Grape / Blend
Assyrtiko

Origin
Santorini, Greece

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Cuvee Monsignori is Estate Argyros’ vision on what Santorini Assyrtiko can actually be. Excessively old Assyrtiko vineyards, at least two hundred years old, giving minute yields. Fermented, partially uninoculated, in stainless steel, at cool temperatures and aged for ten months in stainless steel tanks on fine lees. A wine of breed, extract and length, that needs about four years in bottle to unfold and can be confidently kept for more than a decade after vintage.

95 Points - Wine Advocate
This wine will be released in March 2025, and I tasted the 2022 after the older 2019 and 2020 vintages in this mini vertical. By tasting this youngest wine last, you get a sense of how fresh and pungent Assyrtiko can be in its youngest years. The Estate Argyros 2022 Santorini Assyrtiko Cuvee Monsignori has a busy bouquet with caper leaf, citrus blossom, thyme and wild sage. Those soft herbal notes cede directly to crushed stone and ashy mineral. Sensations of minerality are sometimes enhanced in the warm vintages, says Director Dimitris Motsos. This is an exceptional Assyrtiko that is young now and will benefit from more bottle time.

Product size: 750ml