13/01/2025
We are excited to introduce our first winery from Cyrpus! , run by Marcos and Marleen Zambartas, are at the heart of the Cypriot winemaking revival that is embracing indigenous varieties, high-altitude terroirs, and ungrafted old vineyards. Cyprus has a long and interesting winemaking history (read more below) and produces top-class wines from both indigenous and international varieties, which have been grown there for decades. This history is entirely captured in the story and wines of Zambartas.
Cyprus is the easternmost Mediterranean island and has a winemaking history that spans millennia. Its diverse landscapes, from coastal plains to mountainous vineyards, include Europe’s highest vineyards, situated over 1,000 metres above sea level. The climate is typically Mediterranean, with long, dry summers and mild winters, while high-altitude areas benefit from cooler temperatures and significant diurnal ranges, creating ideal conditions for quality winemaking. The dry climate is conducive to organic viticulture and Cyprus remains phylloxera-free, thus benefiting from own-rooted old vineyards.
What’s more, appellation rules prohibit irrigation, so all vineyards are dry-farmed. By the mid 20th century, Cyprus’s phylloxera-free vineyards and British influence made the island a leading producer of brandy and sherry, with many international varieties planted, including Shiraz, Mataro (Mourvèdre), Carignan, Chardonnay, and Palomino. In recent years, however, Cypriot winemakers have focused on rediscovering and championing indigenous varieties. These include the red Maratheftiko, with its deep fruit and herbal notes, and the white Xynisteri (tr. ‘the sour star’), which does well in the dry conditions and maintains its acidity, and Promara, valued for its elegance and aromatic complexity.
Zambartas Winery was founded by Akis Zambartas, one of the first French-trained oenologists in Cyprus, who for many years was winemaker at Keo. Crucially, Akis researched and recorded the indigenous varieties of Cyprus in the 1980s, preserving them for the future, and eventually leading to him setting-up his own winery in 2006 focusing on these indigenous varieties. The winemaker is now Akis's son Marcos, who studied and trained in Australia, and his Dutch-born wife Marleen. They manage 13ha of organically-cultivated vineyards at altitudes of 550m - 1,000m, including many old vineyards. Their wines reflect the quality and uniqueness of the local Cypriot varieties, from chalky, lemon-scented Xynisteri, to the warm, generous Maratheftiko.
