The residents of the village of Arsos, in the mountain region of Limassol, have always lived their lives along the timeline of the grape cycle. Since ancient times, the vineyard, the grape harvest, and the distillation process are what defined each season of the year. Stelios Stylianou therefore decided to revive his family’s traditional distillery.
Just a few meters from the village square, there is a traditional building that is full of large stone jars, and has a large cauldron atop a stove in the yard, which was used in the previous century for the production of grape products. Stelios, with help from his family’s new generation, decided to revive this small craft, using the same traditional methods.
The harvest from the vineyard therefore ends up in the large jars, once the grapes have been pressed, in order to begin the fermentation process. The juice, however, is used to make epsima (petimezi), which is simmered for hours in a copper basin until it is concentrated into a thick, fragrant syrup. As for the grape skins, these end up in the cauldron where zivania is distilled.
By utilizing the means used by village residents in ancient times, and armed with patience and passion, Stelios and his family are keeping flavors and traditions alive and unaltered.
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