Assyrtiko oak
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Our expert explains everything...

Assyrtiko: oaked or not?

I thought it might have been Sauvignon Blanc, but there were definitely toasty, woody notes.

It turned out to be Assyrtiko, which confused me, as I thought it was only unoaked. Are oaked versions becoming more fashionable?

Joanna Simon replies: It was a good guess! The variety’s powerful mineral character, citrus intensity and high acidity could easily be taken for Sauvignon Blanc.

As for oak, most Greek Assyrtikos are unoaked, but fermenting and/or ageing in oak isn’t new.

Two of the Assyrtiko-based wine classifications for Santorini actually prescribe oak ageing: a minimum of 24 months for the sweet Vinsanto and three months for the bone-dry Nykteri, but many of the producers of oaked dry Assyrtiko today don’t use the Nykteri classification.

If anything, oak is being used a little less than a few years ago, or at least more sensitively.

There are still some heavy-handed examples, but far fewer than before.

Applied carefully, oak works well with Assyrtiko: it can add depth and breadth plus toasty flavours that complement Assyrtiko’s piercingly intense flavour profile and high acidity.

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Joanna Simon
Joanna Simon
Decanter Magazine, Wine Writer & Editor

Joanna Simon is a London-based wine writer, author and presenter. She is co-founder of The Wine Gang and editor of Waitrose. Drinks magazine and started her award-winning writing career as editor of Wine & Spirit. She went on to become editor of Wine magazine and then wine critic of The Sunday Times for 22 years. Simon’s books are published all over the world and include: The Sunday Times Book of Wine, Discovering Wine, Wine With Food, Wine An Introduction, and Harrods. Book of Fine Wine. In addition to television appearances, she was the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s wine series The Bottle Uncorked. Her specialist areas include the wines of south west France and wine and food matching. She was a judge at the 2019 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), she first judged the competition in 2015.