Mavrotragano

            Vines in the sandy, volcanic soil of the Greek island of Santorini were one of the few to resist phylloxera. But what the invading louse couldn’t destroy, commercialization nearly did. The sacrifice of vineyards to burgeoning tourism development and the rush to plant the excellent white Assyrtiko grape once reduced the indigenous Mavrotragano to less than 2 percent of the island’s production. Most of it was used for sweet passito-style wine for local consumption. The tide turned in the late 1990s after a couple of prominent growers began producing dry wines, and their quality is becoming more widely recognized.

            Estate Argyros is often mentioned as being among the top producers. While my bottle from a certain D.C. wine shop seemed ridiculously overpriced at $60, I would recommend it at half that. It comes to the table carrying a big club, thanks to its 14 percent abv and 18 months in small oak barrels. But it’s not really a brute-force wine. Garnet in color, its spicy cherry-berry flavors are carried on a middleweight body and with restrained tannins, so the oak doesn’t overpower.

            Food pairing: Lamb is a natural partner.