Notes of 2007 in white

Going through my tasting notes of 2007 I seem to have omitted some of the local wines that this page believes are worth mentioning. The omission was not intentional. Therefore, today we have a list of local whites based on both indigenous and imported grape varieties that are vinified on the island and were produced before 2007. I have also contacted the wineries and asked about availability. There are enough to last until the 2007 vintage is out in the market. Moreover the first, fresh-tasting Chardonnays are also featured.

2006 Fikardos Spourtiko Xinisteri, Fikardos Winery, Paphos Regional, Alcohol Volume 11%

Medium, straw-yellow in colour, this wine is an unusual combination of Spourtiko and the well-known Xinisteri. Spourtiko is an indigenous grape variety that has never really been exploited. In fact it was, until recently, considered a museum piece. The government’s oenological department is trying to change that and is experimenting on other indigenous grape varieties. This wine has intense citrus aromas, tangerine and some white fruit – more unripe peach – with whispers of ethyl acetate. Its body is light, dry with not much of a backbone, however at 7°C it is refreshingly crisp, still acidic and lemon tart on the aftertaste. Try this with cooked vegetables and pan-fried trout.

2007 Fikardos Alkisti, Fikardos Winery, Paphos regional, Alcohol Volume 14%

This is an unoaked Chardonnay varietal – light, straw-yellow with some green, slightly floral white rose to be particular. It has intense tropical aromas with melon and pineapple and some yellow apple. It has medium acidity and a light to medium body with lemon and green fruit flavours. The wine has a medium-long citrus finish. It is best served at 9° to 11°C with broiled salmon or chicken, prawn salad or with Provolone cheese. Come May this wine will show its true character.

2005 Mountain Vines Semillon, Kamanterena Winery, SODAP, Paphos Regional, Alcohol Volume 12.5%

I believe Semillon is becoming ephemeral. This is not everybody’s wine but this is a Semillon traditionally vinified in Cyprus. This unoaked wine marries elegance and longevity. The bouquet in this medium yellow wine is full of white flowers and fruits, peach, pear and melon in combination with dry herbs. It exhibits crispiness while being soft and round on the palate. This Semillon at 9° C would complement lighter style dishes such as salads, white meats and light sauces, fish and delicate seafood.

2007 Chardonnay, Kamanterena Winery, SODAP, Paphos Regional, Alcohol Volume 12%

Straw-yellow to green in colour, this is a Chardonnay varietal matured in oak barrels. Nuts and toast dominate the aromas along with citric fruit, stone fruit and some mango. These aromas carry onto the palate, however with more grapefruit, crisp, light to medium body, reasonable in acidity, slightly segmented on the finish. At 10°C this white will partner dishes with nutty flavours, poultry with cream sauces and seafood. Still a bit fresh so keep for a while to settle.

2006 Island Vines, Kamanterena Winery, SODAP, Paphos Regional, Alcohol Volume 12.5%

This is a Xinisteri varietal usually blended with other white varieties in smaller proportions. Pale straw-yellow to green with citric and grassy aromas, hints of bell-pepper and sesame seeds. The sweet geranium, melon and peach aromas all combine to reveal a complex nose. On the palate, it is slightly tart and crisp, with a light to medium body. The wine is smooth with a New World feeling. Good value for money, at 7°C try with green salad and Ch?vre, marinated prawns and melon salsa or fish ceviche.

2006 Lambouri dry white, Limassol Regional, Alcohol Volume 11.5%

This wine was tested a couple of days before New Year’s Eve. This remarkable Xinisteri varietal is one to last. The vineyards are located in Platres region at an altitude of 1200 metres ensuring slow maturation. Cold fermentation at 17°C ensures that the wine still retains its freshness. It is a pale yellow colour with faint green in the background. The nose still retains aromas of melon, peach and grass, herbal, sweet geranium and fig. It has very light grass and mineral flavours and is delicate, almost sharp and crisp. It has a light to medium body with a medium finish.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.