2017 Economou - Assyrtiko Phi Sitia (750ml)

Domaine Economou is one of Crete's most storied and closely watched producers, run by winemaker Yiannis Economou on the remote Ziros plateau in the island's east. Economou trained in oenology in Alba and worked cellars in Bordeaux, including a stint at Chateau Margaux, along with time in Piedmont under respected Nebbiolo producers, before returning home in 1994 to revive his family's vineyards. He is known for an obsessive, uncompromising approach, at times declining to release a vintage entirely if it does not meet his standards.

The Phi bottling is made from Assyrtiko grown on ungrafted vines between forty five and seventy years old, planted over limestone and sandy soils on the high, wind-swept Ziros plateau. Farming is organic and yields are kept naturally low. In the cellar, Economou favors spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts, extended aging in used oak, and bottling without fining or filtration, resulting in an oxidative style produced only in tiny quantities each vintage.

This wine pours a deep golden color and opens with a complex, evolving nose of dried apple, beeswax, and sea salt, often carrying a savory, almost briny edge on first pour. The palate is rich and textured, balanced by vivid acidity and a long, honeyed finish layered with Mediterranean herbs. It pairs beautifully with aged cheeses, cured meats, or richer seafood preparations like grilled octopus.