Economou – Maybe More Myth than Man
Perhaps in honor of Christopher Nolan's new Odyssey film, but mostly because there are few wines as singular as those of Yiannis Economou, these are wines absolutely worth the journey. It's fitting that I often describe Yiannis as more myth than man. Elusive and enigmatic, he began his career in Germany and Barolo (Scavino and Ceretto, to be precise) before landing at Château Margaux, where he worked on the winemaking team. In the mid-90s he returned to his home region of Crete to take over the family vineyards, working with the island's classic varieties — Liatiko, Thrapsathiri, Mandilari, and Vilana. The vines are old, own-rooted, and hand-harvested. Never one for convention, he's also played for years with Assyrtiko, and even Cabernet and Merlot (a nod to his Margaux days, perhaps). Yiannis keeps his winemaking process secretive and his release schedule ever obscure to match, often sitting on wines for 10 to 15 years before offering them to his thirsty fans. Each cuvee is unique and you never quite know what you'll get because he may change something along the way. It could be long barrel age, long tank age, an evolved style or something more taut. Some of his wines are as difficult to navigate as the labyrinth itself, and you may need a thread woven by the Fates themselves to find your way back out. Okay — enough Greek antiquity. Yiannis's wines are simply extraordinary.
The Odyssey is made from Thrapsathiri, a grape indigenous to Crete, from old, own-rooted vines, aged in a long, evolved barrel style. Fans of the equally mythological Lopez de Heredia whites will find a kindred spirit here — cut from the same cloth, or maybe woven by the same thread. A crystalline texture carries dried apricot, dried lemon zest, toasted cashew, and praline. The wine finds its loudest voice after a few hours of air — a decant wouldn't be unwarranted. I tasted it across multiple bottles and multiple days, and it never let up, always pulling me back for one more sip.
Another remarkable chapter in this journey lies with his pair of Assyrtiko bottlings. The 2016 Assyrtiko, aged semi-oxidatively like the Odyssey, carries real tension — underlying acidity and minerality that unfurl as it opens. Lime peel, toasted almonds, and pineapple rind emerge with air. This is not a wine to rush.
The 2017 Phi Assyrtiko shows more density and phenolic weight, with a structure reminiscent of great old Marsanne from the Northern Rhône, or one of Lopez de Heredia's Tondonia Blancos. Roasted pear, smoked orange peel, salted apple, and toasted marzipan carry through a long finish that held my attention for hours.
As this journey winds down, it's clear Economou has written his own Odyssey of sorts. Like any good myth, these wines reward patience over immediacy, and the ones who stay with the story are the ones who get to hear how it ends. An epic in every sense.
2018 Domaine Economou “Odyssey” Crete
“A wine that whispers of an older, more mysterious age.” —Decanter, 98 Points
2017 Domaine Economou “Phi” Assyrtiko Crete “This is incredible Assyrtiko that ranks in the upper echelon of what is capable of this dynamic noble variety.” —Keith Mabry, K&L Greek Wine Buyer