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Zambartas Another dynamic appearance in the world of Cyprus wines has been made by an old hand at winemaking – the oenologist Akis Zambartas who had been for many years the director of the large wine company KEO. The debut of the Zambartas Winery in the island's wine business was admittedly sensational for the first wines that it has put on the market are really very good, and they cover the whole range (white, rosé, red) most successfully I would say, considering that we are talking about a newcomer in the world of winemaking. Despite the short period the Zambartas wines have been on the local market, I cannot think of any other winery whose range of wines is obviously of a higher quality. The Zambartas wines are top Cyprus wines. The whites, both the Xynisteri and the Sémillon, are among the top five whites produced in Cyprus. The winery's rosé is the best one can find on the island – it has singularity, vivacity and aromatic finesse. The Maratheftiko-Shiraz is equally successful among red wines: deepcoloured, with thick aroma and taste, it presages a successful future. The winery's second red wine, the Shiraz-Lefkada, is in no way inferior. What remains to be seen is whether the Zambartas wines will maintain their quality (and even improve) from year to year.
At the level of the vineyard, the producer has a long way to go: if the good work done so far is to continue, a lot of money will have to be invested. Akis Zambartas appears determined to have a first-class vineyard that will, in the course of time, support the winery's total production. In terms of premises, the winery is gradually being completed. At the time this book is being printed work on the final stages of the building is under way. The winery is a simple but functional building that adequately satisfies the demands of modern winemaking. The producer's son, Markos Zambartas, has completed his studies in Oenology and will be called upon to see to the winery's future prospects. It will take hard work and zeal to follow the footsteps of his father and time will show how successful he will be. I wish him success with all my heart.
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