Ktima Gerovassiliou — Evangelo 2019

The Evangelo 2019 from Ktima Gerovassiliou is a blend of 92% Syrah and 8% Viognier from Macedonia, northern Greece — a wine I hadn't revisited since tasting the 2012 vintage back in 2015. My renewed interest was sparked after Greek wine critic Simos Georgopoulos gave the 2021 vintage just 6 out of 10, criticizing it as overly tannic and bitter, and questioning its status as the estate's flagship red. On the nose, the 2019 shows cinnamon, pepper, and mint — promising, but still too young. On the palate, it feels underdeveloped, with surprisingly soft tannins and a short finish. A cocoa note makes me wonder whether this wine will quickly turn from too young to already past its best, skipping any real peak. The development over several days in an open bottle was equally concerning. In fact, my broader experience with the Evangelo and Gerovassiliou's monovarietal Syrah has been frustrating: most recently, the 2019 and 2014 struck me as either too young or past their prime, suggesting a narrow drinking window. Many Greek wine lovers swear by these wines, but I've never managed to catch one at its peak. At 91 points, the Evangelo 2019 is a decent wine, but I can't add a "plus" for aging potential. At around 35 euros, the value question is worth raising: for comparison, the Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde 2019 from Domaine Guigal (96% Syrah) is much more vibrant and expressive, earning 93 points — though it costs about 20 euros more. Whether the Guigal is truly better value is debatable, but the Evangelo left me wanting more conviction. I also wonder whether Evangelo is really the estate's flagship red, or rather the winemaker's personal favorite — a title that might more rightly belong to the Museum Collection, which I haven't tasted in years. I remain very open to being proven wrong by a perfectly timed bottle.