Category: News

RP Wine Advocate on Santorini: Outstanding quality across the range for Domaine Sigalas

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Inspiring consistency in top terroir-driven quality across the range could be the middle name of Domaine Sigalas. ROBERT PARKER WINE ADVOCATE on its December 2024 Report on Santorini by Monica Larner, rewarded in the most emphatic way the insightful dedication and top-notch work done by our winemaker Sara Iakovidou (photo), complemented by Kostas Tellis, vineyard manager, and by the highly skilled SIGALAS team from vine to wine. As Monica Larner noted on her report, “islands are key to understand the human drive, and that is the lesson I learned while visiting Santorini in September to taste the wines”.

The performance of SIGALAS Santorini wines was exceptional, even more so on the demanding vintage of 2023. Starting from the field blend of Aα 2023, moving on to the icon SANTORINI 2023 and scaling up to SANTORINI BARREL, KAVALIEROS and EPTA -all 2022 vintages. The scores:

92 RP
Aα 2023 (field  blend / 85% Assyrtiko & 15% Athiri)
“… The structured tension of Assyrtiko with the pretty floral aromas of Athiri, which gives a gentle lift and elegance to the
bouquet. Concentrated and lovely with a hint of waxy richness on the close…”

94 RP
SANTORINI 2023 (100% Assyrtiko)
“… Marine influences with salty overtones around a core of honeydew melon and white peach. What makes this wine stand apart is the impressive intensity of the mouthfeel and its lingering concentration. That rich fruit shows solid runway for bottle aging… “

94+ RP
SANTORINI BARREL 2022 (100% Assyrtiko)
“… It opens to pretty creaminess with orange peel, candied citrus and almond paste. Well-dosed mineral tones thatadd hints of smoke or flintiness. Realizing the aging potential of Assyrtiko… “

95 RP
KAVALIEROS 2022 (100% Assyrtiko)
“… This special wine delivers very sharp and vertical aromas, and that’s exactly what Domaine Sigalas is gunning for here. It excels at freshness and presents some crunch from white wine tannins. White grapefruit, peach and quince add volume and creaminess, but the wine’s characteristic salinity is what makes it so irresistible…. “

95 RP
EPTA 2022 (100% Assyrtiko)
“… Rich, intense and gorgeous. Lemon zest, honeydew melon, wet stone and crushed sea shell give the wine concentration and razor-sharp focus….. “

 

“Greece, Santorini: The Sunset Moonrise” published on 19 December 2024 (available to subscribers) was the first report on Greece by Monica Larner. Assigned to cover Greek Wines for Robert Parker Wine Advocate, earlier in the year, she visited Santorini in September. 

From left to right: Kostas Tellis, vineyard manager, Sara Iakovidou, winemaker, and Yiannis Boutaris, brand manager and 6th generation in the wine business, was the SIGALAS team that welcomed Monica in our winery. 

Photo published in the article.

 

Farewell to Yiannis Boutaris (1942-2024)

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With a heavy heart we bid farewell to Yiannis Boutaris, the legendary winemaker and Greek Wine maverick. Among his inspiring legacy and extraordinary achievements, he had been a true driving force behind the preservation and development of the Santorinian vineyard and wine.
Honoring this authentic pioneer, part of our family, our winery will be closed on Tuesday 12 November 2024.
Thank you for your understanding.
More info about Yiannis Boutaris

Domaine Sigalas: 2024 Santorini Harvest Report

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EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY AT THE LOWEST QUANTITY EVER

2024 was one more challenging harvest for Santorini resulting in the smaller production ever recorded in the island. In fact, it was described as hardly “two baskets of grapes” by Stellios Boutaris. The 5th generation winemaker and CEO at Domaine Sigalas praised the outstanding quality of the vintage, nevertheless expressed serious concerns regarding the quantity.

“Climate change demands a strategic shift in the way we think leaving behind rigidities and stereotypical narratives“, Stellios Boutaris noted. “At Domaine Sigalas we have   accelerated our investment in that direction, focusing on scientific knowledge and research. When we say that the Santorinian viti-vini heritage must be preserved, we mean to render it sustainable not a museum piece. We are working for a dynamic future that will be able to highlight the uniqueness of the local vineyard, together with its ability to adapt and regenerate when needed. Resilience is among the most valuable legacies and the most powerful incentives for the next generations of the island’s growers to carry on”.

According to Kostas Tellis, Domaine Sigalas Viticulturist, “the weather conditions recorded during the 2023-2024 growing season were a synthesis and a sequence of adversities. Still the extra burden came from the fact that those patterns followed and built up the equally tough challenges of the previous year. That is the critical factor that increases the complexity of the challenges we have to tackle overrunning the context we used to describe as heroic viticulture”.

THE CONDITIONS MET IN SANTORINI DURING THE 2023-2024 GROWING SEASON 

Temperatures
Warm winter with an mean temperature of 14οC that led to the atypical stop of the vines’ winter dormancy and to the disparate bud break that took place 15 days earlier than the previous year and 7 days earlier than the average. During shoot and leaf growth, higher than usual Santorini temperatures were recorded, exceeding by 2 οC the average of the previous year. Moreover, the over 36οC on June and July stressed the vines resulting in partial leaf loss in some parts of the island. Notable was the lack of the trademark dew (humidity) that cools the plants during the night.

Rainfall
For the third consecutive year, rain was much lower than the average with serious impact on the production and the sustainable future of the vineyard. More specifically, during the period September 2023-August 2024, 206 mm of rain was recorded, 80 mm lower than the average of the last 15 years (2010-2024).

Although in comparison between the two aforementioned periods (as shown in the table), the rain distribution was rather similar on a monthly basis throughout the year (main precipitation from October to March), the crucial differentiation was the fact that this year round, most rainfall events reached 10mm or lower, therefore, non-beneficial for the vines as the water was quicky evaporated, unable to be stored in the deeper layers of the soil.

Winds
Mostly northerly winds were recorded that do not favor the creation of the benchmark morning dew (knows as “anedosa”) keeping humidity low and intensifying the drought. Furthermore, two windstorm incidents took place. The first one was on the last days of March with gusts reaching 90km/h, contributing to the production decrease by 5-10%. The second phenomenon at the end of May was milder, causing damages to vegetative parts of some plants but not to the grapes.

Extreme weather phenomena
On 4 May, for the second year in a row, hail struck over Megalochori and Akrotiri villages. Despite its medium intensity, it caused a further 30% decrease in the production of the specific areas.

All the above conditions contributed to the decrease of the total production of the island by 30-40% depending on the area. As a result, the price of the grapes increased by 20-30% compared to last year, reaching the highest ever price for the Santorini vineyard.

HARVEST FOR DOMAINE SIGALAS
Undoubtedly, it was one of the most outstanding years in terms of quality for our Domaine.

The village of Oia, from where comes the vast majority of our production, faced a milder heat stress (3-4οC lower) during summer  compared to areas lying within the island’s interior. The meso-climate of Oia played a crucial role, benefiting from its northernmost, coastal location and the favorable northern wind blowing straight from the sea with no obstacles in between.

The ripening was normal, evident of the plants’ capacity to overcome the challenging conditions. At the same time. the health of the vines was exceptional in every part of the island, mainly due to the dry weather, to the constant winds and the limited vegetative growth of the plants.

The conditions led to one of the earliest harvests in recent years. We kicked 0ff with Mavrotragano (red) on 29 July and with Mandilaria (red) a few days later. We continued with Assyrtiko (white) and Athiri (white) starting from the earliest harvested areas and reached the 16th of August to receive the always last to harvest variety of Aidani (white).

FIRST QUALITY ESTIMATIONS FOR 2024 VINTAGE
According to Sara Iakovidou, Domaine Sigalas winemaker, everything so far indicates an exceptional year in terms of quality. Towards the end of fermentation for most part, the first impressions are excellent. “Assyrtiko with body and structure, very good acidity level, fruit-forward. Rich aromas for Mavrotragano, with good acidity and rich color. If one thing is missing from 2024 vintage that is the quantity”.

Stellios Boutaris has entrusted this young team to recreate the precious Sigalas legacy. From left to right: Kostas Tellis, viticulturist – Sara Iakovidou, winemaker – George Macheras, Cellar Manager, and Yiannis Boutaris, 6th generation in wine and brand ambassador.Stellios Boutaris’ estimation about hardly “two baskets of grapes” printed on our 2024 Sigalas harvest t-shirts. The drawing was made by Stellios. A much deserved standing ovation for our 2024 Sigalas Harvest team.

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT 2024 HARVEST, PLEASE CONTACT [email protected]

Domaine Sigalas @ Volcanic Wines of the World

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Welcome to Domaine Sigalas in Santorini!

This is a digital press kit created to support our participation at “Volcanic Wines of the World” held in London this October. We have tried to collect useful information about Santorini, Domaine Sigalas and the wines to be tasted.

We understand that there may be so many more questions and/or requests for more detailed material for press purposes. If so, please contact us at [email protected] 

We will be more than happy to help.

Thank you!

 

ABOUT SANTORINI

It is said that Santorini counts more than 3,500 years of uninterrupted vine growing.

That could have been literally the case if one of the most cataclysmic natural disasters in human history would not have taken place; the massive volcanic eruption -known as “Minoan Eruption”- around 1600 BC sent magma over 30 meters into the air, created an enormous tidal wave and claimed the death of millions around the Mediterranean crescent. It is considered as the most powerful volcanic event over the last 10,000 years (50 thousand times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb). As a result the shape of Santorini changed as the entire part of the island collapsed into the sea, giving its place to a complex of smaller islands. For almost 300 years after that event, Santorini was uninhabitable.

Nevertheless, vine growing, winemaking and wine trade were indeed the habitants’ major activity as findings from the excavations (from 1960s) at “Akrotiri” showed revealing one of the most impressive and important prehistoric settlements. The first colonists after the disaster, according to Herodotus, faced an extreme ecosystem in order to survive; vines managed to survive in that inhospitable environment.

What is “aspa”?
That is how the locals call that hard, solid ground that was created by the layers of volcanic matter; a mixture of stone, volcanic ash, lava rocks and sand. It contains little to no organic matter, still it is rich in essential minerals, producing wines of high acidity and low pH. The celebrated Assyrtiko variety thrives in Santorini, offering some of the most sought-after wines worldwide. Other native varieties cultivated on the island are Aidani (white) and Mavrotragano (red).

These elements shape the distinctive Santorinian landscape and soil, creating one of the most special volcanic terroirs of the world. Phylloxera-immune (one of the few self rooted vineyards in Europe) and strained by the almost anhydrous conditions met on the island – a challenge crucial to the weather changing patterns of today.

What is “kouloura”?
Santorini is also beset by incredibly high winds, making the local vine growers to come up with a unique method of vine training called “kouloura”. Weaving the vines into a basket-like shape, close to the ground, that works as a natural nest for the grapes (see the photo above). Still, this system only decreases the possible damage from severe weather phenomena and cannot eliminate it.

Combined to other weather phenomena, vine growing is Santorini is truly heroic, with production volumes varying significantly from vintage to vintage. To that extent, please read DOMAINE SIGALAS / 2023 HARVEST REPORT 

ABOUT DOMAINE SIGALAS

1991 was the maiden vintage of Santorini Assyrtiko for Domaine Sigalas and its founder Paris Sigalas. Since then, “Sigalas” has been established as a pioneer and a maverick for Santorini, a top producer that paved the way for the island’s winemaking around the world.

With deep respect to that outstanding legacy, today Domaine Sigalas wines are crafted from vine to wine by a young team of passionate, devoted and insightful viticulturists and enologists (Stratos, Sara, Kostas, Margarita, George). The team was brought together and entrusted with this extraordinary opportunity to carry on and recreate by Stellios Boutaris, 5th generation winemaker, a restless rejuvenator himself of an outstanding family legacy (Kir-Yianni) and #greekwine visionary.

Domaine Sigalas winery is nestled between vines on the scenic plain of Oia in the northern part of Santorini. The 40 hectares of surrounding vineyards are cultivated in a sustainable mindful manner, while assisting local vine growers with whom the Domaine shares longstanding bonds of trust and collaboration.

On a stellar vintage, Domaine Sigalas production may reach 200,000 bottles. It is one of the most prominent exporters of premium Greek wines and one of the most decorated Greek wineries.

OUR WINES PRESENTED AT THE EVENT

Santorini  2022
Tech sheet
Bottle shot 
Santorini Barrel 2022
Tech sheet
Bottle shot
Kavalieros 2021
Tech sheet
Bottle shot
Mavrotragano 2021
Tech sheet
Bottle shot

Domaine Sigalas: 2023 Santorini Harvest Report

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Challenges demanding long-term strategic investment 

At one of the most challenging harvests in decades for Santorini, the scientific rigor of Domaine Sigalas’ viticulture team is leading the sustainable way.

 

The 2023 harvest in Santorini has been full of challenges in terms of weather conditions, resulting in one of the smallest in volume productions in decades. Data recorded demonstrates that climate change has started showing its teeth forcing the renowned heroic viticulture and the unique heritage landscapes of the Cycladic Island to face yet another critical and complex hazard.

“The preservation of the viticultural tradition in the new climate reality is the crucial bet”, according to Stratos Xyrafis, member of Domaine Sigalas Viticulturist team. “The scientific knowledge can work as a shield to the unique Santorinian viti-vini heritage, together with innovation and local vine growers’ empirical wisdom passed down generation upon generation. The synthesis of all those elements with respect, mindfulness and realism is the way forward that drives our work and systematic investment at Domaine Sigalas”.

CONDITIONS MET IN SANTORINI THROUGH THE YEAR

Weather in Santorini during the 2022-2023 growing season was characterized by mild winter temperatures and drought.  Rainfall did not exceed 190mm, while the average level on the island during the last 20 years had been 320mm; It is worth noting that 320mm was recorded last year as well, following 2 years of remarkably low rainfall. Still, rain distribution was key.

Rainfall distribution period lasted from October to June in 2023 (190mm of rain in 9 months), compared to the 320mm in 7 months (October to April) recorded in the previous season. As shown on the chart, equally interesting is the comparison with the last 20-year average when the rain distribution followed a rather typical seasonal climax, peaking during winter. That has not been the case of this season that displayed a discontinuous pattern; Ιn addition, due to the rain in May and June, there was a need for plant protection.

Spring was cool with the typical strong winds that almost every year cause damage to the sensitive developmental stage. It must be highlighted that on 23 April hail hit the southern parts of the island, disrupting the production of the region to a significant extent. The northern parts from where our major produce is created were not affected by the phenomenon.

Summer was characterized by two long heatwaves, peaking on the 15 and 23 July respectively, leading to further decrease of production and affecting the northern parts of the island as well.

All those conditions resulted in a production drop between 50 and 90% depending on the area. Consequently, grape prices have risen by more than 25% compared to 2022.

2023 HARVEST FOR DOMAINE SIGALAS

In the area of Oia, from where we acquire the grapes for our Domaine, quality has maintained high levels.

In the context of the extreme weather conditions met in Oia (heatwaves), environmentally friendly techniques were implemented to protect the plants and reduce heat stress. We chose to implement them widely in our area, managing to limit the impact of the severe phenomena to a considerable extent, preserving grape quality.

Due to the conditions met, there was a late ripening of the grapes, while harvest took place gradually, starting from the vine blocks of lower altitude.

At Domaine Sigalas, our harvest began on 16 August with the varieties of Athiri, Assyrtiko and Mavrotragano, followed by Mandilaria on 30 August; On 2 September we received the first Aidani grapes.  

FIRST QUALITY ASSESSMENT FOR DOMAINE SIGALAS 2023 VINTAGE

Rigorous Mavrotragano sorting berry by berry at Domaine Sigalas

The quality of the grapes arrived at our winery has been evaluated between “very good and exceptional” (phenolics, aromas), while the rigorous sorting of the fruits remains non-negotiable for our Domaine

The first samples show “quality features that meet Sigalas high standards” according to Sara Iakovidou, our Domaine’s oenologist, “despite the fact that 2023 has been a year of great challenges in the vineyard due to climate change”.

Domaine Sigalas awarded at “FNL Best Restaurants 2023”

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Exhilarating news as our restaurant has received an award at the prestigious “Best Restaurant Awards 2023” held by FNL (The Food and Leisure Guide)  in Athens, at the category of “Contemporary Greek Cuisine“.

This significant distinction coming from a very strict and meticulous process run by a top team of gastronomy professionals all over the country, is an inspiring reward for Domaine Sigalas team; a payoff for years of dedicated effort aimed at introducing a top-notch winery restaurant in Greece.

At the core of this award is of course Kiriaki Fotopoulou, Domaine Sigalas Executive Chef (photo) that has been curating a passionate brigade led by Head Chef Gogo Mpismpardi. Blending creativity and culinary craftsmanship with profound respect to the volcanic produce of Santorini has been the goal for Sigalas cuisine from the start; An ode to fresh seasonal ingredients and to finest flavors in absolute harmony with the the world-renowned, authentic and singular Sigalas wines. Together with Spyro Lemanis, our hospitality manager, this remarkable bond between wine and gastronomy has been further enriched by the knowledgeable and seamlessly attentive service taking place in an upscale yet relaxed setting, beautifully integrated into the surroundings. Indeed, Domaine Sigalas offers an idyllic serene ambient to savor the experience, with spectacular view of the vines grown on the volcanic terroir of the island and the dreamy Santorini sunset on the the background.

A huge congratulations to Domaine Sigalas team for setting once more the golden standards in winery restaurants in Greece.

For more info and reservations for SIGALAS HOSPITALITY EXPERIENCE, click HERE
Hours of operation: 11:00 – 21:00.

 

 

 

Sigalas Santorini Barrel by Wine Folly

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Apparently, Madeline Puckette a.k.a. Wine Folly has long joined the club of Santorini Assyrtiko enthusiasts.

And while we all love to love the usually lean and salty white wine from a tiny island of Greece, in her latest short video Madeline talks about a “crazy different” Assyrtiko. A rare style oaked Assyrtiko full of layers and complexity.

Our Santorini Barrel in under one minute by one of the most renowned digital wine communicators -we love this!

Do watch the video HERE

 

 

Video and Photos by WINE FOLLY

Wine Advocate: Yet another first-class performance for Domaine Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko wines

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WINE ADVOCATE and Mark Squires set a truly impressive 2023 kickoff for Domaine Sigalas; on the 12 January report, the highest scores given across the PDO Santorini Assyrtiko range showcased once more the winery’s outstanding consistency in top quality. The ratings follow:
– Domaine Sigalas EPTA 2021: 95+
– Domaine Sigalas KAVALIEROS 2020: 94+
– Domaine Sigalas SANTORINI ASSYRTIKO BARREL 2021: 93
– Domaine Sigalas SANTORINI ASSYRTIKO 2021: 92+

It must be highlighted that the restless Domaine Sigalas spirit of discovering the singular Santorini sub-terroirs, as embraced by the “7 VILLAGES” project, was fully rewarded. Besides the “EPTA” label that for 2021 vintage was produced by Assyrtiko grown on the village of Fira, the remaining 6 wines of the range scored between 96-93 points!

What makes this overall performance even more noteworthy is the fact that it is attributed mostly to 2021 PDO Santorini Assyrtiko, a vintage related with a rather challenging harvest. A truly invigorating continuity with Sigalas’ iconic legacy as a point of reference for Santorini winemaking.

#domainesigalas #sigalas #santorini #assyrtiko #volcanicwines #santorinibenchmark #sigalasassyrtiko #sigalassantorini #winesofsantorini #drinkgreekwine

2022 Harvest Report

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Domaine Sigalas 2022 Harvest team in Santorini
The traditional team photo on the last day of 2022 harvest.

2022, a high quality year for Domaine Sigalas

The conditions

Mild weather, yet with rainfall exceeding the average standards of the last decades: that could summarize the conditions met in Santorini in 2022.

Growing season

It  was characterised by a moderate winter with much higher than usual precipitation. Truly, a rare phenomenon for Santorini and a much-awaited gift for the local vine growers. 320mm of rain was recorded during  October 2021 – mid-March 2022, compared to 190mm over the same period the previous year. Spring was warm without the typical strong winds -a factor that had often caused notable damages to the vines on the sensitive growth stage of the season. All the above led to a late but smooth ripening. Grapes with high acidity level, high quality bunches.

Harvest time

The lack of heatwaves was a key factor this year. Hard to forget the long and extreme temperatures that had battered the yields in 2021. 2022 harvest began gradually starting from the lower altitude vine plots.

Unexpectedly, the usual dry weather was interrupted by a steep rainfal (27mm) on 24 August. Hence, that atypical incident in the heart of the harvest affected a few areas of the island.

The result

The total island’s production was increased by 25-30% compared to the previous vintage. Top-notch quality of the grapes and high demand led to a further price increase by 15%.

Mavrotragano grape at Domaine Sigalas in Santorini

For Domaine Sigalas

The region of Oia -the main source of our grapes- gave fruits of excellent quality thanks to the favourable weather and our vigilance regarding plant protection.

Our harvest calendar progressed as following:

14 August: Assyrtiko and Athiri (white varieties)

15 August: Mavrotragano (red)

27 August: Mandilaria (red)

8 September: Aidani (white)

Our 2022 Vintage

Without doubt, we can talk about a high quality year. The conditions met during the year promoted the formation of outstanding aromas -more intense than in previous years. The flagship Assyrtiko is demonstrating a benchmark typicity with high acidity, structure, long aftertaste and notable ageing potential. Likewise, Mavrotragano is expected to give wines of exceptional vitality, structure and notable lifespan.

Grape selection at Domaine Sigalas in Santorini
Careful grape selection is key for Domaine Sigalas

Six awards for Domaine Sigalas in the 22nd Thessaloniki International Wine Competition

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A great number of awards was the outcome of the 22nd Thessaloniki International Wine Competition, for Domaine Sigalas

A total of 6 medals were bestowed to the Estate’s wines, namely 1 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals.The gold medal was conferred on Vinstanto 2015 and the silver medals were amassed by Mavrotragano 2020 and Santorini Barrel 2021.

Meanwhile, the bronze medal awards went to Kavalieros 2020, Mm Rosé 2021 and Santorini 2021.