Domaine Economou Oikonomoy PHI 2017
Domaine Economou Oikonomoy PHI 2017 – alternate view 2
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Domaine Economou Oikonomoy PHI 2017

Domaine Economou
$90.00

Grape: Assyrtiko
Vintage: 2017
Type: White

This low-intervention white wine is a distinctive varietal bottling of assyrtiko sourced from ancient vineyards in eastern Crete. Winemaker Yiannis Economou follows an old-school philosophy, relying on spontaneous native yeast fermentation and zero synthetic cellar corrections. The wine is aged for several years in old neutral oak barrels to encourage a slow, traditional oxidative character. This disciplined process yields a texturally complex wine centered on soil transparency and natural acid retention.

It displays a bright straw-gold color, releasing a complex nose of dried apples, beeswax, and a distinct wet-stone minerality. On the palate, a medium-to-full-bodied frame balances a rich, waxy texture with a sharp line of mountain acidity. Savory flavors of yellow pear and lemon curd fold into a unique undertone of Mediterranean umami herbs. The texture is broad yet perfectly focused across the mid-palate. It finishes long, dry, and clean, leaving a lingering saline trail.

Winery

Yiannis Economou returned to Crete in 1994 after studying enology in Alba and working in Piedmont, Germany and Bordeaux. His first task was to restore family vineyards on the high plateau of Ziros, in the eastern part of the island. The domaine’s parcels lie around villages including Ziros, Katsidoni and Etia, at elevations of roughly 600 to 650 meters. Old, often ungrafted vines and organic cultivation preserve a strong connection to local varieties such as Liatiko, Mandilari, Vilana and Thrapsathiri.

Time is as important as place in Economou’s cellar. Wines are aged for long periods and released only when he considers them ready, sometimes years after the conventional release window. Sulfur use is restrained, and the extended maturation gives the wines a distinctive evolution of texture and aroma. Liatiko anchors much of the red production, while the whites can show a layered, oxidative character. Rather than smoothing Crete into a familiar international style, Economou offers a patient and highly individual account of the island’s vineyard heritage.