Jim Barry Assyrtiko

Ass-y-what? It’s pronounced “ah-SEER-tee-koh” and it’s story that started with a family holiday in the Greek Islands and ended up some 17,000km away in Jim Barry’s iconic Lodge Hill vineyard and Australia’s first (and currently only!) producer of Assyrtiko.

In 2006 Peter Barry (son of Jim and second generation winemaker) was on holiday with his wife Sue in Santorini when they tried a glass of the native white variety Assyrtiko.

“The crisp, acidic qualities reminded me of our Clare Valley Rieslings and yet it was a flavour I had not experienced before. Intrigued with this newfound variety, I began the process of importing cuttings into Australia through quarantine. In August 2012 we planted Australia’s first Assyrtiko at our Lodge Hill Vineyard, a special and unique site treasured by my family and suited to this variety. Our Assyrtiko journey has been fascinating and has enabled us to produce a wine which, I believe, is a true expression of the variety. I hope you find the flavours as interesting as I did in 2006.”

First produced in 2015 – this is the 2023 vintage and here’s a snippet of what the critics have had to say…

93/100 Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)
“Well, this is the seventh vintage of this wine we’ve reviewed, and I think it’s getting better and better… Lots of crunch, plenty of bite. It’s frisky, lemon zest, green apple and aromatic herbs, a little fennel. Texture is excellent, along with fresh thirst-slaking quinine-laced dryness, and a juicy/dry finish of excellent length. Very good. Energetic. Delicious.”

91/100 Mike Bennie (James Halliday’s Wine Companion)
“It’s a light and lean white wine, energetic and vivid in its delicate yet nuanced expression. Cucumber, tonic water, lemon juice and talc-like mineral characters with alpine herb elements in play. Attractive, powdery dry texture with a briny, minerally element assisting. A statement wine with intent for warm days and beach-side drinking. Really well done, and kudos due for the pioneering with the variety in Australia.”

90/100 (Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Real Review)
“Almost colourless white wine with a little tingle of gas at the edge. It smells really zesty and alive. Citrus aromas like Kaffir lime meet the nose, along with a hint of sea breeze and some steely notes. It tastes ripe and tangy, with plenty of juicy, green-apple fruit and a minerally, dry finish.”

Or as Peter himself puts it – “The palate shows powerful fruit weight with generous fruit flavours, and a clean acid line. A very long drive with slight salinity on the finish. This could be the best Assyrtiko we’ve produced yet.“

When it comes to Assyrtiko and food pairing – think Mediterranean! We’re talking fresh fish, fresh seafood, Greek salads and dishes with feta cheese. Drink this now to 5-6years from vintage.