Ktima Toplou — 101 Portes Syrah 2019

The 101 Portes 2019 from Toplou Winery (PGI Lasithi) is a single-varietal Syrah from Crete. Two years ago, the nose was slightly barnyard-ish, but still very subtle and well within attractive territory. There's a hefty dose of spice in the glass, as becomes immediately apparent on the first sip — so much so that the varietal blueberry character only emerges on the finish. That the alcohol sits at just 13% comes as a surprise. A wine that may not be perfectly balanced, but is nonetheless very attractive thanks to its complexity, fully deserving a very good 89 points.