Domaine Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko 2021

The 2021 Assyrtiko Barrel Fermented is an Assyrtiko aged for seven months in mostly (90%) used French oak. It comes in at 14.1% alcohol. This was bottled in April 2022. This seems more elegant and fresher than the regular bottling in this report, confounding my expectations of what the oaked version would be. This has the tightly wound demeanor on opening that the regular bottling could use. It has more grip on the finish, thanks in part to the wood, and it handles the wood perfectly, never seeming oaky or dull. At the same time, the next day it was lusher and perfectly balanced. This is beautifully done. I’m not sure it is quite a great one this year, but it works well. It should age for another decade, probably more. In the meanwhile, it could also use a year or two in the cellar, even if it drinks very well now. It will develop. Drink date: 2023-2034. Score – 93. (Mark Squires, robertparker.com, Jan. 12, 2023)