Minister Panayiotou backs 27 wineries in 15th Cyprus wine competition

Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panayiotou, expressed on Monday the government's will to support the wine sector and any organised effort to promote the wines of Cyprus. She was speaking at a press conference declaring the opening of the 15th Cyprus Wine Competition, in Limassol.

The Minister said that 27 local wineries participate in this year's competition in two categories, dry and semi-dry wines and sweet and semi-sweet wines.

The four-day competition will conclude with the award ceremony and the official dinner, on May 17.

The competition is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, as well as the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), based on approved and recognized international standards, she said.

The Minister thanked the seven-member jury, which consists of "individuals with significant scientific, technical and empirical knowledge in the wine sector", which is chaired by French oenologist Dr. Valerie Lempereur.

The jury also includes oenologists / sommeliers Tinatin Jajanidze and Nino Maisuradze from Georgia, oenologists Wolfgang Beiss from Switzerland and Markos Zambartas from Cyprus, sommelier Maria Scharffenberg from Canada, and oenologist Paul White from the United Kingdom.

The Minister noted that investing in the quality, tradition and uniqueness of Cypriot agricultural products - such as the Cypriot wines - is a government priority.

"At the center of our policy is the effort to highlight the special characteristics of the wines of Cyprus, unique characteristics that distinguish them on a global level", she said.

In the context of the competition, an event will be organized on May 15th, to celebrate the "International Xynisteri Day". Xynisteri is Cyprus' most widely cultivated indigenous white grape variety.