Anastasia’s Fragou Attica dry Savvatiano 2020

Savatiano, or sometimes spelt with double “v”, that literally translated from Greek, like in this label “Savvatiano”, is the most commonly grown white wine grape varieties in Greece. Easily the most important one in Attica, near Greek capital, Athens city.

Despite its volume, the variety is not known widely outside of Greece, possibly due to the fact that all Savatiano makes are PGI wines and table wines. And it’s often overshadowed by its role of producing Retsina wines, although technological advances in modern winemaking have led to an upsurge in well-made, dry Savatiano wines. Savatiano’s resistance to drought and disease, both issues in the Mediterranean, has made it an obvious choice for the region, and it has been cultivated here for hundreds of years. It is also planted in smaller quantities as a workhorse variety in Peloponnese, Greek Macedonia, and in the Aegean Islands.

Anastasia’s Fragou winery was establish in 1986 by Constantine Frangos in Mesogaia, the viticultural heart of Attica. The area around Mesogaia has its winemaking history tracing back to the times of Ancient Greece. By 1999, the winery has modernized its infrastructure, and placed in new technological equipments. Start to create wines with crystal clear taste, this was headed by high quality Savatiano. And the other local grape variety that they focus on is Malagousia.

For this particular wine, 100% Savatiano had been used. The vines of Savatiano are planted in the single vineyard of Spata, located near Voulia. After harvest and breaking of the berries, the must cold soak on skin for a day, then the skins are removed, fermentation starts in a low, controlled temperature. It takes about 2 weeks to finish the fermentation, the wines go through fining, then bottled. Due to its protective wine-making method, the wine has rather pale, greenish yellow colour. Yet the aroma is quite abundant, helped by the cold soaking. The aroma profile concentrates on lemon blossom, lychee, mango, and lime. The palate is broad and round, with zesty acidity, hints of mint are felt at the end.

It’s a very good choice of match, for general seafood, risotto, creamy salad with broccoli and asparagus.