So, last week was a very exciting week for Amathus as we saw the arrival of our new Tsiakkas Wines from Cyprus. Cyprus probably isn’t the first country that comes to mind when you think of wine, but this region is definitely renowned for its wine-making skills, producing some seriously impressive, flavoursome wines.

To a lot of people, Cypriot wines can be mistaken for ‘new world’ wines but what is actually quite surprising is that the history of winemaking in Cyprus is very old. In fact, it’s one of the oldest in the world. Recent excavations by Italian archaeologists suggest that wine-making in Cyprus may have existed 6,000 years ago but it wasn’t until the 1990’s when the country’s wine-making skills really began to shine.

The location of Cyprus, 50 miles off the south coast of Turkey, certainly provides a challenging environment for the nation’s winemakers. Over the years numerous international and native grape varieties, such as Xynisteri, have been planted. These varietals have spent hundreds – if not thousands – of years adapting to the hot and dry conditions and now form the basis of premium wine production in Cyprus.

The Tsiakkas Xynisteri 2014 is an exceptional white wine made from the grape variety Xynisteri. On the nose you get aromas of lime, green apple, herbs and beautiful floral notes. Its high acidity completes its fresh, lively, yet delicate style. This wine is bottled fresh to retain its citrus aromas, has a medium body and long lasting finish.

Tsiakkas Vamvakada 2013 is a red wine made from the indigenous variety Vamvakada. It’s a medium bodied wine with spicy currants and vanilla undertones. It has a distinct taste of dark forest fruits, firm tannins and is said to age extremely well over time. I guess the longer you leave it, the better!

Tsiakkas Winery is one of the producers that have returned to producing the historic dessert wine Commandaria. Tsiakkas Commandaria 2008 is made using natural fermentation avoiding the use of fortification, to retain its fruits. The wine is aged for 4 years in small oak casks at very low temperatures. On the nose you get hints of crème brulee, coffee, roasted dry nuts and quince! It’s best paired with sour desserts, so go for something lemony- we’d recommend the obvious choice and the best dessert ever.. lemon cheesecake!

We’re thrilled to have Tsiakkas Wines in our portfolio and we’re really excited for you all to try them!

If you would like any more information on any of the wines above, please visit our website or pop in to your nearest store.

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