Jim Barry, Clare Valley (South Australia) Assyrtiko 2017

 This is a delicious rendition of Assyrtiko, the most striking white variety of Greece that is almost always sourced from the gorgeous island of Santorini.  Renditions of Assyrtiko from Santorini are so delicious that I’ve often wondered why vintners in other parts of the world haven’t planted it to learn what it could do from their area.  Well, leave it to an Aussie to actually do that…and then reap successful rewards.  The vines behind this are still young, and there’s every reason to believe that they will produce more profound wines in the future, but they’re already off to an impressive start.  Medium-bodied, with moderately expressive aromas but more pronounced flavors, the wine shows notes of white melon, fig and lime, all of which recall the Greek originals.  What is different is that the saline minerality of Santorini wines really doesn’t show in the finish of this wine, which makes it a bit less exciting to my personal taste.  But then, when I’ve shown Assyrtiko from Santorini to experienced tasters in advanced wine classes, more than a few found the saltiness too assertive, so you should definitely give this a try.  The price is a little high, but justified by the wine’s rarity.  I don’t know how good this wine will become in the years ahead, but I do know it is a bad idea to bet against the Aussies.