17 Jun Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Cairjn Wine Cellars 2024 Assyrtiko, Paso Robles Geneseo District

I remember the first time I discovered Assyrtiko while traveling in Santorini. I was fascinated by how compelling the grape could be. So, with the warm summer days here, I decided to chill the bottle sitting on my counter. I was intrigued as this Assyrtiko was from Paso Robles, not Greece. But after the first sip, I was reminded exactly why this grape is so special, and that is why the Cairjn Wine Cellars 2024 Assyrtiko from Paso Robles is the Please The Palate wine of the week.

About Cairjn Wine Cellars

Cairjn Wine Cellars, pronounced like “karn”, is derived from the word, “cairn” which means “a heap of stones piled up as a memorial or as a landmark.” Founder Andy Neja chose the name as a tribute to his family’s farming legacy and as a nod to the limestone-rich terrain of West Paso. Andy spent decades, from farming to hospitality, retail sales to hands-on wine production, honing his skills in the wine industry. It was his passion for farming and his desire to showcase the work of local farmers that first sparked the creation of Cairjn Wine Cellars. At Cairjn, Andy focuses on crafting small-lot wines that highlight distinctive grape varieties and expressive vineyard sites.

About Assyrtiko

Assyrtiko is a white Greek grape indigenous to the island of Santorini. It is considered one of the Greece’s most important native varieties. Known for maintaining high acidity, Assyrtiko produces wines that are fresh, mineral-driven, and structured. While still most closely associated with Santorini, the grape is now planted throughout mainland Greece and in small amounts internationally, including limited planting in the United States. In Paso Robles, Assyrtiko is planted in the Duas Terras Vineyard, a vineyard established by fourth-generation wine-grape grower Richard Lauchland. Inspired by his travels through the wine regions of Spain and Portugal, Lauchland recognized similarities between the Iberian Peninsula and Paso Robles and planted a collection of heritage Iberian grape varieties, with one intentional detour to Greece with the planting of Assyrtiko, a grape whose natural acidity and mineral-driven character thrive in warm climates.

Tasting Notes

The Assyrtiko, a late ripening variety, was whole-cluster pressed and then fermented in amphora and stainless steel. The wine was then aged for eight months in Amphora (60%) and used oak barrels (40%). There is periodic battonage (lees stirring) before bottling. The Cairjn Wine Cellars 2024 Assyrtiko has lemon, stone fruit, and green apple notes  with mineral undertones. Where the wine comes alive is on the palate. It is fresh and energetic with crips acidity, a textured midpalate, and a saline minerality on the finish.

Food Pairing

Assyrtiko is a very versatile white wine for food pairing and is especially good with Mediterranean cuisine. It is an excellent match for seafood, grilled vegetables, lemon-driven dishes, and salty cheeses. I enjoyed the wine with a Greek Salad topped with salty Feta cheese and chicken souvlaki. The texture of the wine matched the chicken and the saltiness of the feta enhanced the saline minerality of the wine.

Where To Purchase

The Cairjn Wine Cellars 2024 Assyrtiko retails for $60. It is on the higher end for a white wine but there is a limited amount, both because there is little Assyrtiko planted and also because there are only 70 cases made. To purchase the wine, visit the Cairjn Wine Cellars website.