20 Aug Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Perlegos 2023 Assyrtiko Sparkling Wine, Clements Hills, Lodi
On a recent road trip across California, I picked up a few special bottles along the way. On my way home, I stopped to visit my friend Marisa, a pastry chef and proud Greek American who once lived in Greece for five years, where I had the chance to visit her. So when she offered to make us dinner, I knew exactly which wine to open, the 2023 Perlegos Sparkling Assyrtiko from Clements Hills, Lodi, the first sparkling Assyrtiko made in the U.S., and the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.
About Perlegos Wine
Brothers John and Jeff Perlegos were born to Greek parents and raised in Lodi, California. Their parents owned and ran a local grocery story, but like most immigrant families, they also owned and farmed vineyards. They lived on a 20-acre vineyard and farmed about 100 acres of Flame Tokay and Zinfandel. As they got older, they thought they would go to college and get away from the summer heat of Lodi. But they never lived too far away and felt a responsibility to help their mom with the farming. They came back on weekends, especially during the growing season, and at some point during those trips, they fell in love with wine.
The brothers talked about making wine for years. Then in 2020, they finally decided to start Perlegos Wine. Today, they own 100 acres and farm 80 acres across four vineyards. They sell most of the fruit but keep a small amount for themselves. They are known for Zinfandel and have old-vine vineyards. But they also focus on grapes from the Mediterranean basin and grow Assyrtiko, Cinsault, Nero d’Avola, and Carignane.
Assyrtiko (pronounced Ah-SEER-tee-koh) is one of Greece’s most iconic white grape varieties, best known for its origins on the volcanic island of Santorini. It thrives in hot, dry climates yet retains remarkable acidity. The Perlegos brothers have two plantings of Assyrtiko in Lodi. They grafted Assyrtiko in 2021 on the Thera Block, located about 25 miles northeast of Lodi in the village of Clements. They also farm a second, own-rooted Assyrtiko vineyard nearby.
Tasting Notes
The Perlegos Sparkling Assyrtiko was produced in the traditional method and finished with no dosage (no sugar added). It is a straw yellow color and has a persistent mousse of tiny bubbles. The nose offers citrus, stone fruit, and mineral aromas with a hint of brioche. On the palate, the wine is crisp, fresh, and dry with bright acidity and a lovely roundness on the midpalate.
Food Pairing
We enjoyed a bottle of the Perlegos Sparkling Assyrtiko with a Greek feast that my friend Marisa made, which included Greek salad, pita with feta, grilled chicken with lemon, fasolakis (green beans cooked with tomato and potato), horta (Greek wild greens) with olive oil, and rice pilaf.
Where To Purchase
Only 100 cases were made of the very first sparkling Assyrtiko in the U.S. It retails for $35 and is available on the Perlegos website.
Discover more from Please The Palate
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.