Report on the Event: Santorini Volcanic Terroir PDO tasting

The Date and Time: Wednesday, May 3, 2023, 12PM – 3:30 PM
The Event: Santorini Volcanic Terroir PDO tasting
The Venue: George
The Target Audience: wine trade, wine media
The Availability/Catalogue: Four wineries presented their wines that were available in Ontario – Estate Argyros, Domaine Sigalas, Gaia Wines and Santo Wines.
The Quote/Background: This was a walk around tasting concerned with the wines of PDO Santorini Greece. It was a great chance to explore the wine labels of a small slice of Greece. Both the still wines of assyrtiko grapes and vinsanto were poured.
The Wines: There were 14 wines in all (including four vinsanto)

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Estate Agryos Monsignori 2020, 14.5%
-Gaia Thalassitis 2021, 13.8% $42
-Assyrtiko by Gaia Wild Ferment 2021, 14%, $50
-Gaia Nykteri 2020, 14%
-Santo Nykteri 2021, 14.1%, $43
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini Barrel 2021, 14.5%, $67.98

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Estate Agryos Santorini Assyrtiko 2021, 14.4%
-Santo Santorini Assyrtiko 2022, 13.2%
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini AA 2022, 13.4%, $34.95
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2022, 14.5%, $53.95

VINSANTO –
-Estate Agryos Santorini Vansanto First Release 2015, 13.1%, $79.95 Rated: 92 pts.
-Estate Agryos Santorini Vansanto First Release 2002, 13.28%, $150 Rated: 93 pts.
-Gaia Vinsanto 2012, 10.9% Rated: 90 pts.
-Santo Vinsanto 2016, 11.2% $37 Rated: 89 pts.

The Food: George produced some delicious bites from PDO Santorini food products, including PDO Santorini fava beans, PDO Santorini tomato fondant with goat cheese, potato wrapped tuna, shrimp tempura, lemon thyme pettole, chicken satay, heirloom carrot and potato, oysters and lemons, chocolate beignets, tartlet of nuts and dried fruit.
The Downside: I had just come from a huge Australian wine marketing trade show.
The Upside: a chance to focus on the Santorini wines
The Contact Person: contact@johnszabo.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 93

Dean Tudor,  Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.com
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