Comparison
Australian Riesling vs Santorini Assyrtiko
How Australian Riesling and Santorini Assyrtiko differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
The main differences: Santorini Assyrtiko has more savoury character; Australian Riesling has more floral character; Santorini Assyrtiko has more texture.
Choose
Santorini Assyrtiko
Choose Santorini Assyrtiko if you want something more savoury, rounder and creamier in texture, stronger and warmer.
Where they genuinely differ
Only differences large enough to notice in the glass are listed here. A gap of half a point on a five-point scale is noise, and WineHQ does not dress it up as a finding.
Savoury character
Clear differenceNon-fruit, umami-adjacent character: meat, leather, olive, soy, broth, cured notes. Often increases with age.
Santorini Assyrtiko is more savoury: high against medium.
Floral character
Clear differenceBlossom, rose, violet, elderflower, acacia and related aromatic notes.
Australian Riesling is more floral: medium against low.
Texture
Clear differenceMouthfeel independent of weight — from lean and cutting through to creamy, waxy or velvety. Driven by lees contact, malolactic conversion, skin contact and ageing.
Santorini Assyrtiko is rounder and creamier in texture: medium-plus against low-medium.
Alcohol
Clear differencePerceived alcoholic strength, which tracks actual ABV but is modified by sweetness, acidity and body.
Santorini Assyrtiko is stronger and warmer: medium-plus against medium.
Body
Clear differenceThe overall weight and viscosity of the wine in the mouth — a composite of alcohol, sugar, extract and glycerol.
Santorini Assyrtiko is fuller and richer: medium-plus against medium.
Fruit intensity
Clear differenceHow loudly the fruit flavours speak, independent of whether they are ripe or tart.
Australian Riesling is fruitier: medium-plus against medium.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Sweetness: Similar — both low.
- Acidity: Similar — both high.
- Tannin: Similar — both low.
- Herbal / green character: Similar — both low.
- Spice: Similar — both low.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Australian Riesling | Santorini Assyrtiko |
|---|---|---|
| Savoury character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Floral character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | low (1/5) |
| Texture | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Alcohol | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Body | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Oak influence | low (1/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Sweetness | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Acidity | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Tannin | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Herbal / green character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Spice | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Earthy character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Carbonation | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Serve at | 8–10°C | 9–12°C |
| Typical flavours | lime, grapefruit, green apple, wet stone, jasmine | lemon, grapefruit, sea salt, wet stone, beeswax |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.
Read more
Style
Australian Riesling
Bone dry, intensely limey and steely — a category of its own, with almost nothing in common with German Riesling beyond the grape.
Style
Santorini Assyrtiko
Volcanic, saline, bone-dry white from an Aegean island — remarkable for keeping searing acidity in extreme heat.
Comparison
German vs Australian Riesling
Both are called Riesling and one is bone dry. Which is which?