Domaine Tselepos Canava Chrissou Tselepos Santorini Nikteri 2020 750ml

The 2020 Nikteri Canava Chrissou is all Assyrtiko aged for six months in used French wood. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol. This is sourced from very old vines. Like most wines in this category, this is a wee bit different—riper, burlier and more apt to let it all hang out. While this is not a fully understated version (some are experimenting with even more balance and control), this is still well-balanced for its style and category. The fruit with the hint of sweetness around the edges is delicious. There might be a tinge of oak there, more than actual sweet fruit, since this is fully dry and has only nominal residual sugar (2.7 grams). It is very ripe, however. Then, the power takes over, but here the depth and the ripeness regain control quickly. I’m never quite sure what to use these for, as they require a little more thought for a food pairing, and they won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but this is well done on its own terms, easily avoiding overkill. (Mark Squires)