Ktima Anaxagora – Maratheftiko Reserve 2018

Tasted as part of a Cypriot red wine lineup, the single-varietal Maratheftiko 2018 from Ktima Anaxagora performed even better than the 2019 Maratheftiko from the same estate. With the wine that's a year older, you first notice more animalistic notes, though their less pleasant components dissipate quickly. On the palate, coffee and vanilla aromatics layer on top of each other. Plum dominates the fruit profile. Compared to the stylistically quite similar Katogi Averoff, this one comes across as less round and approachable overall, but in return the oak fascinates just a touch more: leather, damp undergrowth, a hint of coffee. That earns an excellent 91+ points. In principle, there's even more potential in this wine. What it lacks, though, is a bit of balance – the kind that would allow you to fully appreciate its complexity.