Let the real Nykteri please stand up

By Yiannis Karakasis MW

"Tradition is not the worship of ashes but the preservation of fire." This quote perfectly captures the intriguing story behind Santorini's Nykteri wine, a traditional style crafted from grapes pressed during the very night of the harvest. Nykteri, which translates to "the wine of the night" (nykta meaning "night" in English), emerged as a refined and aristocratic contrast to the dense and tannic Santorinian Brousko wine, made from grapes pressed at the end of the harvest. However, the question arises: What does Nykteri represent today, or rather, what vision do we hold for its future?

Greek legislation currently specifies two requirements for Nykteri. Firstly, it must possess a minimum alcohol content of 13.5% abv. Secondly, it must undergo oak ageing for at least 3 months. The first requirement includes most  Santorini wines in terms of alcohol content, as it is rare to find a Santorini Assyrtiko below 13.5% nowadays. Furthermore, the minimum oak ageing requirement encompasses wines with any duration of oak influence, whether it be 3 months, 24 months, or even longer. However, considering the present state of Nykteri, it is crucial to explore its character in the past.

During a wine dinner event held in the historic Wine Caves of Selene Restaurant (pictured below), I had the opportunity to ask renowned Santorini producer Paris Sigalas of Oeno P about the true traditional Nykteri. Paris Sigalas, an influential winemaker, shared his insights: "The traditional Nykteri of Santorini was made from overripe grapes harvested in September rather than on August 10th which is more or less the case in our days... Overripe grapes didn't just yield high-potential alcohol of 16 or 17% abv; they also carried the influence of the sun on the grape aromas and flavours." Sigalas explained that the process involved collecting the creme de la creme, which is the free-run must, from the wine press, followed by fermentation in oak barrels. The barrels were then sealed without topping up, allowing an ullage (headspace) in contact with air. Consequently, the traditional Nykteri possessed a high alcohol content of 15.5 - 17% abv and exhibited an oxidative, nutty style with occasional unfermented sugars.

"Many of these Nykteri wines developed a layer of flor, similar to Sherry," Sigalas adds, "and the finest amongst them were particularly captivating. Often, due to the high level of ripeness of the grapes, the wines retained residual sugar, ranging from 6g/l to 8g/l, and sometimes none." In this fashion, Ktima Sigalas introduced the Nykteri Sigalas in 2009, featuring close to 16% abv, some residual sugars, and extended barrel ageing. There was just one crucial differentiation: they opted to fill the barrels, aiming for a fresher style rather than an oxidative one.