The  safeguard of varieties at the heart of Cyprus Viticulture

Dr José Vouillamoz recent visit to Cyprus did more than just take the pulse of an ungrafted vineyard at Zambartas.

The brief report ‘The Cyprus Treasure Trove‘, is fruit of a dedicated and a selective visit, carefully highlighting the existing gaps about the island’s ampelographic heritage, the knowledge required to preserve it, and understanding both as keys for the future of singular winemaking in Cyprus.

It would only one year later that after significant effort by Zambartas Winery in restoring the Margelina vineyard would there have been a chance to vinify a field blend.

Only a year later during the in-depth visit with fellow wine journalist Adam Montefiore was there an ocasion to revisit the precise vineyard and witness the significante change.

Then one day there came some young men to me and took a real interest in me. They studied my arms, my leaves and soil. They went from plant to plant to see what varieties I had to offer. And then they came again, and after a few months again. For two years they ploughed me, pruned my crooked arms, took some leaves with them and then a few grapes. They did not spray anything on me and allowed the flowers, herbs and bugs to feed on my soil. But when the harvest season came, they left my fruit behind.
In 2016, I started to be a in a good shape again, got rid of my aching arms and produced juicy and flavoursome grapes. I did not believe I was 96 years old, when they finally came with crates and a small truck to harvest my grapes again. The Margelina Vineyard

Old Vineyards in Cyprus have still lots of secrets to reveal and that’s yet another step forward in linking profound esteem to the land and vines.

Further reading:  on the subject of Old Ungrafted Vineyards