2025 Horse & Plow Assyrtiko - Napa Valley

The assyrtiko grape variety likely was born in the Aegean Sea, probably on the island of Santorini, and has spread from there all over Greece, including to the mainland and Crete. When you taste the wines, it’s easy to understand why: The high-acid variety brings great freshness and life into the glass but also is capable of making wines of real depth. A few growers and producers in California have caught on, and we’re just starting to see some compelling versions grown here. 

Horse & Plow is a small, family-run winery in Sebastopol whose owner and winemaker is Chris Condos. (By the way, his great-grandparents emigrated from Greece, so he has a familial affinity for assyrtiko.) Chris’s version is from a certified organic, biodynamic, and regenerative vineyard in the Rutherford district of Napa Valley. It fermented and then aged on the lees for six months, giving additional texture and weight while retaining assyrtiko’s signature acidity. It is like oyster shells on a rocky beach: stony, mineral, and saline, with subtle fruit, herbal, and floral notes - a classy and complete wine. Drink it with seafood of all kinds, including shellfish or grilled fish with capers and lemon, or a tomato- and feta-forward Greek salad.