2017 Hatzidakis Winery Cuvée
No. 15 Assyrtiko

BY NEAL MARTIN | MARCH 09, 2020Am
I an expert in Greek wine? Regrettably, I am not. But I do know when I’m face to face with a wine that exudes brilliance.
This bottle was kindly opened during a long-overdue visit to The Arches, the legendary
restaurant/wine bar in Swiss Cottage, London. As is customary, proprietor Harry
Gill leaned over and said, ’Ere, mate. I’ve
got something for you. Try this. A glass was poured, and it was clear at
first sniff that this was something special. The 2017 Cuvée No. 15 Assyrtiko from the Hatzidakis Winery is a world-class drop of vino and the best Greek
white that I have tasted. It comes from organically cultivated vines in Pyrgos,
Emporio and Messaria-Vothonas on the island of Santorini. It was fermented with
natural yeasts and spent eight months on the lees in stainless steel tanks.
Iridescent in the glass, the 2017 has a knockout bouquet of yellow plums,
roasted almond and hazelnut; an undercurrent of basalt betrays its volcanic origins.
You could just close your eyes and inhale this nose all day, imagining the azure
Mediterranean water lapping on a Greek coast. The palate does not disappoint,
offering stunning precision and pitch-perfect acidity and tension. A little
taut at first pour, it gradually opens to reveal subtle but entrancing
nectarine, white peach and underlying saline notes. The flavors aren’t especially
strong – this is more about precision and energy. Imagine if Raveneau made
Chablis on a sun-kissed Greek island! If that hasn’t got you trying to track
this gem down, then I don’t know what will. 95/Drink 2020-2030.

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1583768301331-hatzidakis_cuvee_15.jpg"> 

There
is a tragic backstory to this wine. Founder Haridimos Hatzidakis took his own
life in August 2017, but his surviving family members continue to make wine
with his right-hand man of many years, renaming the Cuvée 15 “Familia.” Harry Gill
gave me a bottle of their latest release to try, and it is important to include
it here, for Hatzidakis Winery’s story did not and should not end with its
founder’s.&nbsp;The 2018 Santorini Familia has a sharp, precise bouquet of green
apples and freshly cut pear, plus a faint whiff of sea spray. Maybe because it
is a few months younger, that volcanic/basalt element is less pronounced. The beautifully
balanced palate shows a fine line of acidity that feels a little stronger
compared to the 2017 Cuvée 15 (though the crucial sense of tension and energy
is intact) and displays excellent salinity on the finish. This is a superb wine
that maintains the standard set by Haridimos Hatzidakis. I would give it a few
months in bottle. 92/Drink 2021-2032.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1583768313129-hatzidakis_familia_2018.jpg"> 

The
wines of Hatzidakis Winery are distributed by Dionysos Imports and Frederick
Wildman in the United States, although neither of their websites appears to
list recent releases. The importer in the UK is Eclectic Wines. See <a target="_blank" href="http://www.hatzidakiswines.gr/">www.hatzidakiswines.gr</a> for a full list
of importers. Prices are around £30.00 a bottle for the Cuvée 15 and £25.00 a bottle
for the Familia.

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