Ktima Pavlidis Thema Agiorgitiko/Syrah

The 2014 Thema red is a 60/40 blend of Agiorgitiko and Syrah, aged for 12 months in 70% new French oak. It comes in at 15% alcohol. This was a difficult year in much of Greece, but this shows well. Bold in flavor, it adds a backbone and velvety texture. It is rather tightly wound overall. The finish has length and grip – it lingers beautifully on this red, a rather Big Boy that has lots of flavor. This has both the stuffing and the personality to hold up to strong foods – and it will definitely need a food pairing. It is a nice value. It should age reasonably well, but let’s take that in stages. Drink Date: 2017-2026. Score – 90. (Mark Squires, robertparker.com, Dec. 29, 2017 )