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Spring, summer and rosé wine are a perfect pairing. I cannot think of a better way to welcome the bright days ahead, than enjoying a glass of Zambartas Rosé. – Maria Th. Massoura
One of the top wines the Cyprus vineyards produce is Zambartas Rosé.
When it was first launched, 12 years ago, it was considered a pioneer wine for its time and managed to place Cyprus in the world map for its quality rosé wines. That was what Marcos Zambartas told me the other day. I agreed with him and I added that it is still a great wine. As a lover of rosé wines, Zambartas Rosé is one of my favorites.
I first tried this year’s Zambartas Rosé, 2017 harvest that is, a few months ago, pairing it with dishes of the Lebanese cuisine. A couple of months later, when spring came in for good, I enjoyed it with seasonal fruits. It’s indeed a beautiful wine.
However, behind this wine’s success story lies investment and a great amount of study. What do I mean by that?
Zambartas Wineries invests in its rosé. And this is something you do not come across very often with regard to rosé wines.
How they invest? By cultivating their own grapes for the production of this rosé wine. That means there is complete control from the vineyard to the last stage, bottling. The vineyards for Zambartas Rosé are located in the villages of Koilis, Agios Nikolaos, Agios Amvrosios in Limassol district and Letymbou in Paphos district. Zambartas Rosé is made from the varieties Lefkada (60%) and Cabernet Franc (40%).
The Tasting Notes
The first thing that comes to my mind when I talk about this wine is “bright”. Zambartas Rosé is a bright wine, first and foremost, visually. Looking at it looks like a light-colored precious ruby stone that you put it opposite the light and the sun’s rays come through it.
This sense of “brightness” extends to the nose. Unlike in previous years, where the berries dominated in Zambartas Rosé 2017, the star is the aromas of ripe, juicy strawberries! It is a very aromatic wine, as a Rosé with this sexy color and this intense Mediterranean temperament should be. The bouquet of aromas also includes elegant notes of rose petals, pomegranate and berries.
On the mouth it is a rich wine, with a moderate and pleasant body and a long and enjoyable finish.
How will you enjoy it? The luscious rosé wines, such as Zambartas Rosé, are wonderfully paired with food. They are ideally enjoyed with the flavours of the Mediterranean cuisine. The next time you eat Cypriot mezze, order a Zambartas Rosé. Beginning with salad, halloumi, zucchini with eggs, ravioli and continuing with souvlaki, shieftalia and lamb chops, this wine can accompany them all perfectly and complement the taste experience. But it is also worth trying with Asian cuisine and of course with the rest of the Mediterranean flavors.
On the other hand, picture this: It is a spring afternoon or a cool summer evening. You are in good company sitting on your blooming veranda, listening to the sounds of world music, in the background. And in your glasses … Zambartas Rosé!
