Hatzidakis Vinsanto 16 Years in Barrel 2004 (half-bottle)

Hatzidakis' Vinsanto is an extraordinarily sweet, yet somehow endlessly refreshing dessert wine. Made principally with Assyrtiko blended with some other local varieties, it is aged for years before release, when it has achieved many layers of complexity.

Brown in colour with a greeny/ochre rim. Insanely intense aroma of figs and prunes and dried apricots, and a lifted character from the high VA (1.83 g/l). The aroma alone is intoxicating. Viscous, incredibly sweet and intense like liquidised prunes, the darkest of marmalade that still has a bitter orange note. Incredible that a wine so sweet can still have a fresh and refreshing aftertaste (note the pH and the RS). Outstanding intensity and deeply viscous. You could make one sip last all night, the aftertaste is so incredibly long. Outstanding wine. Even better with strong, hard cheese. Take your time with this wine: it deserves your full attention.

18.5 points

Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, 17/11/2020