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Vardalis
 At the entrance to the village of Kilani, one of the most traditional wine villages of Cyprus, stands the neat and stylish Vardalis winery. In front of it stretches a lovely spacious yard, ideal for wining and parleying in an ecstatically suave Bacchic atmosphere. Standing at the heavy wooden gate of the winery, you cannot resist fixing your eyes on the soul-relaxing expanse of vineyards that, like mosaics, decorate the nearby regions of Limnes and Hardjia.
The winery was bought about a year ago by the Russian businessman Victor Velichko, who has delegated the difficult task of production to the oenologist Sophocles Vlassides. Sophocles tells me that he has the full and continuous support of the new owner who seems to have absolute confidence in his oenologist. The involvement of this well-known, capable and successful oenologist in the production process constitutes, in my opinion, the most basic safeguard of quality – as the takeover and distance management of a winery, in itself, can guarantee neither quality nor continuation and development.
Best Wine
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Maratheftiko 2006
This Maratheftiko was one of the most pleasant surprises I experienced during the tastings carried out specifically for this book. A very good wine, with attractive red fruit, flower, spices, grass and vanilla aromas. A full mouth with unusually soft tannins but also highlighted acidity, characteristic of the grape variety. Very successful vinification.
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Recommended Wines
Vardalis red
This is a well produced blend from Mataro, Grenache and Carignan grapes – an everyday use red for short term consumption. Good density red colour, a nose of medium intensity and simplestructured aromas (red fruits, grass and spices) and satisfactory body in the mouth with good balance and astringent aftertaste.
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Vardalis white
Made almost exclusively from Xynisteri, this is a very simple white wine that does not fully reflect the variety's potential. Light yellow colour, with low intensity yellow fruit aromas and a light taste of good acidity leading to a lemony aftertaste of satisfactory length. Suitable for short term consumption.
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