Kavalieros
How to pronounce it
Domaine Sigalas' benchmark single-vineyard Assyrtiko from Santorini's highest village, built for aging and bristling with volcanic intensity.
Kavalieros is a single-vineyard, 100% Assyrtiko from Domaine Sigalas in Imerovigli, the highest point on Santorini. The vineyard sits at 250 meters on volcanic ash, pumice, and black lava soils, producing roughly 10,000 bottles per year from vines over 60 years old. It is the first single-vineyard Assyrtiko ever produced.
- Located in Imerovigli, the highest-elevation village on Santorini, at 250 meters above sea level
- 100% Assyrtiko from vines 60+ years old; own-rooted due to Santorini's immunity to phylloxera
- Aged 18 months on fine lees in stainless steel tanks
- Bone-dry with high acidity (5.5-6.4 g/L) and 14.0-14.5% ABV
- Yields approximately 10,000 bottles annually
- Aging potential of over 7 years
- Scored 92 points by Decanter for the 2024 vintage
Vineyard and Location
Kavalieros sits in Imerovigli, the highest village on the island of Santorini, at 250 meters above sea level within the PDO Santorini appellation. The vineyard name translates to 'on top,' a direct reference to Domaine Sigalas' belief in the site's exceptional quality. Soils are volcanic in character, composed of ash, pumice, and black lava, the product of Santorini's dramatic geological history.
- Imerovigli sits at the highest elevation point on Santorini
- Soils consist of volcanic ash, pumice, and black lava
- Mediterranean climate with warm temperatures, low rainfall, and strong winds
- High humidity during the growing season is balanced by those persistent winds
The Grape and the Vines
Kavalieros is 100% Assyrtiko, sourced from vines over 60 years old. Santorini's volcanic soils have historically been hostile to phylloxera, meaning most vines on the island remain own-rooted, a rarity in the modern wine world. Assyrtiko retains naturally high acidity even in ripe years, which, combined with the extreme yields restriction of this site, produces a wine of concentrated power and precision.
- 100% Assyrtiko, no blending components
- Vines are 60+ years old and own-rooted
- Santorini's volcanic soils render it immune to phylloxera
- Assyrtiko maintains high acidity regardless of ripeness levels
Winemaking
Domaine Sigalas produces Kavalieros in tiny quantities of approximately 10,000 bottles per year. After fermentation, the wine ages for 18 months on fine lees in stainless steel tanks, a choice that preserves the volcanic mineral character of the site while building textural complexity. The result is bone-dry, with acidity measuring 5.5-6.4 g/L and alcohol sitting between 14.0 and 14.5% ABV.
- 18 months on fine lees in stainless steel tanks
- Bone-dry with 5.5-6.4 g/L total acidity
- Alcohol content: 14.0-14.5% ABV
- Stainless steel aging preserves the site's mineral expression
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Look it up →History and Significance
Domaine Sigalas was modernized in 1998 near the village of Oia by Paris Sigalas, and Kavalieros holds a defining place in Greek wine history as the first single-vineyard Assyrtiko ever produced. The wine sits within the PDO Santorini classification and has built a strong critical reputation, receiving 92 points from Decanter for the 2024 vintage. Its aging potential of over 7 years places it firmly among the serious white wines of Europe.
- First winery to produce a single-vineyard Assyrtiko
- Winery modernized in 1998 by Paris Sigalas near Oia
- PDO Santorini classification
- 92 points from Decanter for the 2024 vintage
Bone-dry and powerful, Kavalieros delivers concentrated citrus fruit, pronounced salinity, and deep volcanic minerality. White wine tannins add structure alongside the naturally high acidity. The extended lees aging builds texture and complexity without sacrificing the wine's sharp, precise edge.
- Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko Santorini$30-40Domaine Sigalas' estate Assyrtiko shows the same volcanic mineral precision at an accessible price point.Find →
- Domaine Sigalas Kavalieros Single Vineyard Assyrtiko$70-90The benchmark single-vineyard Assyrtiko; 60-year-old own-rooted vines, 18 months on lees, built to age.Find →
- Kavalieros is classified as PDO Santorini; it is 100% Assyrtiko from a single named vineyard in Imerovigli
- Vines are 60+ years old and own-rooted; Santorini's volcanic soils provide natural immunity to phylloxera
- Aged 18 months on fine lees in stainless steel; acidity 5.5-6.4 g/L, ABV 14.0-14.5%
- Production is approximately 10,000 bottles per year; aging potential exceeds 7 years
- Domaine Sigalas was the first producer to release a single-vineyard Assyrtiko; winery modernized 1998