Melidou Winery — Kryfi Koilada 2018

We liked the monovarietal Syrah (2019) from Melidou Winery quite a bit and were outright in love with their untypical Cabernet Sauvignon (2018). Now, when I offered their blend of the two varieties (70:30 ratio), from the very same vintage as their Cabernet Sauvignon, I was eager to see whether someone would recognize the grapes — but not at all. This is a wine with a rather unique profile. It comes with a lot of vanilla in the nose. The sweetness on the palate is reminiscent of the Syrah. But astonishingly, the blueberry aromas which we found in both monovarietal wines retreat to the background, with sour cherry being dominant, especially in the finish. Between that and the first sip, the smooth tannins are most notable, but a bit of tension is lacking to elevate this wine to the next level. Still, very good 89 points!