Gaia Thalassitis Assyrtiko

In the glass

What it pairs with

• Grilled sea bass
  Stone-fruit and saline lift refresh the oily white fish.
• Grilled octopus
  Salt-and-citrus tension cuts through charred tentacle.
• Goat cheese with thyme honey
  High acid lifts the tangy fresh cheese; floral lift bridges the honey.

How to serve Gaia Thalassitis Assyrtiko

Allow 5 minutes from open to pour.

1. Open and pour. Open and pour directly. No decanting required for this style.
2. Serve at 8-10°C. Cellar temperature (8-10°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
3. Glassware. Use a smaller all-purpose white glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
4. Pair with. Grilled sea bass, Grilled octopus, Goat cheese with thyme honey. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

Thalassitis (from thalassa, the sea) was the cuvée that re-introduced Santorini Assyrtiko to international export markets in the late 1990s, becoming a year-in-year-out reference.

1. 1994 — Gaia Wines founded by Yiannis Paraskevopoulos and Leon Karatsalos
2. 1997 — First Thalassitis vintage helps re-launch Santorini Assyrtiko internationally

Facts

Producer

Gaia Wines Santorini

Grapes

Assyrtiko

Classification

PDO Santorini

Oak

Stainless steel; no oak

ABV

13.5%

Price

EUR 25-40 at retail

Drinking window

2-12 from vintage

First vintage

1997

Frequently asked about Gaia Thalassitis Assyrtiko

Tags