The 2023 Papagiannakos Savatiano is a terrific example of Greece’s indigenous Savatiano grape, sourced from old, low-yielding vines in Attica. Fermentation in stainless steel preserves its freshness and varietal character, producing a dry, textured white with distinctive Mediterranean personality.
Professional Ratings
| Critic |
Rating |
| The Wine Front – Gary Walsh |
⭐ 92 points |
| Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate |
91 points |
Michael’s Wine Cellar also lists the 2023 at 92 points from The Wine Front.
The Wine Front – 92: Gary Walsh highlights stone fruit, honey, mint, thyme and lemon peel, with juicy fruit, saline character, fine tannin and a subtle bitter edge. He praises its refreshing quality and complexity.
Wine Advocate – 91: Monica Larner describes an intense bouquet of yellow peach, almond and pronounced minerality, with the concentration of old-vine fruit giving the wine a textured, medium-weight finish.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Lemon and citrus peel, yellow peach, stone fruit and subtle honey with almond, mint, thyme and mineral notes.
Palate: Medium-bodied, clean and refreshing, with juicy peach and citrus supported by moderate acidity. A distinctive saline/mineral quality and gentle herbal character add complexity.
Finish: Dry and persistent, with citrus, almond, herbs, salinity and a pleasantly subtle bitter note.
Sommelier’s Take
This is a great introduction to Savatiano beyond Retsina—there is no pine-resin character here. Instead, it’s a fresh, mineral-driven Greek white with enough texture to be interesting at the table. Think somewhere between Vermentino and a lighter Verdicchio, but with its own herbal Mediterranean personality.
Excellent with grilled fish, octopus, shrimp, oysters, Greek salads, feta, sushi or lemon-and-herb chicken.
The Wine Front
"Simple pleasures done well, is how I’d summarise this wine. Stone fruit, honey, quite a lot of mint and thyme perfume, with a light lemon peel top note. It’s juicy, but quite saline, with fine powdery tannin, a light quinine bitterness, and a finish of good length. It drinks well, it’s refreshing, and it has interest. I’m a fan."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)
Papagiannakos is a name worth knowing if you’ve got even a passing interest in Greek wine. Based just outside Athens, the family’s been working with Savatiano for generations - long before anyone outside Greece was paying much attention.
Today, Vassilis Papagiannakos is leading the charge to show what this humble local grape can really do, and this vino is a great example of what he's trying to tell the world about.
The fruit comes off 70-year-old, dry-grown vines planted in limestone-rich soils, and what you get in the glass is all about freshness and charm. It’s clean and lively, with gentle citrus and a little herbal lift. There’s a lovely, easy texture through the middle and a nicely dry finish that makes it a natural with food.
It's a lovely, honest wine that captures its place. Authentic, refreshing, and bloody good value for what it is.
