Overview

The history of the Zambartas family in wine goes back to the 1970’s, when Akis Zambartas, a then young man, went to France to study Chemistry in Lyon and then Enology in Montpellier. He returned to Cyprus as the first university educated enologist of the island and was set for a successful career at one of the major wineries of the island. His academic mind did not rest and in the 1980’s he conducted a research that would change the course of the Cypriot wine industry 20 years later. In a four year long pioneering research he identified and recorded 13 lost Cypriot indigenous grape varieties. Fast forward to 2006, and Akis decides to follow his dream of establishing his own boutique winery with the focus on making quality wine from indigenous varieties. The pivotal point was the decision of his son, Marcos Zambartas, to quit the corporate world and fly to Australia to become a winemaker. Two years later Marcos returned from Australia with hands-on winemaking experience, a Dutch girlfriend and a Master degree in Winemaking from the University of Adelaide. He immediately joined his father on the cellar floor. The first years working together in the new winery were a constant quest for achieving quality and keeping true to their Cypriot identity. Since then, Zambartas Wineries has grown to a production of 120.000 bottles a year and established itself as a pioneering, quality producer. They manage over 13 hectares of vineyards, both young and old, which are tended organically by their dedicated team. Zambartas Wineries have introduced the innovative ‘Single Vineyard’ Range and constantly look for ways to improve. Marcos currently runs the winery together with his, by now, wife Marleen, and their team with a lot of passion and enthusiasm. New projects, goals and challenges lay ahead, which they take up with a lot of happiness, knowing that their wines are an integral part of people having a great time together.