Grapes’ synergy works to perfection in wines made of old Cyprus and traditional French vines

You may not realise it, but some of the world’s most admired wines are blends – a mix of different grape varieties. Many of those with which you may be most familiar, including Bordeaux, Côte du Rhône and Rioja, are made from more than one variety.

Blends have many advantages. Winemakers combine different components to make a more harmoniously satisfying whole, a synergy of grape varieties. Take Bordeaux; the proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc habitually blend well, but also vary depending on the weather. Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are another group of varieties blended successfully in the same region as Sauternes and white Bordeaux. Rhône and Australia have the famous GSM – Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre and my favourite is found in Champagne and similar sparkling wines with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Wines that appear to be made from one variety may include only 85% of it, where a small number of other variety(ies) can make a significant difference. Think of a small amount of the headily aromatic Moscato blended with any white variety, what an exotic perfume lift it can give.

Blending may offer a winemaker the opportunity to use the same variety but from different vineyards, from vines of different ages or from grapes picked at different times. Take Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Burgundy as an example. Moreover, the winemaker will give different treatments in the winery, aging in different wood, with varying levels of toast or charring, different size barrels, different duration of ageing, or even wines with no oak at all, preserving freshness in a hot vintage, richness and body in a cooler one and achieving a level of consistency. Every wine is a blend of some sort.

Akis Zambartas was probably thinking of all the merits a synergy can bring between the local Lefkada and the international Shiraz when he made the famous Lefkada-Shiraz blend, 2006 being the first vintage. He worked with Shiraz for many years in the 1980s as the chief winemaker at KEO Winery in Mallia, and he was captivated by the variety’s potential. In blending it with Lefkada, a rare indigenous Cypriot grape, he created a wine with remarkable fruit concentration, multilayered complexity and the potential for long ageing – pioneering a new wave in Cypriot winemaking.

Realising the importance of maintaining high-quality grapes, Akis planted the first ever Lefkada vineyard in Kourvellos, Ayios Amvrosios, in the Krasochoria region. The vineyard, which still provides 100% of the Lefkada grapes for the blend, was replanted in 2015, continuing the legacy of this exceptional wine.

Lefkada is demanding, as a variety it gives structured wines with a deep red colour and subtle flavour, especially when it goes under careful oak maturation. Shiraz, born in France, has herbaceous notes, earthy nuances and spicy black pepper as well flavours of smoked meat. Lefkada contributes structure and mulberry fruit. Blended with Shiraz to enhance its spicy style, it has responded really well to careful ageing in the finest oak for 10-12 months. The blend usually is 65% Shiraz and 35% Lefkada aged in American and French oak.

A vertical tasting took place at the Zambartas winery with six different years, all vintages are still available at the winery.

2011 Zambartas Winery Shiraz – Lefkada, PGI Lemesos, ABV 15%

A charming, developed example of this blend. Light ruby colour, plum, cherry jam and spice, dry flowers, fragile and changing in the glass as we tasted, still showing red fruit and signature softness. 2011 was a rainy vintage in Ayios Amvrosios and the wine has well preserved red fruit and cocoa flavours with pronounced acidity. Wines of this vintage displayed early tannin lines that would auger well for cellaring. €50

2013 Zambartas Winery Shiraz – Lefkada, PGI Lemesos, ABV 15%

From a good vintage, ruby garnet colour, soft red fruit, damsons and blackcurrant, cherry jam and with notes of aniseed and soy, sweet spice and some earth. Balanced soft, spiced dark and red fruit, quite a contrast to the previous vintage of 2011, very enjoyable with good acidity, fruit flavours evident in long aftertaste. 2002 was a heralded vintage, at the time it was the coolest year on record. Wines showed higher acidity, and more spice/ aniseed notes still evident in today’s wines. €45

2015 Zambartas Winery Shiraz – Lefkada, PGI Lemesos, ABV 15%

Dense colour and power, this vintage has a robust expression with tannins remaining quite pronounced, still countering the roundness of the fruit. Soft red and dark fruit undertones, dark plum and maraschino cherry, with notes of sage and aniseed, licorice and some cocoa. Well balanced wine, complex, red and dark fruit concentration with hints of all spice, soft tannins, evident acidity and more spice and cherry in the aftertaste. Still developing. €40

2019 Zambartas Winery Shiraz – Lefkada, PGI Lemesos, ABV 14.5%

Dense palate and colour intensity. Bright red fruit and dark plum and cherry, raspberry, chocolate and spice on the nose with a very round and long palate with high density. The wines had high density on the palate and more extract, a more subdued style with coarse tannin, red fruits, cedar and chocolate leading to a complex, linear finish. €29

2021 Zambartas Winery Shiraz – Lefkada, PGI Lemesos, ABV 15%

Bright colour and density, some violet hues. Brooding dark and red fruit, spicy nose, fresh juicy plum, damsons and cherry notes, vibrant spice, chocolate and pepper. A plush driven line across the palate, dense and rich with sweet blackberry and raspberry fruit backed up by firm structure and good acidity with a fresh elegant red fruit, spicy finish. €23

2023 Zambartas Winery, Shiraz – Lefkada, PGI Lemesos, ABV 15%

A dry year, dark ruby colour, bright violet hue. Brooding dark, spicy nose with black fruits as well as red. Quite tight with hints of floral aromatics, developing some chocolate notes. The palate is youthful, dense, rich and quite elegant with sweet blackberry and raspberry fruit backed by firm structure and good acidity. Expressive with real presence, one to keep for a few more years. €17

Zambartas Winery, Ayios Amvrosios village. Tel: 25 942424, www.zambartaswineries.com