Jim Barry Assyrtiko, Clare Valley

Jim Barry Assyrtiko is a white wine made from the Assyrtiko grape variety. Assyrtiko is native to Greece and produces some excellent wines there; however, Jim Barry is one of the very few wineries growing this exciting grape variety outside of Greece, certainly the first in Australia.

While the Assyrtiko grape is famous for producing the bone-dry, slatey whites of Greece, Clare Valley icon Jim Barry took a bold leap by planting it on Australian soil. The result is a sensational success – a brilliantly fresh, textured white bursting with lime, green apple, and a distinct sea-spray minerality. It is available to buy at Fareham Wine Cellar.

Jim Barry Assyrtiko Vineyards

Today, there are nearly seven hectares of Assyrtiko planted across four vineyard sites in the Clare Valley (including The Florita vineyard at Watervale, one of the oldest in the Clare Valley), some of which are grown and pruned in the traditional Santorini kouloura basket shape (see the WineWiki).

All the vines in the Assyrtiko blocks are planted in shallow soils over the bedrock which makes them struggle just a little, producing intensely flavoured wines. The vines are single cordon trained to promote even canopy growth and provide optimal shade.

Winemaking

• Grapes for the Jim Barry Assyrtiko are hand-harvested and undergo careful sorting.
• The fruit is chilled to 6°C before being destemmed and pressed.
• After cold settling, the juice is racked with a portion of the light “fluffy” lees.
• Cool fermentation takes place with selected yeasts at temperatures of 14 to 16°C.
• Fermentation lasts two to three weeks.
• A small parcel undergoes cool fermentation in aged French barrels to enhance texture.

The First Australian Assyrtiko

Jim Barry’s son Peter and his wife Sue first encountered the Assyrtiko grape variety whilst on holiday in Greece in 2006. The wines reminded Peter of Clare Valley Riesling. He was smitten and returned to the Greek islands in 2008 to collect cuttings from Argyros Wines on the island of Santorini.

After serving the mandatory two-year quarantine required by the Australian government, the two Assyrtiko vines were released to Peter in 2010. 658 cuttings were propagated from these two vines, and the first Assyrtiko vines were planted in Australia at the family’s Lodge Hill Vineyard. The first bunches were harvested in March 2014.

Jim Barry Wines: An Australian Icon

Jim Barry Wines is a legend of the Australian wine industry and was one of the principal producers leading to the Clare Valley becoming recognised as one of the benchmark wine-growing regions of Australia. The Jim Barry Armagh Shiraz is considered one of the finest examples of the Clare Valley Shiraz.

After a degree in oenology at Roseworthy Agricultural College, Jim Barry founded the company in 1959. The company remains in family hands, and today his grandchildren Tom, Sam and Olivia are the winemaker, commercial manager and brand ambassador, respectively.