International Maratheftiko Day has been officially established! On December 1st, the dominant rare, red, wine grape variety from Cyprus enters the world wine days map.
It is known by many names including Vamvakada, Vamvakina, Pampakia, Mavrosportiko and Aloupostafylo.
Oenognosia and Oenoart recognize Maratheftiko as it occupies the first place among the Cypriot red varieties. Thus, it is decided to establish the International Maratheftiko Day in order to promote the variety and its wines around the world.
The date of the celebration is December 1st
We invite you along with the supporters of the idea to spread this wonderful idea by choosing the 1st of December Maratheftiko, red, rosé or white (blanc de noir), fresh or ripe, dry, semi-sweet or semi-sweet, sparkling, sweet, in blends or as spirits.
In addition, on the day maratheftiko is celebrated, the wineries that produce Maratheftiko will be open to offer unique tasting and oenotourism experiences.
To spread the idea everywhere, as of now we use the hashtag #maratheftikoday or #maratheftiko on social networks when we post something related to Maratheftiko. On December 1st we encouraged everyone to open a bottle of Maratheftiko, enjoy the fun, and share their experiences online with the above hashtags.
Maratheftiko is an ancient grape variety that comes from Cyprus. It is also known as Vamvakada, Vamvakina, Pampakia, Mavrosportiko and Aloupostafylo.
This rare red Cypriot grape was rediscovered about 30 years ago. Initially, this grape variety was used only in the winemaking process to add color and body to wines from the Mavro variety. It represents less than 5% of the cultivated vineyards of the island.
Unlike most grape varieties, Maratheftiko cannot self-pollinate and requires co-cultivation with other varieties in order to achieve fertilization and fruit growth. As a result of poor fertilization, bunches are often affected by Millerandage. Millerandage is a potential problem of vineyard risk in which the bunches contain fruits that differ in size and mainly in maturity.
In recent years, the wines from Maratheftiko have evolved and are constantly winning awards in international competitions.
Full body, deep red color, aromas of fruits and flowers, mixed with aromas of forest fruits. give a complexity of aromas and flavors to the palate.
The good balance of acidity, alcohol and tannins compose the perfect accompaniment to a variety of meat dishes that fully respect the origin of the wine.
More info about the red diamond of Cyprus in the official website:
International Maratheftiko Day
Cheers!
