1. PAMPAKAS WINE
(Maratheftiko)
Aphrodite, the most beautiful goddess of ancient Greek mythology, was very erotic. She has been
wife or lover of several gods. One of them was Dionysus, the god of wine.
Aphrodite was born in Cyprus in Paphos seaside. In Paphos she was most worshiped, so she liked
very much to visit Cyprus. Once a time during one of her visits she met a very beautiful demigod
boy, Adonis. Adonis served her a very nice Cyprus white wine, called Xinisteri. She was so exited
that she became lover of Adonis!
Dionysus was informed about Aphrodite’s new lover and Xinisteri’s results!. He became very angry
and zealous about it. Because of this he came in Cyprus and tried to find a better local wine. He
failed, but one day he found in Troodos mountains a kind of grapes, called pampakas, which was
not popular among the villagers because its thick skin. Dionysus observed that birds liked it very
much. This pushed him to try to make wine from these grapes. The result was a black, tasty and
flavoring wine, the best he had ever made.
Full of happiness Dionysus took an amphora of pampakas wine and flied to found Aphrodite. He
expressed her his still standing warm love and what he have made for her in Troodos mountains.
Aphrodite tasted Pampakas wine and found it extraordinary, but told to Dionysus that she prefer
Adonis love than Pampakas taste!.
Dionysus became so angry that he took amphora back to Troodos mountains. Here he found a place
foul of trees which was surrounded by mountains peaks and was like a cave (spilia in Greek). In this
place he drunk a lot of his special wine with nymphets of the nearby forest. Then he hid amphora
with Pampakas wine in a dense myrtle and flied back to Greece.
The nymphs stole the jar. Gave it to the neighboring villagers and told them the story of Dionysus.
Since these times the villagers stayed in this place were they built Spilia village, planted Pampakas
vines and are still making Pampakas wine!
XINISTERI
Cyprus is the island of Aphrodite and wine. Aphrodite was born in Paphos the western part of
Cyprus. Paphos, Limassol and Troodos ware full of vineyards. A kind of vine especially grown in
Troodos was and still is growing is Xinisteri, the grapes of which are blond, very beautiful,
flavoring and excellent in taste. From these grapes ancient Cypriots were making the Xinisteri wine.
Adonis a demigod of ancient Greeks was spending a part of his live in Cyprus, because of the most
beautiful goodness Aphrodite and the various local wines. He was especially exited from Xinisteri
unique benefits. This wine chose to serve Aphrodite when he med her in the north of Paphos in
Smegies (unification) location. Aphrodite liked very much Xinisteri and drank a lot. So lot that she
fell into Adonis arms and…
Since these times Xinisteri is the wine that women like better than any other
Xinisteri wine is still produced in Spilia village, in the heard of Troodos mountains, with traditional
methods coming from the period Aphrodite was worshiped in Cyprus! In the altitude of 1000m,
were we have our vineyards, Xinisteri grapes are full of flavors, because of not high temperatures
and soil components. These are the reasons why our Xinisteri wine is so tasty.
The manufacture of Xinisteri wine is the same as Village wine, but the time required is nearly
twice.