A Case of Questions with Matthew Stowell, Food and Wine Writer

One of my first paid writing jobs was with the now defunct Cyprus Gourmet, a local food and wine magazine started by Patrick Skinner, a dapper British expat who lived in Vouni and moved back to the UK many years ago to live (and chase dreams) in a revamped countryside windmill.

My editor at the time was Matthew Stowell, a talented American writer, journalist and occasional filmmaker who's been in and out of the The Rock more times than a cruise-ship captain docking in Limassol to do shots of zivania with girlfriend #5.

Matthew has had quite an adventurous and eclectic life. He's worked as a cook, bartender, construction worker, VW mechanic, taxi driver, proofreader, New York City bookshop owner, paralegal and English teacher. As a writer, he's served as a dance, visual arts and music critic for newspapers in Boston, San Francisco and Chicago, and written hundreds of articles on food and wine both in the US and Cyprus. Furthermore, he's been a finalist for the 1978 Virginia Prize for Fiction and the 2009 First Amendment Writes Poetry Prize, and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in Criticism. Matthew is the proud author of two detective novels (Roll Away the Stone and Blind Faith), a collection of poems (The Look of Love) and a book of dramatic works (Three Screenplays and A One Act). Most importantly to this blog's readers, he is the author of the island's latest wine guide, Stowell's Guide to the Wines and Wineries of Cyprus. Matthew is back on The Rock so we reached out and picked his brain on one of his favorite subjects. And make sure to buy his book!

Why wine?

I have been aware of wine and had respect for it since I was a child. I grew up in a large family and we drank wine with dinner—not every day, not with hot dogs and beans, but if the meal was put together as a substantial dinner, my father would send me down to the basement for a bottle of wine. So for me, a meal isn’t a meal without wine.

First wine that really captured your attention? How old were you?

When I was a teenager, I confess I liked Liebfraumilch. It was popular then and went down smoothly, but it didn’t really impress me as anything special. The first wine that truly grabbed me and made me sit up and study the label was a Petite Sirah (a cross between Peloursin and Syrah) from the Sonoma Valley in California. I was in my early twenties and living in San Francisco, working as company manager for a modern dance company.

All-time favorite bottle of wine?

During those same years in California, I was gifted with a bottle of Chateau Latour from the year of my birth, 1949. My girlfriend and I hitch-hiked down the coast to Big Sur and in a cabin at Deetjin’s Inn we shared the wine. It was an incredible experience. My girlfriend only took a sip then wanted to go for a walk. I told her, “You go ahead. I’m going to drink this wine. I’ll try to save you some.”

Favorite wine-producing region? Why?

I really love the wines of Cyprus. When I’m away from the island (at the moment I’m stuck in Mexico City) I crave Cypriot wines above all others. There’s just something about it that speaks to my soul. Next would be Bordeaux, Burgundy, Tuscany and the Douro Valley in Portugal.

Your favorite food-and-wine pairing?

Steak and Maratheftiko.

What is Cyprus missing when it comes to wine?

In my opinion, nothing. Some people complain that Cyprus doesn’t export its wines, they can’t find Cypriot wines in their home countries. That is because most Cypriot wineries are too small to produce enough bottles for a larger market. Let’s say some New York importer falls in love with a Xinisteri or Maratheftiko and tells the winemaker, I want 100,000 bottles a year, otherwise it’s not worth my while. Most Cypriot winemakers could not do it, or if they did, there would be nothing left for Cyprus. But I think this is a good thing. Keep it small. It’s more conducive to creating top quality wine.

What do you foresee for Cyprus’s wine industry?

A few more wineries will open. More experimentation with various grape varieties will take place. The quality, as it has over the past 20 years, will continue to improve.

What Cypriot wine would you match with grilled halloumi, The Rock’s greatest contribution to mankind?

You should always douse grilled halloumi with fresh lemon juice so I would probably drink a single vineyard Xinisteri (well chilled), a dry Rosé or maybe a Morokanella.

What do you enjoy most about your work in the food & wine world?

The people in the food and wine business in Cyprus, for the most part, are intelligent, passionate and generous individuals who enjoy the good things in life and love to share them, so I am always pleased to spend time with them. But I particularly enjoy introducing Cypriot wines to those who are unfamiliar with them, especially to people who have the antiquated opinion that our wines are inferior to those of France, Italy, Spain or the Americas.

Who is your favorite wine personality? Why?

J. Liebling, a food (and wine) writer for the New Yorker about 70 years ago. He once quoted a playwright friend of his who, admonishing his cook, said, “The wine cellar is becoming a disgrace—no more ‘34s and hardly any ‘37s. Last week I had to offer my publisher a bottle that was far too good for him, simply because there was nothing between the insulting and the superlative.”

Any embarrassing episodes involving spilled wine, corkscrews, sommeliers or drunken behavior?

I hadn’t been truly intoxicated since high school when I overindulged at a wine presentation/dinner at the Columbia Steak House in Limassol. Before dinner, when we were supposed to mingle in a bar area, I was nervous among so many strangers and could not say no every time a waiter approached with a tray of glasses of the new Zambartas rosé. And it was amazingly good wine! I forgot that there were several more wines to sample with dinner, but I dutifully sampled them and got so woozy I couldn’t speak English (or any form of Greek). Akis Zambartas had to drive me home, but we laughed together like newly minted oligarchs.

Of course, your all-time favorite Cypriot (or other island) wine?

I was visiting some in-laws in Limassol who didn’t drink much wine, but they knew I was passionate about it. As I was leaving, the hostess dug around behind some books in their library and pulled out a 15-year-old bottle of Ayios Elias (from the Chrysorroyiatissa Monastery in Panayia) and handed it to me. I opened it a couple of days later, and it was extraordinary! It was also solid proof that Cypriot wines had ageing potential.

You can contact Matthew via email or Facebook.

To New Beginnings

Marcos Zambartas Leading the Way

My first visit to Zambartas Wineries happened maybe eight years ago. We were met by the late Akis Zambartas, who had made the winery's top floor his home. After a quick tour of the winery's small facilities two floors down, Akis, garrulous as ever, sat us in his outdoor dining room and shared a wealth of information and stories over multiple glasses of his red wines. It was a welcoming, cheerful, generous visit, the type you experience when someone happily opens the doors to his home and you stumble out a while later, tipsy and with a big grin stamped across your face. 

Following a summer press trip organized by Vassos Eliades Ltd., Zambartas Wineries' new distributor on The Rock, I can say that this heartfelt hospitality remains as strong as ever. 

The New Tasting Room

Yes, things have changed. The main reason for our visit was to experience Zambartas Wineries' extensive renovation of its top floor, which has now become a classy and modern tasting room with a fully stocked kitchen that can cater to parties and larger groups of visitors. Clean lines, some dark wood, beautiful iron racks for the bottles on sale, and a predominantly black-and-white collage of photos rendering tribute to Akis and the family tradition have transformed the space. Additionally, the mezzanine, which served as the main tasting room, will become the center stage for aging the winery's yet-to-be-released Commandaria.

Part of the trip also included a tour of some of the winery's nearby vineyards. We drove past KEO's Ktima Mallia, Oinou Yi's lavish mountaintop winery in Omodos and Ktima Gerolemo towards Agios Nikolaos and into a higher terroir populated by rows and rows of vineyards. Unfortunately, it rained donkeys and moufflons that day, so we couldn't walk the fields and get a chance to experience wine-making straight from its source.

Fancy Anything?

My favorite part of the visit was Marcos Zambartas telling us about Margelina, a vineyard that harks back to 1921 and which he proudly purchased on Bazaraki.com (the Cypriot equivalent of eBay). Marcos believes Margelina will offer not the best but the truest representation of Cypriot wine. Christodoulos, the winery's vigneron, called this plot a living museum of Cypriot wine as it offers a glimpse into the history of Cypriot wine. You can see how vineyards were planted in the past, one atop each other, crowded, nary a row. Different varieties—Mavro, Xynisteri, Maratheftiko and more—stand side by side, some of them unrecognizable to the trained eye. So much so that Marcos had to ship some of Margelina's grapes abroad for further review.

Of course, we tasted a few wines too as part of the visit. And here's always where I start to blabber like a hyper infant. Besides the usual suspects, we sampled a few surprises.

The 2017 Single Vineyard Xynisteri (now in screw cap!) is a limited production bottle made with small-bunch grapes and 40 percent of it going through wild yeast fermentation. The vineyard is located at 950 meters above sea level in Mandria and is 29 years old. I have no doubt in my mind that Zambartas' Single Vineyard Xynisteri is the benchmark for Cypriot (indigenous) white wines. Quite mineral with notes of citrus, orange peel, stone fruits and white flowers and hints of mountain herbs and sweet vanilla spice. It's smooth, lean, clean and fresh with great length and good acidity. Plus, it will definitely improve after a couple years.

Boom Goes the Dynamite!

The 2016 Single Vineyard Shiraz, a new addition to the wine roster and also in screw cap, has a limited production of about 600 bottles and spends 15 months in oak barrels with about 80 percent of it in new ones. If you enjoy meaty wines, this one's for you. It's lountza-y, spicy, smoky and loaded with notes of black fruit and berries—it screams steak in the same way I scream for a dalliance with a bottle of DRC. [Editor's note: This will happen one day; never stop believing.]

Finally, we tasted the 2011 Zambartas Commandaria, a 65-35 percent Mavro-Xynisteri blend that should be out in the markets in 2021. This was utterly delicious. A clean nose with touches of dried apricots, figs, dates, some butterscotch, brown sugar and just a hint of smoke or meatiness. On the palate, great acidity, weighty tannins and some remarkable notes of white chocolate, raisins and brioche.

Towards the end of the visit, Marleen, the winery's marketing guru and Marcos' wife, tells me one of their hopes is that Akis is proud of how they've transformed the space he once called home. From all of my visits to Zambartas Wineries, there's no other answer but yes.

For a post on my second or third visit to Zambartas Wineries, click HERE.

On Commandaria and Camaraderie

George Kassianos in Action!

Competition can sometimes suck the life out of a room. Drop a dozen egotistical, competitive Alpha males  in a six-by-six meter caged ring and you end up with ripped designer suits, bloody and bruised noses and a prohibitively expensive visit to both a dentist and personal injury lawyer. Case in point, the US's pathetic Republican Party, which is sinking faster than it takes me to spell out Gewürztraminer. [Editor's Note on 11/9/16: Oops?]

Nowadays, competition is absolutely necessary. It weeds out the weak, strokes the strong and motivates the mediocre (like myself) to try harder to break through. If it were up to me, though, I'd pack competition's heavy baggage and book it a one-way ticket to Taft and the lower bunk in Rudy Kurniawan's cell where they could both braid each others locks and get drunk on Faux-Brion. Unfortunately, I'm as afraid of competition as I'm of Burgundy, Naoussa and Barolo being set ablaze by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Half of the Team Behind Ayia Mavri

My usual diatribe brings me to a private reception and dinner hosted back in May by the Cyprus Wineries Association at The Powerhouse in Old Nicosia. Many of the island's winemakers were in attendance alongside journalists, bloggers, sommeliers and other wine personalities, to present little known varieties and break bread together.

I made my rounds, tasting and chatting the night away, making a mental note of those somewhat rare wines that left an impression and deserve a repeat visit. KEO's 2011 Yiannoudi, a recent release by the Cypriot wine giant, and Tsiakkas' selection were both promising renditions of The Rock's new darling of the local red varieties. KEO also introduced an off-dry 2015 Altesse, a French variety who some experts claim originated in Cyprus and I found interesting as a digestif. Zambartas was there with his now sophisticated Single Vineyard Xynisteri, a wine that does a good job showcasing the variety's potential. Finally, Aphrodite Constanti of Vassilikon Winery poured samples of their recent work with Maratheftiko, a wine that if I recall correctly (take notes next time, moron!) had a noticeable and lovely herbal character.

Birds on a Wire

As the night slipped away in a haze of laughter and wine, I was amazed at the camaraderie on display by the winemakers present. They all cherished each other's company, talking and exchanging tastes of their wines, without any competitive urges springing forth and souring the soiree. I'm clueless as to whether or not this is generally the case, but for an outsider like myself it was refreshing to see such high levels of respect and support shown by individuals with similar products competing in a rather minuscule market. Then again, since The Rock is like a small neighbourhood where everyone knows everyone (and everything about everyone), it is only natural for camaraderie to develop as a healthier and more sustainable option to strengthening an industry than playing hardball and always going for the jugular.

Nothing struck me as a greater show of camaraderie than when one of Cyprus' most talented oenologists announced to our table that KEO had brought along a 1984 Saint John Commandaria and a few minutes later showed up with the open bottle and served the forty-plus invitees. This is the only way forward, Cyprus wine, and I certainly hope this spirit stays strong.

2000 Etko Centurion Commandaria - Deep enveloping aromas of brown sugar, coffee, toffee, cinnamon, vanilla, dried prunes, apricots and dates. A really interesting white chocolate note running throughout. 92/100.

1984 KEO Saint John Commandaria - Fully developed, complex, great interplay between sweet and savoury. Dark chocolate, coffee beans, smoke, raisins and other dried fruit, leather and good gaminess on the palate.  My new thirty-two year-old mistress. 95/100.

Hips Don't Lie

I love my labels. 

I don't mean those multisyllabic Italian names that dress wafer-thin models in clunky, mismatched fabrics, ghoulish make-up and heels that could be used to maim a disgruntled lover. Me trying designer clothing is akin to forcing a Fiat 500's chassis onto a naked Hummer; hips don't lie, people. Plus, those labels are for the cool kids, and cool kids don't cry watching Massimo Bottura talk about his wife and Parmesan cheese.

I love my wine labels. Whether we like it or not, plenty of consumers out there partially base their wine purchases on the label; it catches a corner of their eye with its modern design, its comedic undertones, its bravado, its refinement, you name it. I've been guilty of this plenty of times, specially when my phone's roaming and I'm looking at a region of the world that's as obscure to me as deep-fried pork belly is to a supermodel.

Since moving to Cyprus ten-plus years ago, the evolution of the Cypriot wine label has been interesting to follow. It's only during the past three-to-five years that some of the wineries on The Rock have embraced labels that have become something to write home about. Still, many remain stuck in the past with old fashioned, unimaginative and dull labels that fail to capture the consumer's imagination.

Rocky Ledge Above Vouni Panayia Winery

For me, it all starts with Vouni Panayia, whose labels experienced a massive transformation, and are the coolest on the island. After spending a sunset with the Kyriakides family on a steep rocky ledge one-thousand-plus meters above sea level—sharing stories and laughs, sampling their Promara and Spourtiko, taking in the myriad of colours scattering into black—these labels make perfect sense: a mouflon, Cyprus' national animal, leaning over a large V that mimics said cliff.

Tsiakkas winery has also done a good job, adopting a series of drawn Cypriot motifs to embellish their bottles, and Zambartas, from the get-go, designed a sophisticated label that stands out for its finesse. However, as has come up in discussions with the team behind Evoinos, another Cypriot wine blog, it's not enough to just modernise one's labels without having a coherent, interesting and informative story behind the effort. Maybe this is a marketing or branding issue that has failed to take hold of the Cypriot wine industry, but it is one where there's tons of potential.

The Unveiling

The latest to adopt a new image was Kyperounda Winery, and I was honoured to have been invited to the launch for the rebranding of its entry level wines—Petritis, Andessitis and Rosé—which was held at Nicosia's Municipal Gardens.

The sophisticated affair perfectly complemented Kyperounda Winery's new labels, which consist of a series of pine cones coloured in gold, blue and fuchsia, one for each bottle. The design's lines are simple yet classy and are in touch with the winery's history and its geographic location in the Pitsilia region of the Troodos mountains.

According to the winery, "The new labels in the main series of wines by Kyperounta Winery exude refinement, highlighting the dynamic character and quality of the wines. The symbol is the pine cone, characteristic of the Pitsilia area. It is worth noting that Pitsilia took its name from the ancient 'Pitis,' which means pine."

Kyperounda's New Label Art

From my brief conversation with the Kyperounda Winery crew hosting the event, the winery is also looking into revamping the labels for their mid-range wines, which include the Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and always enjoyable Chardonnay. It will be interesting to see whether they will stick to the pine cone theme or come up with something altogether new.

In any case, it's about time Cypriot wine labels do justice to the vastly improved libation that's now found in the bottle and adds kilos around our waists. 

By the way, if any local winery is up for it, we can organise a label design competition and see what comes of it. Plenty of talented artists on The Rock and I'm sure plenty of them would be thrilled to design something for a case of your finest Maratheftiko, bragging rights and a shoutout/nickname on my third-rate wine blog.

Who's got next?

Lyhnos is for Lovers

You know how much I love agrotourism. All those old (sometimes renovated, sometimes ageing) cottages up in the mountains provide me with a great respite from my discombobulated life in The Rock's capital, The Big Fig. Seemingly, the silence, the emptiness, the fresh air, the close proximity to the island's wineries are rejuvenating.

Weekend Escape Anyone? Part I

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit a new bed and breakfast in Askas, a minute and unbeknownst-to-me village entrenched in the steep hills between Palaichori and Alona. Run by My Zolpidem Supplier's good friend, Elena Christou, "Lyhnos" consists of a few small houses belonging to her family that have been transformed into four spacious and sophisticated bedrooms and a contemporary tavern serving traditional Cypriot food with a twist. Each bedroom has its own stylish decor as Elena handpicked unique furniture and decorative items to lend each its own distinct and cozy personality. The "Suite," for instance, is decadent with its plush lime green seating area,  fireplace, flat-screen television, canopied bed frame and modern bathroom with a privacy glass wall that offers its guests a bird's eye view of the village centre while lathering (each other) up. Taking a cue from my favourite state in the Union, Lyhnos is definitely for lovers. Still, many of the sofas convert into beds if you want to spend extra quality time with your nagging children.

The Tavern

The main reason for our visit was to test drive the tavern. Despite this cracker of a blog, my web of contacts does not stretch very far so I'm never invited to soft openings. Given the opportunity, though, we took to our duties like beavers damming the Amazon. Aesthetically speaking, the space combines the clean, light lines of the parquet floors and contemporary furniture with the heavy stone walls and wooden beams that surround it. The two long dining rooms are rather sparse and might benefit from some pops of color on the walls, both to provide added contrast and a bit of sound proofing. A patio lined with potted flowers is available towards the back of the second room for al fresco dining during the summer.

Weekend Escape Anyone? Part II

For the most part, the food consists of meze, but a few a la carte options will be available for overnight guests. Elena explained that the menu will change frequently and focus on seasonal produce and recipes from the Pitsilia region in Cyprus. On our visit, some of the meze's highlights were the cheese and smoked pork tenderloin (lountza) dip; a revelatory halloumi grilled and then cooked with chopped tomatoes, sliced onions and fresh mint; courgette and feta fritters; wine-soaked sausages; grilled pork cutlets; lamb baked in parchment paper, and; an anari and phyllo pastry parfait with a rich Commandaria syrup. A couple of other dishes were not as successful, and we all let Elena know for future reference so I'm certain we'll see improvements on our next visit. Overall, considering Lyhnos was trying things out, the service was of a good standard and the food was tasty and plentiful.

The Cava

Elena is a budding oenologist—she's dying to make wines with Giannoudi, a local and rare red grape variety—and designed the eatery's wine cellar. With its wall-to-wall oak-toned racks, dim lighting and a small table for private tastings, the cava sits to the side of the first dining room and provides guests with a nook where to sample The Rock's finest. Lyhnos's Cyprus-only wine offering is strong. Elena selected a range of bottles from the usual suspects (Zambartas, Aes Ambelis, Makkas, Vlassides, Tsiakkas, Argyrides, Kyperounda and Vouni Panagia) that cover most grape varieties available on The Rock (Xynisteri, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourverdre, Maratheftiko, Merlot, Lefkada, Promara, Spourtiko, etc.) On our visit, we sampled the 2011 Makkas Maratheftiko, a smooth, easy-to-drink red that burst with red fruit and some lingering spice. I was also happy to see the Aes Ambelis Commandaria as the go-to sticky along with Agia Mavri's always enjoyable Mosxatos.

Weekend Escape Anyone? Part III

From our short visit, I believe only a handful of local agrotourism options combine sophistication, comfort, privacy, romance and decent pricing in the way Lyhnos does. A night at Lyhnos (double occupancy and breakfast included) will only set you back 80 to 125 Euros depending on the room/suite selected, while a meal at the tavern runs between 20 and 25 Euros per person, again depending on the wine selected. If you pick Kyperounda's EPOS or the Zambartas Shiraz Lefkada, expect your bill to run closer to 35 Euros. For more information, check out their Facebook page, email them at info@lyhnos.com or call (+357) 99-210688. Lovers, rejoice.

Whine On The Rocks' Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Sparkling Spatulas

ZZ Top of Cypriot Wines ( Part II)

Here's Part Two of the fun Google Hangout with Marcos Zambartas and Marleen Zambartas Brouwer of Zambartas Wineries and the bloke behind Vino Vademecum, an online wine shop based out of Austria. They touch upon a whole range of (other) subjects in this forty minute video: Alain Ducasse recipes, the history and main characteristics of Lefkada, ageing potential of the Zambartas Shiraz-Lefkada, oak barrels and forests, more on Sauvignon Blanc, and the winery's future wines. Enjoy.

In case you missed it, here's Part One.

ZZ Top of Cypriot Wines (Part I)

Here's a fun Google Hangout with Marcos Zambartas and Marleen Zambartas Brouwer of Zambartas Wineries and the bloke behind Vino Vademecum, an online wine shop based out of Austria. They touch upon a whole range of subjects in this lengthy forty-five minute video: the winery's history, the roots of the name Zambartas, local varieties like Xynisteri, the style of wines produced by Marcos and his team, etc. Skip to minute four to get started.

 

Late To The Show

My mind is failing me. Just realised I forgot to post on the 2014 Decanter World Wine Awards. As usual, The Rock's wineries partook in the soiree and many of them (again, not as many as in previous years) were awarded medals. Cyprus' best performing wine was Aes Ambelis' Commandaria, a wonderful version of the Cypriot classic that received a Gold Medal and that I had sampled earlier at Barrique Wine & Deli. Below is a comprehensive list.

Gold Medals

Aes Ambelis Commandaria

Silver Medals

2013 Aes Ambelis White (Xynisteri/Semillon)
2013 Ktima Gerolemo Xynisteri
2012 Makkas Winery Red (Maratheftiko/Shiraz/Lefkada)
2013 Sodap Kamantarena Rose (Shiraz/Lefkada)
2005 Sodap Saint Barnabas Commandaria
2011 Zambartas Wineries Maratheftiko
2012 Zambartas Wineries Maratheftiko

Bronze Medals

2013 Ktima Gerolemo Off-Dry Rose (Maratheftiko)
2012 Ktima Gerolemo Maratheftiko

2013 Vasilikon Winery Xynisteri
2013 Vasilikon Einalia Rose (Shiraz/Maratheftiko)
2013 Ktima Gerolemo Riesling

2013 Sodap Kamantarena Xynisteri

2012 Zambartas Wineries Shiraz-Lefkada
2013 Zambartas Wineries Xynisteri

Commended Medals

2011 Aes Ambelis Omiros Maratheftiko
2013 Aes Ambelis Rose (Marathefitko/Lefkada)
2013 Ktima Gerolemo Xynisteri

2013 Makkas Winery Rodostafylo Rose (Maratheftiko/Lefkada)
2013 Makkas Winery Xynisteri

2011 Makkas Winery Maratheftiko
2011 Makkas Winery Merlot
2009 Sodap Stroumbeli Maratheftiko
2013 Sodap Kamantarena White (Xynisteri-Semillon)
2010 Sodap Lefkada

A Case of Questions with John Kouphou, Executive Chef at Elea Estate, Paphos

Twitter has been very kind to me. I've "met" loads of interesting people and made several wine-related contacts. One of those is John Kouphou, Executive Chef at Elea Estate in Paphos since 2010, fellow wine aficionado, passionate Arsenal F.C. fan and Twitterati. He's worked in Dubai at The Atlantis and The Palm and has cooked up storms for a slew of celebrities including Bobby De Niro, Michael Jordan and Charlize Theron (lucky dog!). I haven't yet paid him a visit to sample his innovative Club House cuisine but it's on my never-ending bucket list. In any case, he was kind enough to set aside his sparkling spatulas and take a crack at the blog's short-but-sweet case of questions. Let's see how he fares.

Why wine?

CJK: Wine fits with any mood, social gathering (i.e., friends, family), time of day or [even] time of year.

First wine that really captured your attention? How old were you?

CJK: I was around seven years old during the 70s and my parents used to drink Mateus rose. I remember the shape of the bottle.

All-time favourite bottle of wine?

CJK: Chablis Premier Cru.

Favourite wine-producing region? Why?

CJK: Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. [Its] oaky, acidic, crisp smokiness.

Your favourite food-and-wine pairing?

CJK: Any [involving] seafood.

What is Cyprus missing when it comes to wine?

CJK: The big wineries [Editor's note: I assume Chef John refers to KEO, LOEL, ETKO & Sodap] need to take a leaf out of the small bespoke wineries.

What do you foresee for Cyprus’s wine industry?

CJK: If the big wineries invest time and money in small wineries, we will be on the right road.

What do you enjoy most about your work in the food & wine world?

CJK: The endless possibilities of food and wine pairing.

What is your “Five Year Plan” for your business?

CJK: To continue to be innovative.

Who is your favourite wine personality? Why?

CJK: Kate Goodman [Host of a revamped Food and Drink on BBC Two.] She is a straightforward wine talker.

Any embarrassing episodes involving spilled wine, corkscrews, sommeliers or drunken behaviour?

CJK: I worked with a 4-foot Portuguese sommelier in the past. He was always drunk! [Smiley face] 

Of course, your all-time favourite island  wine?

CJK: I love the Zambartas Cabernet Franc/Lefkada Rose. You can taste the raspberries and pomegranate. Beautiful.

You can find Chef John on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/chefjohnkouphou) and on Twitter (@chefjohn_). He works his culinary magic in Paphos at Elea Estate.

The Year of Xyn?

A Thursday quick hitter. A couple weeks back, several Cypriot wines were awarded Gold and Silver medals during the 14th Thessaloniki Wine Competition. A brief glance at the results shows quite the success for the Cypriot variety Xynisteri in 2013: four Gold and three Silver out of a total sixteen medals collected by The Rock's wineries. Am I reading too much into this or was 2013 a good year for the grape?

Gold Medals

2010 Vlassides Winery Private Selection (Red Blend)

2005 Sodap Saint Barnabas Commandaria

2013 Sodap Stroumpeli Chardonnay

2011 Ayia Mavri Winery Mosxatos

2013 Sodap Kamantarena Xynisteri

2013 Zambartas Wineries Xynisteri

2013 Vlassides Winery White (Xynisteri/Sauvignon Blanc)

2013 Ktima Gerolemo Xynisteri Dry

Silver Medals

2012 Zambartas Wineries Epicourios (Lefkada/Merlot)

2009 Vassilikon Winery Methi (Cabernet Sauvignon)

2013 Vassilikon Winery White (Xynisteri)

2012 Ktima Gerolemo Maratheftiko

2008 Vardalis Winery Maratheftiko

2013 Kolios Winery Persefoni (Xynisteri)

2012 Zambartas Wineries Maratheftiko

2013 Ktima Gerolemo Xynisteri Medium/Sweet

On a related (island wine) note, Grand Gold Medals were handed out to the 2004 Domaine Sigalas P.D.O. Santorini Vin Santo and 2010 U.V.C. Samos P.D.O. Samos Nectar. Nothing like a duo of stickies to sweeten up our lives.

Quandaries...

Results for the 2013 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) were released earlier this week. Overall, The Rock's performance was not as solid as in previous years with only one Silver Medal being awarded to Sodap's 2002 Saint Barnabas Commandaria. Beyond that, as usual, Cyprus received its fair share of Commended and Bronze medals.

From this and last year's results, it's pretty clear (to me at least) that only a handful of Cypriot wineries have chosen to send their wines to DWWA. Honestly, I wonder why. Do costs outweigh potential benefits? Do awards have little impact on a wine's reputation/sales in the Cypriot market? Are these contests perceived as being "biased" or not good appraisers of the quality of the wines sampled? Dear readers, if you have any insight into this, we'd appreciate your thoughts.

Anyhow, here's the list of awarded wines:

Silver Medals

2002 Sodap Saint Barnabas Commandaria

Bronze Medals

2010 Aes Ambelis Omiros (Maratheftiko)

2010 Vasilikon Winery Ayios Onoufrios (Red Blend)

2009 Vasilikon Winery Methy (Cabernet Sauvignon)

2012 Prophet Elias Gerolemo Muscat

2012 Sodap Kamantarena Xynisteri

2012 Sodap Stroumbeli Maratheftiko Rose

2010 The Anama Concept Commandaria

Commended Medals

2010 Aes Ambelis Ektor (Shiraz)

2012 Aes Ambelis Xinisteri-Semillon

2011 Makkas Winery Chardonnay

2010 Makkas Winery Merlot

2012 Makkas Winery Rodostafylo Rose

2010 Makkas Winery Syrah

2012 Prophet Elias Gerolemo Riesling

2012 Prophet Elias Gerolemo Maratheftiko Rose

2012 Sodap Kamantarena Rhine-Riesling

2012 Sodap Mountain Vines Semillon

2012 Sodap Mountain Vines Cabernet Sauvignon-Maratheftiko

2012 Sodap Stroumbeli Chardonnay

2009 Sodap Stroumbeli Shiraz

2009 The Anama Concept Commandaria

2009 Vouni Panayia Barba Yiannis Maratheftiko

In Our Element

Cellar at Zambartas Wineries

As a (pseudo) wine blogger, I am not industrious enough to visit and write about The Rock's wineries on a semi-regular basis. Financial constraints, the size of my liver and The Wife, Ph.D.'s indecisiveness put a damper on any desire I might have to hit the winding roads each weekend, tour a handful and load up my station wagon with cases of Xynisteri, Maratheftiko and Shiraz. Once in a while, though, my bullheadedness barrels through and The Wife, Ph.D. can only nod as I lead her up the mountain into the arms of a local winemaker.

So in an obvious lapse of parental judgment, the stage was set a few weeks ago for Little Miss Despot's first winery visit—a long drive to Zambartas Winery, one of The Rock's best and most consistent wineries, a didactic presentation on wine-making, a tasting of six excellent wines, great conversation, and multiple breastfeeding and diaper changing sessions in the back seat of my soccer mom car. My Zolpidem Supplier, Radio Free Cyprus and Cousin #2, brave enough to join us on our adventure, can attest to the stink that emanated from inside our vehicle.

A piece by Hambis in the tasting mezzanine

The Dijon-mustard-toned winery (which doubles as Mr. Akis Zambartas' residence) sits at the edge of Ayios Amvrosios, a village just northwest of Limassol, and overlooks a sprawl of vineyards and hills. What first captures your attention upon walking in is the oenologist's wonderful collection of engravings by his close friend and noted Cypriot artist Hambis Tsangaris decorating its walls. A touching portrait of Mr. Zambartas hangs as centerpiece on a living room wall and several other pieces are showcased on the metallic stairwell that descends into the tasting and vinification areas. The tasting room, a welcome addition since my last visit pre-blog, is a modern yet warm mezzanine with shiny red cabinets for storage, lacquered barrels topped with clear glass as bars, and a long plastic white table to accommodate the imbibers. From the balcony, one can peer down and see the many steel fermentation tanks, each with its own humorous moniker, standing in a row like shiny, metallic watchtowers. Overall, the winery's facilities are not extravagant and might convince the foolish and/or uninitiated (like Radio Free Cyprus and myself) that all one needs to make good wine is a medium-sized warehouse and some start-up capital to buy the necessary equipment. And that's precisely why my nous is better suited to "write" (cough, cough) than to keep a business afloat.

Akis Zambartas in his element!

Mr. Zambartas, former winemaker and general manager at KEO, led us downstairs for the educational component of the tour, a detailed explanation on the agricultural, biological and chemical processes involved in wine-making. Following an informative (chemists rejoice!) and engaging 25-minute session, we headed back upstairs to the tasting mezzanine where wine glasses and a simple white bread and cheese platter awaited. The Zambartas lineup consists of two whites, one rose and three reds, each among the best of their kind on The Rock. The 2012 Zambartas Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blend recalled grapefruits, pears and a touch of white flowers on the nose and had a bewildering hint of spicy Turkish  Cypriot delight and honey on the palate. The 2012 Zambartas Rose, a wine which I have waxed ecstatic about in the past, is as good as ever, likewise the 2011 Zambartas Maratheftiko, a favorite of mine, and the 2011 Shiraz Lefkada, arguably Zambartas's most refined, powerful and intriguing wine. The 2011 Zambartas Epicurean, a Merlot and Lefkada blend, though, surprised me the most. This wine's 2010 vintage combined Maratheftiko, Merlot, Shiraz and Lefkada and, in my opinion, paled in comparison to the new-and-improved bottling which had interesting plum and dark forest fruit notes and was a lot more focused, leaner and elegant.

L.M.D. in her element?

Even though Marcos Zambartas, the younger half of the wine-making team and latest interviewee on the blog's "Case of Questions," was busy tending the vines, Mr. Zambartas and Marleen Brouwer, the winery's social media, P.R. and marketing machine, sat with us and discussed what the future beholds for the family business. Like Tsiakkas and Kyperounda wineries, a high-quality Commandaria is in the works (barrel aging right now!) and should be released in 2014. Furthermore, simple and affordable red and white wines will soon be for sale in restaurants and hotels, a clear sign of the industry's need to cater to tourists and the lighter wallet during these times of recession. Overall, our hosts' graciousness, hospitality and vats of knowledge, combined with the inviting setting, make Zambartas Winery an ideal place to learn about and taste some of Cyprus' best wines.

On our way out, I purchased half a case of wine, including two bottles of the Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blend as a puppy treat for The Wife, Ph.D., being such a good sport. We stopped at the beautiful Apokryfo Traditional Houses in Lofou for lunch at Agrino Restaurant (unfortunately overrated!) and then rushed back to Nicosia before Little Miss Despot woke up, begging once again for wine-spiked milk and a wet cotton-ball scrub down. For better or for worse, this is our new element.

A Case of Questions With Marcos Zambartas, Zambartas Winery

As most of you know, Marcos Zambartas is the younger half of the father-son oenology tag-team at Zambartas Winery, one of The Rock's most distinguished wineries and Little Miss Despot's first (vinous) love. Following a visit to the winery last weekend (yes, I will write about it!), I had a chance to introduce the Zambartas family to the blog's Case of Questions. Marcos was kind enough to participate, and here are his thought-provoking answers. Salud!

The Zambartas lineup (minus Xynisteri)

Why wine?

MZ: Wine satisfies my need to create in an exciting world full of passionate people. It is inspiring and relaxing since I come [in] contact with nature and I have the opportunity to add value to the brand 'Cyprus.' It requires a lot of effort, thinking, constant (r)evolution, which are traits that I want to have in my life.

First wine that really captured your attention? How old were you?

MZ: Not easy to isolate the one. Satisfaction from a bottle of wine depends on your surroundings, the people who made it and the people that you enjoy it with.

All-time favorite bottle of wine?

MZ: Different bottles for different occasions.

Favorite wine-producing region? Why?

MZ: Still exploring.

Favorite wine-and-food pairing?

MZ: I recently had Zambartas Rosé with kefalotiri (hard cheese) and fig jam. It was phenomenal!

What is Cyprus missing when it comes to wine?

MZ:  Professional vineyard growers.

What do you foresee for Cyprus's wine industry?

MZ: Better and less wine.

What do you enjoy most about your work in the wine world?

MZ: Tasting wine from barrels to decide which origin of oak, toasting and grain size is best for the wine.

What is your "Five Year Plan" for your business?

MZ: Enhance the quality of the wine by primarily growing our own grapes and increase the export business.

Who is your favorite wine personality? Why?

MZ: Cannot say really. Everyone is special in a good or bad way.

Any embarrassing episodes involving spilled wine, corkscrews, sommeliers or drunken behavior?

MZ: Too many. [Smiley face]

Of course, your all-time favorite ISLAND wine?

MZ: It has to be Zambartas Rosé on a warm afternoon with good friends and a designated driver.

For more information, you can reach Marcos at Zambartas Wineries.