Cyprus Food and Drinks - Commandaria Commandaria A legendary wine Taste Commandaria, just for once and you could become a passionate and romantic lover of this great wine. Each wine drop traps in it a multitude of flavors and aromas, enough to cover the full spectrum of human senses. Its color is warm, golden to ruby, its aroma is complex and passionate, its taste is sweet, its aftertaste is everlasting. A wine so old and unique that Cypriots traded it for centuries to the most demanding consumers of the known world and which other winemakers attempted to copy on many occasions.οΏ½ This wine carries with it the centuries old culture of the Cypriot rural society and is closely tied to the commercial activities of the islandοΏ½s traders who loaded it on ships for export to the most demanding European markets of the time. Commandaria thrived during the Middle Ages, suffered under the dark period ofοΏ½οΏ½the Ottoman rule, became a forgotten wine during the latter part of the 20th century but survived, remaining unspoiled by all foreign cultural influences, standing out today as the flagship of our vine and wine heritage.

οΏ½ Commandaria is a legendary-wine, a statement verified by the selection of vintage 1223 among the top ten wines of the past 1,000 years. The competition,οΏ½ BBC οΏ½ one thousand years best wine competition ), characterized Commandaria as οΏ½a powerful sweet wine from Cyprus that won the first wine competition, La Bataille des Vins, organised by the French king, Philip Augustus. Where is it now?οΏ½ It is about time that Commandaria reveals itself once more to the world markets, gaining the fame and place that it rightly deserves among the elite of the worldοΏ½s wines. οΏ½ οΏ½ Commandaria, an age-old story Although the name "Commandaria" came into use after 1192 A.D., with the settlement of the Lusignans on the island and the arrival of the religious-cum-military order of the Knights of St John, it would be naive to believe that this famed sweet wine of Cyprus was not produced much earlier than that. οΏ½ In fact, ancient poets and historians have a lot to say on this subject.

Stasinos (who lived shortly after Homer), Pliny, Strabo, Seneca and others extol the island for its top-quality sweet wine, the wine that some two thousand years later was given the name Commandaria οΏ½ a name that is, indisputably, the oldest for a wine which exists to the present day. The following extract from HesiodοΏ½s "The Works and Days" bears testimony to the fact that Commandaria was in production thousands of years before the Crusaders. Hesiod lived in the 8th century B.C., not long after HomerοΏ½s time, and in this extract he describes the technique of drying the grapes in the sun (before going on to the winemaking process). οΏ½ When Orion and Sirius are at the meridian and rose-fingered Dawn looks at Arcturus, then pick all your grapes and bring them home. For days and nights ten expose them to the sun, shade them for five, pleasure-giving gifts in pots. οΏ½ In view of what has been said above, Commandaria must be regarded as the wine with the oldest tradition in the world, both as regards the method of its production and the origin of its name.

It could rightly be said that Commandaria is the forerunner of the classification of wines according to place of origin, an institution applied centuries later in countries with developed wine-producing industries to signify high quality. [AOC or AC = Appellation dοΏ½ origine contrôlée (controlled name of origin)]. οΏ½ οΏ½ The oldest name for a wine in the world Richard the Lion Heart, while sailing for the Holy Land to participate in the 3rd Crusade planned his invasion of Cyprus, with the excuse thatοΏ½bad weather had forced him to seekοΏ½anchorage at Lemesos. It did not take Richard long to get into a quarrel with Isaac Comnenus,οΏ½the devoted 'anti-crusades'οΏ½king of Cyprus, and in 1191 Richard occupied the island and subsequently sold it to the Templars, a religious order of knights founded by French Crusaders in 1118 to provide military protection of the Holy Sepulchre from the infidels. The Templars soon realized that they would not be able to keep CyprusοΏ½under their control, cancelled the agreement and departed.

So Richard ceded the island to Guy de Lusignan, the French "King of Jerusalem" who became the founder of the Lusignan dynasty which ruled Cyprusfor three centuries (1192-1489). Thus, 1192 marked the beginning of a new era in the social and political history of Cyprus. The Lusignan period together with the Venetian rule (1489-1570) constitute the Frankish Era in the history of Cyprus. οΏ½ During the Lusignan reign, Cyprus was swarmed with Western European settlers, mainly Catholic crusaders who took up residence on the island, and on whom were bestowed extensive areas of land, as well as rights and privileges, and thus the feudal system was set up. Among these settlers were the Knights of St John, the ecclesiastical military order of St John (the Baptist) of Jerusalem. These knights had their administrative headquarters - the Commanderie or Commandaria - in a castle west of Lemesos, known today as "Kolossi Castle". The castle was situated in a large fertile area of land with extensive plantations of wheat, cotton, sugar cane and vineyards.

The area was known as "Grande Commanderie" to distinguish it from two smaller commanderies, Phoenix of Paphos and Templos in Kyrenia. This Grande Commanderie covered a total of 40 villages situated within the Limassol District including those that today make up the 14 Commandaria wine-making villages. οΏ½ The Commandaria wine of today still bears the name of this area, for the Knights of St John gave this name to the wine not only because it was produced in the villages that constituted the OrderοΏ½s fief - the Commanderie - but also because knighthood was then held in high esteem among the Catholic countries of Western Europe and among pilgrims who, on their way to the Holy Land, stopped at Cypriot harbors for provisioning - which of course included the sweet Commandaria wine. The knights of St John, who knew the secrets of good wine making took the local know how and upgraded its production techniques, improving its quality and elevating it to the wine in greatest demand at the time. Commandaria acquired world fame, for the knights traded it with enviable success and at considerable profit for themselves.

Because of its exceptional quality, Commandaria was much in demand in the trading centers of the Mediterranean. In Venice, for example, it could be imported free of tax because it was categorized as a tonic. οΏ½ οΏ½ Praise in abundance for Commandaria There are several references in historical texts through the centuries that extol the grandeur of the quality of Commandaria. Wilbrand von Oldenburg, count of Oldenburg, who visited Cyprus in 1212, was highly impressed by the sweet wines of the island. He writes: "The wines of this island are so thick and rich as if they are meant to be consumed like honey on bread." οΏ½ It is also true that during a symposium held in 1363, which came to be known as "The Feast of the Five Kings"οΏ½and which was organized by the Lord Mayor of London in honor of Peter I, then king of Cyprus, and four other kings (Edward III of England, David II, king of Scotland, John II, king of France and Valdemar IV, king of Denmark) Commandaria was served and it was very much appreciated by all.

A painting at the Royal Exchange, London, portrays very vividly the splendor and the color of the symposium. οΏ½ References to CommandariaοΏ½s fame are found in writings of many foreign travelers who have shown their appreciation for the wines of Cyprus, referring most often to Commandaria. Tomasso Porcacchi, an extremely voluminous writer, best known for his descriptions of the most famous islands of the world, entitled "LοΏ½ Isole piu famose delοΏ½mondo", published in 1576, writes about Cyprus: "The island is rich in all the fruits of the earth, and its more useful products. Its wines are very luscious and wholesome; as they grow old they turn from black to white, they are fragrant and of pleasant taste. One finds wine of 80 years and more, and a vintage that had graced a grandeeοΏ½s table, gets fresh honor as a medicine, for its health-giving and preservative virtues, which are those of a balsam." οΏ½ Estienne de Lusignan wrote in 1580 that Cyprus wine is οΏ½the best in the worldοΏ½.

οΏ½ Dutchman, Cornelis Van Bruyn, who visited the island in 1683, gives his own testimony: "Of all the islandοΏ½s products, Commandaria is by far the best. It is an exceptional wine. I have drunk wine that is more than 30 years old here and it has a very pleasant taste, exquisite colour, and it was so thick that it stuck to the walls of the glass. You could get hold of even older Commandaria, up to one hundred years old." οΏ½ An extremely interesting view on Commandaria is that of the Reverend Edward Clarke, fellow of Jesus College, who visited CyprusοΏ½in 1800: "Limassol produces the best MuscatοΏ½of Cyprus, however Commandaria wine is definitely the most important product for the inhabitants. This wine is famous in the entire Latin world, and it is said that it has the power to bring back youth in aged people and offer regeneration to those nearing death.

We tried a 40-year-old wine that indeed was like balsam, and it was rightly kept - because of its therapeutic properties - for the sick and those coming to the end of their life." οΏ½ Of the many travelers who wrote about Commandaria, Giovanni MaritiοΏ½s book stands out as the most complete reference to Cyprus wine making of the 18th century. His book, Del Vino di Cipro (1772), translated later under the name οΏ½Wines of CyprusοΏ½3 makes extensive reference to Commandaria wine οΏ½which is deservedly so prized in Europe that still today it takes pride of place on tables bearing the choicest winesοΏ½. The book describes in great detail the vine culture and commandaria production techniques, the trading patterns and the transportation routes from the wine villages to the export markets. He also praises the wine for its therapeutic attributes especially for comforting people from fever and for its wound healing properties. οΏ½ An extensive review of the praise for Commandaria by foreign travelers throughout the centuries, is available in the book "Commandaria, a legendary wine" by K. D. Papadopoulos2.

οΏ½ οΏ½ The lean years in the history of Commandaria During the long years of Turkish domination 1571-1878, the production of Commandaria faced serious difficulties because of the intolerable taxation imposed by the Turkish conquerors on the production and marketing of wines: There was a 20% duty on grape production, a 10% duty on wine production and an 8% on exports. All this forced many vine-growers to abandon their vineyards. The result of this abandonment was a continual dramatic reduction of the annual production of Commandaria as evidenced by the statistical data of the period 1790-1877. The data show that the 1790 production of 390,000 gallons dropped to 169,000 gallons, on average, for the period 1802-1815, and even lower in the years 1855 (110,000 gallons) and 1877 (130,000 gallons).

The reduction in annual production continued during the British rule (1878-1960) dropping from 88,025 gallons per year in the period 1887-1891 to 67,614 gallons per year in the period 1935-1939. After 1950, the coming into force of the "Appellation Protection Law", protecting the names of wines, created the necessary conditions and inducement for a real regeneration in the production and marketing of Commandaria. οΏ½ These measures by the colonial government induced the traditional Commandaria producing villages and the big wine companies of Lemesos (ETKO, KEO, LOEL and SODAP) to enter into long-term cooperation agreements, whereby the wine companies undertook to buy all the Commandaria produced in the said villages provided it fulfilled certain specifications which aimed at maintaining the tradition in relation to the place of origin and to the method of production. Commandaria is still made the old, traditional way and for more than six decades their production is in the hands of the major Co-operatives of the wine villages.

Finished commandaria is then sold to the major wineries for maturing, bottling and sale. οΏ½ Despite the many efforts to bring Commandaria back to its fame, these proved unsuccessful for a number of reasons and the downward trend of production continues. During the period 1965-1980οΏ½volumes averaged at 1.2-1.4mln liters but since the early 1990s these fluctuate around 200-450.000 litersοΏ½annually.οΏ½Among the many reasons for the downfall of this special wine is the very high cost involved in its production and the labour intensive processes required. οΏ½ οΏ½ Vindication and recognition of Commandaria Vindication for Commandaria did not come until 1990 when this wine, which claims the oldest history in the world, was finally recognized as a wine with a controlled name of origin. The region defined as "Commandaria" includes 14 villages and it is the first vine region in Cyprus to receive AOC (Appellation dοΏ½ Origine Contrôlée) status.

The 14 communities of the Commandaria zone are the villages of Ayios Georgios, Ayios Constantinos, Ayios Mamas, Ayios Pavlos, Apsiou, Gerasa, Doros, Zoopigi, Kalo Horio, Kapilio, Lania, Louvaras, Monagri and Sylikou - all lying on the southern slopes of the Troodos mountains some 30 kilometres north of Lemesos. οΏ½ Source: Wine Product Commission, Annual Report 2006 οΏ½ Commandaria is made from the blend of two indigenous varieties, Mavro and Xynisteri and it is by no chance that only these varieties are suitable for its making. These grapes posses such characteristics, among which relates to their suitability for prolonged maturity on the vine and drying in the sun. Regulations demand that only these two traditional varieties may be used in Commandaria and that the grapes must come from vineyards where the plants have the traditional low bush form, with a minimum of 2750 plants per hectare (for vineyards planted before 1969) or 2000 plants per hectare (for vineyards planted after 1969).

Vine yields are set at 4,500 kgs per ha or 17 hectoliters. The plants must be at least four years old before their grapes can be used in the making of Commandaria, and the grapes must not be carried outside the Commandaria zone for vinification. Best commandaria is made from vines that are more than 10 years old. Bearing in mind that in the Commandaria region there exist vines of more than 100 years old, one can imagine the excellent wine these vines can achieve. It has also been observed that better commandaria is made from vines that are located at higher altitudes. οΏ½ Harvesting starts around mid-September when the grapes have over-matured on the vine. After picking, the grapes are laid out in the sun for about 7-10 days οΏ½ and at the end of this drying period (during which the grapes lose a great amount of water) their sugar content increases. They are then pressed and the extracted juice is stocked in fermentation tanks, a process that can last for 2-3 months.

The next step involves the transfer of wine to large oak tree casks where it matures for more than two years, a period determined by the appropriate regulatory framework. This is done in the underground cellars of four wine industries, using old oak casks of a minimum capacity of 500 liters. The method used in Cyprus (called manna) is theoretically similar to the solera method used elsewhere. The difference lies in the fact that here in Cyprus ageing takes place in only one large cask from which one-third of the wine is tapped off, and then the cask is topped up with fresh wine. This of course does not mean that any one bottle of Commandaria is a blend of only three different vintages because the stocks currently available in the cellars of these wineries are older than three years. οΏ½ After maturing in the cask for more than the minimum of two years, Commandaria is bottled in a distinctive kind of carafe and the labels commonly carry themes from the Crusades period or the Kolossi Castle.

οΏ½ οΏ½ Serving Commandaria Commandaria is a sweet, desert wine, characterized by a high alcoholic content of 15% and a notable richness in natural sugars derived exclusively from the grapes used. The critical factor in the serving of Commandaria is temperature. Commandaria brings out all its aroma and flavour when drunk well chilled at 6 - 9οΏ½C. Within this temperature range, ideal for most dessert wines, Commandaria reveals all its merits and at the same time conceals any likely "flaws", such as the presence of a high alcohol content and its volatile acidity οΏ½ which are more easily discernible when the wine is served at temperatures exceeding 9 - 10οΏ½C. οΏ½ Like all sweet wines, Commandaria is served in small stemmed glasses with a comparatively short stem and a long cup, with inwardly sloping sides to retain the wineοΏ½s rich bouquet. In February 2006, the Wine Products Association of Cyprus along with a group of top international wine experts and sommeliers selected a beautiful crystal glass that was the specific winner of a selection process and which can now be reffered to as the Commandaria Glass.

The glass belongs to the Riedel Vinus Extreme series, Code no 444/55, manufactured by Riedel, the well known Austrian wine glass company. οΏ½ οΏ½ Tasting Commandaria Colour: The colour of Commandaria is directly related to the age of the wine, which is the time the wine was matured in casks plus the time it was aged in bottles. On the whole, the colour of Commandaria is within the colour range of honey with yellowish-goldish tones, made lighter or darker depending on its age. Young Commandaria has lighter honeyish hues which become darker with age. An important factor in the ultimate colour is the proportion of the grape varieties used. Commandarias with a high percentage of the white Xynisteri variety are usually lighter in colour tone and are almost always within the various shades of the colour of honey. It cannot easily be said that Commandaria is distinguished for the clarity of its colour, for it is often more cloudy than any dry wine. This does not affect adversely either its aroma or its taste.

Although to some it might be aesthetically off-putting, this turbidity points to the fact that what the drinker is tasting a matured wine which, in the course of time, has naturally acquired a not so transparent colour. οΏ½ Aroma: Three main factors actively contribute to the aromatic profile in Commandaria: these are the grape variety, the addition of alcohol, and, naturally, the duration and quality of ageing. Regarding the variety, after several decades of experience, it is now clear that Xynisteri gives the wine greater aromatic finesse and intensity - even though a small quantity of Mavro can add some complexity to the nose. The addition of wine alcohol after the completion of alcoholic fermentation plays an important role in the aromatic structure of Commandaria and raises the potency of the alcohol content from about 10-12 degrees (achieved through fermentation) to 15 degrees. This additional alcohol content stabilises the wine and increases its life span but at the same time could neutralise to a greater or lesser extent, depending on circumstances, its original bouquet.

However, good specimens of Commandaria are not only immune to aromatic deterioration through increased alcoholic content, but, on the contrary, the presence of alcohol results in greater aromatic complexity. οΏ½ Naturally, ageing is a catalytic, if not the overriding, factor in the aromatic evolution of Commandaria. Those who have been lucky to taste properly aged Commandaria that has remained "undisturbed" in a good oak barrel and then in a bottle for, say, a hundred years, cannot but admit that what they encountered was nothing less than a myth or, if you prefer, the nectar of the Olympian Gods. Out of a glass of aged Commandaria you can expect to emerge, all at once, multifarious intense aromas - typical of Commandaria - that remind you of raisins, grape-juice syrup, walnut kernel, coffee, chocolate, quince-pulp jelly, honey, dried figs and apricots οΏ½ the list is endless. This of course is not true of young samples of wine that are rushed on the market before going through the cycle of at least ten years of mellowing in a cask and ageing in a bottle οΏ½ a minimum period if we are talking about quality Commandaria.

οΏ½ Taste: What does one expect from a dessert wine? What else but a sweet taste due to its unfermented sugars? Except that in the case of Commandaria this sweetness that every lover of dessert wine expects goes rather beyond that of many other dessert wines. This increase is due partly to the greater quantity of natural unfermented sugars in the wine and partly to the wineοΏ½s comparatively reduced acidity, which is in fact quite low, especially in Commandaria whose composition includes a fair amount of grapes of the Mavro variety. The concentration of taste in the wine is closely linked to the length of the ageing period it has gone through. A wineοΏ½s age is equally important as regards its aftertaste. Young Commandarias that have been aged for no more than two or three years have a rather short aftertaste that lacks intensity, whereas older wines wind up with a long, intense and complex aftertaste. The aromas that diffuse inside a tasterοΏ½s mouth are similar to those that reach the nose, and often remind one of grape-juice syrup, raisins, dried fruits (figs, apricots), nuts, quince-pulp jelly, coffee and chocolate.

οΏ½ οΏ½ Commandaria, the perfect epilogue It would be frivolous to suggest, by any stretch of the imagination, that Commandaria will match any food. Commandaria is a dessert wine and it should be used as such. It plays a final role in the course of a meal, writing the epilogue, so to speak, and culminating in a perfect gustatory crescendo. οΏ½Commandaria is a romantic, noble wine capable of maturing for so long as no other wine in the world. Mature stocks of 100 years old support and prove CommandariaοΏ½s fame and name as the Apostole of WinesοΏ½ (K.

Papadopoulos) οΏ½ Commandaria can by itself constitute a grand finale to a gastronomical experience, in the same way that a sequence of dinner dishes can come to an end with an appropriate dessert whose composition includes such ingredients as raisins, caramelized nuts, coffee, honey or even chocolate (a substance which can hardly accompany any wine).οΏ½The traditional Cyprus sweets, made from grape-juice, such as soutzioukos (must-jelly-and-nut sausage = threaded nuts dipped in grape-juice jelly) or kiofteria (dried grape-juice jelly) are perfectly "suited" to Commandaria for they share similar aroma and flavour characteristics.οΏ½In terms of taste Commandaria can also be harmoniously accompanied by the traditional preserved sweets, prepared from fruits, such as figs, quinces (including jellified quince-pulp), bitter oranges and others. And then there is the astonishing, almost exotic matching of Commandaria with a great variety of mature full-fat cheeses, especially of the type known as "blue cheeses", such as Roquefort, Stilton or Gorgonzola, whose taste can only be matched by very sweet, intense and fatty dessert wines.

οΏ½ 1. Commandaria,οΏ½in the Cyprus Wine Guide 2006 by Yiannos Constantinou 2. Commandaria οΏ½ the legendary wine, by K.D.Papadopoulos (2004) 3. Wines of Cyprus, by Giovanni Mariti (1769) translated by A. Nicolas, Athens 1984 4. Wines Product Commission - Annual Report 2006 5. Commandaria - the leader of Cyprus wines - Wnes Product Commission οΏ½ οΏ½ Did you Know that? German Chancellor Otto Von Bismark (1815-1898) was a great fan of Commandaria and that he hadοΏ½contracted aοΏ½supplier from Larnaca to supply him regularly with the drink. Register Subscribe to our mailing list and get 10% discount and free delivery, on wines from Oenus Company (Tsiakkas, Vlasides, Argyrides) [ more info...

] Cyprus Authentics: - Authentic Drinks The Fifty Best | The Wine Detective | Wines of Cyprus The Wine Detective Cyprus Wines- 1,000 Years of History A romantic past- An exciting present- A golden future. Grape cultivation first appeared in the Black Sea area around 8,000 years ago. From there it spread south-eastwards to Mesopotamia, Syria and Egypt, and then across the Mediterranean to Greece and Italy. Cypriot Archaeologist Dr.Vassos Karageorghis stated- “The archaeological evidence permits us to say that the cultivation of the grape vine started in Cyprus some time in the second millennium B.C.” When the Greeks settled in Cyprus around 1200 B.C., it is likely they found wine already there. Thus, it is likely that there has been a wine industry in Cyprus continuously longer than anywhere else in the world. Legend has it that the first mortal to be taught to make wine was Ikarios, whose teacher was Dionysus, the God of wine. Homer and Euripides praised the excellence of Cyprus wines. Because of problems with sealing vessels to protect wine from oxidation from the air, most early wines would have been sweet.

In the 11th Century, during the Crusades, Richard the Lionheart chose the sweet wine of Cyprus “Commandaria” to have with his meals. Invasion followed invasion. Lusignan rule was followed by the Venetians, and then the Ottomans. In 1878 the island was ceded to Britain, and in 1960 Cyprus became an independent republic. In 2004 Cyprus joined the European Union which necessitated new legislature that classifies the islands wines under a Wines of Controlled Appellation of Origin. Cyprus wine regions Cyprus is situated in the southeastern Mediterranean, at the crossroads of the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily and Sardinia. Not many wine drinkers know where Cyprus is, let alone what wines they produce. Most assume the wines are the same as found in Greece. Today Cyprus is a modern country that effortlessly marries European culture with ancient enchantment. The Cyprus that is recognized by the UN and all countries of the world (except Turkey) has a population of only 800,000.

It is a country of alluring beaches and fragrant mountain peaks; vineyards studded with olive trees and citrus groves and ancient ruins on a par with anything seen in Greece and Egypt. The vineyards of Cyprus are mostly on the southern slopes of the Troodos mountain range near Limassol. The second area is in the south-western part of the island near Pafos. The long, sunny Mediterranean summers are a great asset; they ripen the fruit and give it its full flavor. The winters are mild and the gentle winds and breezes check the frosts, dispel the fogs and protect the vines and grapes from fungus diseases (Cyprus remains one of the few phylloxera-free wine-producing countries in the world). ETKO Winery The four major wineries on the island- ETKO (privately owned with 800,000 bottle production), KEO (a public company with 4 million bottles), LOEL (a public company selling 2 million bottles) and SODAP (a cooperative with 2 1/2 million bottle sales) once controlled almost all the production.

In the early 1980’s the Cyprus government encouraged small wineries, in the 50,000-300,000 bottle capacity, to begin operations. I visited three of the Big Four and 10 of the 56 small wineries (total of 2 million bottles). The islands total production is around 12 million bottles (1 million cases) which does not include the 10 million liters of wine exported in bulk, rather than bottle. To put that in perspective the E&J Gallo Winery produces 75 million cases and Kendall Jackson 5 million cases a year. Before joining the European Union most of the Big Four sales were inexpensive bulk wines shipped to the former Soviet block countries. Cyprus vineyards The purpose of my visit was to see and taste the indigenous grape varieties grown on the island. I skipped the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc that can grow anywhere in the world.

“The aim is to produce not only a superior quality wine but also a wine with an original Cypriot character.” The local wine industry has committed itself to producing quality wine with a true expression of the Cypriot terroir and typicity of the local varietals. Their vision is to reflect the rich history of Cyprus wine and the feelings and character of the Cyprus soil and its people. I opted for Mavro (widely planted red that is best used in blending); Xynisteri (most popular white variety; drink it young), Maratheftiko (not widely planted, but the hope for the future in red wines; ages well), Ofthalmo (small quantity red), Lefkada (red grape brought from Greece), Spourtiko (white), Muscat of Alexandria (technically not an indigenous variety; often blended with Xynisteri to produce sweet wines), and their local fire water spirit Zivania (think Grappa). All the Big Four also produce Cyprus brandy, Ouzo and other distilled products.

Traditional wine-making in Cyprus Commandaria is supposedly the oldest “appellation d’origine” wine in the world and has been made on the island since at least 1,000 B.C. It is produced from the indigenous Mavro and Xynisteri grape varieties grown in the confines of the Commandaria Region (14 villages). The grapes are laid out to partially dry in the sun before pressing and fermenting into a dark, sweet wine. The addition of wine-origin alcohol brings the product up to 14-15% alcohol. It spends a minimum of two years in barrels (some as many as 10 years) using the Spanish Solera system. New rules now allow for vintage dating. Total exports are about 60,000 cases. Cyprus Wine Museum The Cyprus Wine Museum opened in 2004 in the former home of Cypriot composer Anastasia Guy. There are artifacts, photographs, signboards and a ten-minute film with music composed by Ms. Guy. The wine products of 32 wineries are on display in the tasting room. I visited wineries in the town of Limassol and both east and west of town.

Another day I toured the Pafos area about a 1 ¼ hours from Limassol. Most of the wineries visited were labors of love. Some of the owner/winemakers studied oenology in America, Greece, France, and Australia. They have a passion for producing wines that the world would enjoy drinking. Many are imported into the United States but, except for Commandaria, in very small quantities. It is time to try something different, like wines from Cyprus. For More Information: Keo - Keo St John Commandaria - Cyprus - 14%: Amazon.co.uk: Grocery Keo - Keo St John Commandaria - Cyprus - 14% Â£17.87 (Â£1.28 / percent_by_volume) FREE UK delivery. Only 8 left in stock. This seller does not deliver to the United States. Learn more Dispatched from and sold by ndlwholesale . 3 new from Â£13.39 750ml Alcohol is not for sale to people under the age of 18. For the facts about alcohol visit drinkaware.co.uk. A signature will be required on delivery.

See Details Add to Basket Â£17.87 (Â£1.28 / percent_by_volume) FREE UK delivery. Only 8 left in stock. Dispatched from and sold by ndlwholesale . Frequently Bought Together Add all three to Basket Some of these items are dispatched sooner than the others. Show details Buy the selected items together This item:Keo - Keo St John Commandaria - Cyprus - 14% Â£17.87(Â£1.28 / percent_by_volume) Only 8 left in stock. Page 1 of 1 Start over Sponsored Products are advertisements for products sold by merchants on Amazon. When you click on a Sponsored Product ad, you will be taken to an Amazon detail page where you can learn more about the product and purchase it. To learn more about Amazon Sponsored Products, click here . Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1 This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Ad feedback Special Offers and Product Promotions Wine vintage is subject to change, though Amazon.co.uk endeavours to keep its vintage information as up to date as possible. Tell Us What You Think About This Wine Tried this wine and want to share your opinions on it? Why not post a review below to help other customers make an informed buying choice. Find out more about posting a customer review . Visit the Wine Reviews page featuring ratings from thousands of customers who have purchased and rated our most popular wines. Discover our full range of wines from around the world in the Wine Store . Product Information 32 x 24.2 x 17.8 cm Units 5.0 out of 5 stars Best Sellers Rank Important Information Legal Disclaimer Unless expressly indicated in the product description, Amazon.co.uk is not the manufacturer of the products sold on our website. While we work to ensure that product information on our website is correct, manufacturers may alter their product information. Actual product packaging and materials may contain more and/or different information than shown on our website. You should always read the labels, warnings and instructions provided with the product before using or consuming it and not solely rely on the information presented on our website. If you have any specific product queries, please contact the manufacturer.

This notice does not affect your legal rights. Product Description This unique wine, widely appreciated since Ancient times, was made famous by the Knights os St. John during the crusades in the 11th century. Keo's St. John wine of commandaria offers a luscious sweet taste, and a powerful bouquet of oakwood, dried fruit and spices. Keo St John Commandaria from Keo. Wine alcohol content 14%. Created in Cyprus. What do customers buy after viewing this item? Best Selling Page 1 of 1 Start over Sponsored Products are advertisements for products sold by merchants on Amazon. When you click on a Sponsored Product ad, you will be taken to an Amazon detail page where you can learn more about the product and purchase it. To learn more about Amazon Sponsored Products, click here . 5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly the oldest and best desert wine in the world! By Philokypros Andreou on 19 Nov. 2011 Commandaria is world reknown for its (sweet) taste. It is produced only in Cyprus and KEO Commandaria is considered as the best of all known bottled & commercially available Commandarias.

The first to import it in Britain was King Richard the Lionheard when he visited the island, on his way with the Crusaders to liberate the Holy Land. He fall in love with the wine and he was the first to import it commercially in Britain. The king married in Limassol Berengaria of Navarre. Commandaria is considered as a holy wine, used by many religions for ceremonial purposes. I enjoy Commandaria round the year but especially in winter. You can drink it solo at ambient temperate, or cold. It is popular with ice, crushed or in cubes. Although you can enjoy Commandaria throughout the day, most people sip Commandaria in the evenings, after a meal. Higly recommneded as a gift to beloved ones and not only. Cheers!!! Cyprus Wine Red White Wines Cyprus Keo Cherry What do a Customs officer, a lawyer, an airline pilot, an electricity board official, a police inspector and a former welder have in common? The answer, of course, is that they are all wine-makers. Members of a new "club" of small to medium producers who supplement the four huge Limassol wine-making plants, to enhance and broaden the range of table wines available in Cyprus.

The world of wine is as diverse as people themselves and Cyprus is no exception. Steeped in history, upon which it perhaps dwells too much, the Cyprus industry has long been a provider of large quantities of vinified and distilled products to countries as far apart as Japan and Sweden. As fashions have changed, so Cyprus has adapted its industry. In many ways the island is unusual. The cursed Philloxera beetle, which, after arriving on vine samples shipped from the USA, decimated European vineyards in the 1860's and 1870's, has never reached here -- the only place in Europe it hasn't. This means that the indigenous vines grow undisturbed on their own rootstocks, often for a hundred or even a hundred and fifty years. The majority of vine varieties are old, too. The black unique-to-Cyprus "Mavro", makes up the bulk of most red wines, whilst the more pungent, higher acidity varieties like Maratheftiko and Ofthalmo have been re-discovered and encouraged, helping to make improving and interesting reds.

The Xynisteri is the main wine grape, which makes a fresh, light-tasting and pleasing white wine and the majority of whites are made mainly from it. "Foreign" varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Carignan Noir, Mataro, Chardonnay, even Semillon, have been successfully introduced in the past 20 years and are used for blending with Mavro or Xynisteri, as well as producing small quantities of "varietal" wines. Some of these clearly show their provenance, but in the main if you drink Cyprus wine, you have the taste of Cyprus in your glass. Get to know it and it will reward you. Unfortunately, Cyprus has been the victim of criticism by international wine writers. Yes, as with all countries, you can find wine here that is not very good. On the other hand, there is plenty that is and it is these wines we hope to help you find (if you haven't found them already!). But first, a quick look at some positive developments.

Cyprus has long had the problem of having wine-making plants a long way from the vineyards, meaning that all too often grapes have not arrived at the winery in the best condition. Apart from taking positive measures to speed up this process, the big companies KEO, ETKO, SODAP and LOEL) are making much of their premium quality wines near the grapes. ETKO have built a plant in the wine hills at Omodhos, with a million-bottle a year capacity, and KEO have bought the Laona winery at Arsos, with similar capability, and have spent millions of pounds on redeveloping and re-equipping wineries at Pera Pedi and Mallia, where they have also cleared and re-planted hundreds of hectares of vineyards. Recent years have seen government encouragement of small companies to start regional wineries, bringing employment and income to the villages. There are around twenty of these, with capacities ranging from 10,000 to 100,000+ bottles a year. Several expect to be producing quarter to half a million bottles in a few years. These developments are producing more diversified and characterful wines.

Of great help to vine growers and wine makers alike is the recently renamed Vines and Wines Institute of Limassol, founded in 1971 and run by highly qualified personnel, who among many advisory and practical activities make small quantities of wines from virtually every area and every grape variety grown in Cyprus. These show which varieties can make good everyday wines, as well as potentially great ones. According to some authorities, like Hugh Johnson, the great wine of Cyprus is the very sweet dessert wine "Commandaria", which is well worth exploring. But for me, and many others, "wine" means the lovely gold or ruby liquid that we drink before or during a meal. Today, there are plenty of good and very good wines to choose from. As yet there are no great ones; Cyprus still awaits it first internationally great wine maker, but from what I have seen and tasted, I believe that he or she will arrive on the scene in the not too distant future. Ambeli: The Vineyard Cyprus is the ideal place for the growth of the vineyard, due to its warm, dry climate.

The cultivation of the "ambeli" on the island began from the prehistoric period, just as it had been done in other Mediterranean countries of similar climatic conditions. Initially, the vine was a self-reproducing plant, whilst in later periods, its systematic cultivation began. This conclusion can be drawn from the study done on fossilised grape seeds that were found in excavations. The cultivation of vineyards took place on the whole of the island and mainly in the two mountainous areas of Troodos and Pentadactilos. Most philosophical sources mention more so the wine of Cyprus, rather than the vine. Cyprus, in proportion to its size and population, holds the highest production rate of grapes in the world. Additionally, vineyards cover the largest percentage of semi mountainous and mountainous land of Cyprus, where it is not financially viable to cultivate anything else. The vine may thrive from sea level up to a altitude of 1,500 metres above the sea level. The vine is a long-living, deciduos plant, which climbs, and due to this, supported at times in its life, helping it grow. The leaves are heart shaped, and in periods of bloom, the buds are small and green.

The fruit - the grapes, are sweet with 2 to 4 seeds, and colours ranging from deep red to yellow-green, depending on the type. Depending on the variety, the size of the grapes also changes. There are many criteria in which the variation of grapes may be divided, but the basic distinction is made according to use - whether they are used for production of wine or not. The vine is of the few plants in which its cultivation goes back to ancient times, and extends from China to Asia Minor. One of the most ancient countries of the vineyard is Egypt, were different seeds were found in many of the oldest tombs, one of which being Omari from 4,500 AD. Additionally, the vineyard is depicted in many coloured wall paintings on the inside of tombs in "Memphida" and in "Thibes". The vineyard is also mentioned in articles by the Hebrews in the Old Testament. The vine is related to various myths of different civilisations, such as of the Persians, the Indians, the Armenians, etc.

Each culture has helped in the advancements in cultivation of the vine, as well as in the production of wine (which was equated to prossessing a godly gift). The Greeks had Dionysos, The Indians had God Soma, the Egyptians had Osiris, the Romans Baucus, and the Jews had Noah. During the first Christian years, the cultivation of vineyards in Cyprus proved to be important. This confirmed by the fact that even traditional culture talks of it. According to this, when St.Lazarus,after his resurrection, and his persecution by the Jews for his miracles, arrived in Cyprus he came to shore somewhere in Larnaca. Tired and hungry, he asked an old lady, an owner of a vineyard, for some grapes. The old lady denied his request, informing Lazarus that all her vines had dried up. The saint was angry with the old lady's lies and ordered that from now on all her vines would wither and die, and a salt lake would appear in their place. The miracle, according to the legend, occurred, and the Salt Lake was formed.

In the House of Dionyssos in Kato Paphos, there exist famous multi-coloured mosaics that depict scenes of cultivation of the vineyards. In writings by St.Neophytos, who lived around the end of the 12th century, we are given worthwhile information about the vineyards of Cyprus. Many foreign explorers mention the vineyards of Cyprus and talk especially of its exquisite wine. In 1844, the French ambassador to Cyprus, M.Fourcade, sent reports to the French government stating that the vineyards covered 21.3% of the island. Two thirds of these were in the district of Limassol, while the remaining one third was in the districts of Paphos, Larnaca, Kyrenia and Famagusta. Later, during the Turkish rule of 1868 - 1872, taxes were placed on the production of wine and other alcoholic drinks in Cyprus, and the vineyard cultivation received serious wounds. The hassle and exploitation the farmers experienced forced these people into a situation where the sight of the tax-man alone was enough for them to pour the wine on the ground.

This was because the expense was much higher than the gains felt, taking into consideration all the effort of their labours. In the following decades, the vineyard cultivation started to expand with a faster growth rate in other parts of the island, as well. This was contributed to mainly by the increasing demand for grapes from five new wine producing companies, which were founded in 1910 in the district of Pera Pedi, Mallia, and as well as in Limassol. The need for the formation of these companies lay in the sharp increase in demand for Cypriot wines abroad. During the last decades of the 19th century, the vineyards of Europe were destroyed by a virus of dry-leaf, whilst the Cypriot vineyards had not be harmed. The high prices that were offered for Cypriot wines also contributed to the expansion of cultivation of the ambelia. The new vineyards were planted with a local, dark type of grape, as this variety was more marketable. During the period of the two World Wars, a further growth in the vineyard cultivation was noted, as the wine could be bottled and sold at a later time.

After the end of the Second World War, however, the European wine producing countries regained their overseas markets once again, at about the same time that the new vineyards in Cyprus had started bearing fruit. This had, as an effect, the identification of various problems arising with the increase of the vineyard production. The problems escalated in 1949, which led to the foundation of Programme for the Vineyard products, with the aim of more effectively dealing with the problems. With the passing of time, and with thanks to the development and expansion of existing, as well as new members of the wine producing industry, the exploration of new markets, and the increase tourism, the wine producing industry wil always remain as one of the most important sectors of the Cypriot economy. The ambeli is for Cyprus, one of the most significant, large scale cultivations of the island just as it has been over many centuries. The fruit of the ambeli - the grape, as well as its derivatives, has been and will continue to be a vital source of income for thousands of families in Cypriot villages.

The principal produce of the grape in Cyprus include different types and quality of wine; "zivania" - a very strong alcocholic aperitif; raisins; "shoushoukko"; "kkiofterkia"; "palouze"; and port. From 1969, legislation was passed offering government subsidy on vineyard cultivations, with the objective to aid farmers and improve output. By 1971, a plan was laid down with the purpose of replacing older and non productive vineyards with new ones. Today in Cyprus many different vineyards are cultivated, the wine producing kind as well as not, both local variations and new European families that have been imported over the last few years. Few of these variations are the dark, local type, "Palomino", "Malaga", "Soultanina", "Rozaki", "Veriko", etc. A Little Bit of History The Grape in History and its coming to Cyprus It is probably true that there has been a commercial wine industry in Cyprus longer than anywhere else in the world. Whilst this may give rise to romantic promotional gambits like "Four thousand years of Tradition", it is no guarantee of good wine today.

Thankfully, though, there is plenty of good wine to drink in Cyprus at the present time, but this is due to the skill of modern wine makers and their equipment rather than inherited traditions. The wild vine from which our modern grape varieties descended (a very long time ago) undoubtedly grew in Cyprus and the bitter small fruits were probably collected and dried by man. The cultivation of vines for dessert fruit and wine is relatively recent. In fact it seems that the grape was first brought near man's home and cultivated in the Black Sea area around 8,000 years ago. From there it spread slowly south-eastwards to Mesopotamia, Syria and Egypt, from whence it travelled across the Mediterranean to Greece, on to Italy, and so on. There is much evidence to suggest that the country which had the greatest wine industry for the longest period was Syria, from around 3,000 BC or before, until about 1000 AD, when Islam held sway and banned the production of alcohol. It is known that in that early period, 5,000 years ago, Syrian farmers came to Cyprus and, although there is no evidence to prove it, I am personally convinced they would have brought their wine-producing grapes with them.

And so, when the Greeks and Romans came to Cyprus several millennia later, I think they would have found wine already here, but probably of a very different style to the wines they were accustomed to. Because of problems with sealing vessels to protect the wine from oxidisation from the air, most early wines would have been sweet and the tradition of such wines in Cyprus was born. Sweet wines not only oxidise more slowly, but they travel better then dry wines. So callers to the Cyprus of old would have stocked their boats with the sweet wines of Cyprus. Not a lot of historical evidence exists to describe the wines of Cyprus between the Greco-Roman periods and the Middle ages, when Cyprus endured drought, pestilence and regular wars. In the 11th century, when the Crusades commenced, Cyprus wines became recorded and praised. The most noted proponent, at least insofar as legend and wine promotion have it, was Richard the Lion Heart. From his sojourn here and those of the various Orders of Knights, came the generic description of the sweet wines of Cyprus: "Commandaria". Commandaria, by law, today has certification of origin, which stipulates types of grapes, regions of production and methods.

For such a delicious sweet wine it is a remarkable bargain. As the centuries passed, writers, priests, explorers, soldiers and rulers praised the sweet wines of Cyprus, bought them, shipped them and drank them. Invasion followed invasion. Four hundred years of Lusignan rule, ending in 1489, was followed by the Venetians (1489-1571), who found the place bankrupt. The Ottomans invaded in 1571 and stayed until 1878, when they surrendered the island to Britain. In all this period there was not a lot done for the vine grower, especially under the Turks, who extracted iniquitous triple taxes from vine-growers and wine-makers. Apart from taxes, one aspect of the Turkish period was that they allocated the better land to people of their faith, leaving the Cypriots of the Orthodox Church the higher, less fertile ground, whose only useful crop was the hardy vine. The Middle Ages to the 19th.

Century -- and the Foundations of the Modern Industry During the Dark Ages, the Defenders of the Faith, the Monasteries, all over Europe were also "Defenders of the Grape", protecting the heritage if the vine left by the Roman Empire, and ensuring that the making of good wines, spirits and liqueurs carried on. There is no doubt that this tradition held true in Cyprus. There are records of a winery at Chrysorioyiatissa Monastery in the 18th. Century and, no doubt, wines and liqueurs have been made elsewhere over the centuries. But it is in the 19th Century that the foundations of the modern industry were laid. The House of Haggipavlu was founded in 1844, when the company made the purchase of a second sailing vessel, the "Saint Peter" to add to the first, the "Alexander" bought in 1825. These vessels took exports of wine in barrels all over the eastern Mediterranean. By the early 1870's, it seemed that exports could rocket to colossal levels, when the Phylloxera beetle struck and decimated every vine growing area in Europe except Cyprus.

The French, and others, demanded thousand of barrels from Cyprus to meet demand for wine and the Cypriots thought their bonanza days had come. But the French quickly passed laws restricting imports, to force the local industry to be re-built and Cyprus' boom time faded away. In 1875 the British leased Cyprus from Turkey and it seemed better days would come. But there were still taxes, and little investment for this small part of the Great British Empire. In 1889 the Cypriots sent a delegation to London to lobby for a reduction in import duties on Cyprus wines, but without success. But the local industry proceeded undeterred. In 1893, the Haggipavlu family, by then making spirits as well as wines, built the first modern winery in Sanaja in the Limassol district, with proper presses and fermentation tanks of stone. Around the same time, an English family, the Chaplins, built a large wine-making plant at the village of Pera Pedi, just below Platres and starting making wine in fairly large quantities.

Both these wineries would have made dry wines, from the local grapes, "Xynisteri" (white) and "Mavro" (red), which, as I suggest earlier, were from vines that had been in Cyprus for many hundreds if not thousands of years. These were the years of the British Empire, with a strong presence in the Middle East, especially after World War I, from 1918 onwards. So the wine and spirits industry of Cyprus prospered, with exports to all the places where the British were present: Palestine, Egypt, Sudan, even to the Arabian Gulf, as well as to the French in Lebanon and Syria The stage was set for expansion. KEO arrives on the scene; Cyprus Sherry booms. As the new century started (on January 1st 1901, in my opinion!) there were two up-to-date wine making plants in Cyprus, the Chaplin family's at Per Pedhi and the Haggipavlu's at Sanaja, both in the Limassol district. However, Haggipavlu were developing a big distilling business, based on brandy and wine became rather secondary. But sales of products based on the grape grew steadily.

In 1927 a group of Cypriot business houses headed by Lanitis formed KEO, with the objective of expanding modern wine production and in 1928 they purchased the Chaplin family winery and shortly afterwards started the construction of a second at Mallia. As their wines came on to the market, a tacit agreement existed between KEO and Haggipavlu that one would concentrate on wine and the other on brandy. This came to an end in 1935 when KEO opened a brandy distillery in Limassol, and Haggipavlu countered by purchasing the largest privately owned winery in Limassol and developing it into ETKO. The third of the "Big Four", LOEL was formed in 1943, through a breakaway of trades union members from ETKO, following a strike. This was, and is, a co-operative company run on socialist principles which was to develop a big business with the countries of the Communist block.

The fourth company, SODAP (The Vine Products Co-operative Marketing Union Ltd.) is also a co-operative, founded in 1947 by the vine-growers themselves, to "protect the rights of the growers". Despite World War II the Cyprus industry prospered. Although not a lot was done for it by the British, markets were available because of the British and French presence in the Middle East, which created a demand for wines and spirits produced in Cyprus. Development resulted from the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of the Cypriots running the Big Four. Good cheap brandy and other distilled products could always command a market, as could good grape juice, either in its natural form or fermented. So the sales executives of KEO, ETKO, LOEL and SODAP began to travel the world looking for opportunities. Fortified wine, that is to say wine strengthened and stabilised by the addition of brandy or other spirit, was already popular in Northern markets and the Cypriots had started making 'Cyprus Sherry' in 1937. But it was in the late 1940's that it really started to take off.

Incredibly cheap, EMVA Cream and many other brands started sweeping into the UK market -- not yet the wine loving one it is today, but one that consumed millions of gallons of "sticky" port or sherry, or imitations thereof, at Christmas and other celebratory times. All over the world Cyprus sold its vine products; concentrated grape juice, pure alcohol for translation into vodka and other spirits, Sangria and other fruit juice laced wines, whilst developing its growing local market as the tourism industry began its upward surge. For more than thirty years, the Cyprus wine industry was "The Big Four": KEO, ETKO, SODAP and LOEL, who produced very similar lines of wines, spirits, liqueurs and other by products of grape juice. They were, and are, essentially businesses, whose function is the utilisation of a basic raw material (grape juice) to make commercially viable products to be sold around the world in one form or another. The object is to produce profits or dividends for the shareholders, whether they were family members, grape growers or investors large or small.

In the 1950's and 1960's the world was demanding low-priced products and Cyprus supplied them -- dry, medium and sweet "Cyprus Sherry", table wines sold in bulk to Britain (where it turned up in bottles with brand names like "Hirondelle") and other countries, by the million litres. Wine, or "Plonk" to give its vernacular title, was the party drink and you took as much as you could buy for a pound or two. Then came "wine lakes" and the drive by marketing men for "quality", wines bottled in the country of origin. Cyprus began to look at the nature of its industry, small labour intensive hillside vineyards producing indigenous grape varieties that didn't match the demand for wines made from varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chadonnay; time and distance between the vines and the wineries which meant that grapes were "stale" by the time they got to the factory; and out of date marketing techniques.

In the early 1980's the Cyprus government, as part of its drive to create rural industries and away from he seaside tourist attractions, enabled small enterprises to apply for licences to operate wineries of 50,000 to 300,000 bottles a year capacity, in the hill villages of the grape growing regions. The first of these was at Chrysorioyiatissa Monastery in the Paphos District, whose Monte Roya winery was established with German technology and equipment, making a range of wines, of which the white, Ayios Andronicos is among the top five Cyprus white wines. The late 1980's and early '90's saw a rush of small wineries starting up at Ayios Amvrosios, Kilani, Platres, Monagri, Arsos and other places in the Limassol district and at Kathikas and Vouni-Panayia near Paphos. The Ministry of Agriculture formed a special department in Limassol, with a fully equipped laboratory and a team of experienced specialists.

There, wines were made from every grape variety and every region of Cyprus, experimental plantings undertaken all over the country and training courses arranged for would be winemakers. Most of the small wineries owe a great debt to the unit's director, Dr. Rhumbas. The result of this development has been the appearance on the local market of more than 100 red, white and rosï¿½ wines, some bad, some good and a few very good. The bad have largely vanished. What is remarkable is that in such a short time these intrepid young producers have started to make wines that are drinkable, enjoyable and getting better every year, with emerging and definite styles of their own. Whilst this exciting development has been taking place the Big Four have also been very active. They have developed new vineyards of their own and through purchase they have planted hundreds of thousands of new vines of famous international varieties and re-discovered old Cyprus types. They have built new or restored wineries in the hills, as well as made valiant attempts to shorten the time between picking and pressing grapes in Limassol. All this is good for the consumer. We have today a good range to choose from at prices that still represent very good value.

Competition between the big boys and the smaller local producers, as well as from an ever growing range of imported wines from all over the world ensures this. The Cyprus industry has a battle on its hands, but in my view the turn of the century will see it in pretty good shape. Wine Villages Solea Valley On the main Nicosia-Troodos road, 56 km from Nicosia and 56 km from Limassol (via Kato Amiantos and Saittas), the picturesque mountain villages of Galata and Kakopetria, situated in the Solea valley (or otherwise the apple valley), are popular hill resorts with a good range of hotels and restaurants, but also retaining much of the old folk architecture. Both villages are famous for their Byzantine churches. Other important villages, in the area are Evrikhou, Flassou and Korakou. Krassochoria The area known as the ' Krassohoria' (the Wine Villages) is found on the south side of the Troodos range. Old traditions are kept alive in these villages, where the cultivation of the vineyards, and wine making are still the main occupation of most of the inhabitants.

This is the area which produces the famous local red dry wine. Main villages in the area are Omodhos, Arsos, Pachna. The area is reached from the Limassol Paphos road, turning right after Erimi village or from Limassol-Platres road. Omodhos 11 km south west of Platres. A wine producing village, once the property of Sir John de Brie, Prince of Galilee, with the Monastery of Stayros (Holy Cross), standing in the centre of the village. The monastery contains old icons, excellent wood carving and other ecclesiastical objects of interest, as well as a small National struggle museum. An old House, with a wine-press known as Linos, is being restored and can also be visited. A wine festival is held in the village every August, and there is a large religious fair on 14 September. Phini 4 km west of Platres. Famous for its pottery and as the birthplace of Archbishop Sophronios II. Visitors can see the Pilavakion private pottery collection. Kilani 1.5 km south-west of Perapedhi, off the Limassol-Troodos road.

An attractive wine-producing village with the single-aisled vaulted church of Ayia Mavri, typical of 12th century architecture with murals of the late 15th century. Kathikas The Sterna Winery is situated between wine plantations at the road from Kathikas to Akordalia and wine has been produced here for over 3000 years. The wine is slowly matured in the cool underground caves, aged more than 2000 years. The winery is open to the public daily from 9:30 to 18:00. Wine tasting is free. Kilani Vine Museum, Limassol Here the sun is hot, the sky clear, the soil fertile. The people are friendly and hardworking. The olive tree, the carob tree, the lemon tree and the vine grow on our land. Our vines are blooming and our wines superb. A large mountainous area of the Limassol district is covered with vines. It is the well known area of 'Krassochoria" or wine-producing villages. Kilani is a picturesque village in this area.

Here, in this traditional wine producing village, where old customs, way of life, traditional occupations and tools are still preserved, everyone is welcome. In the past every household was a small winery. In every one of these households you would find all the exhibits and tools you see in this Museum. In past decades Kilani, the biggest and most important village in this mountainous area, was an administrative and commercial centre for a number of villages in the area with a Land Registry Office, a Magesterial Court, a Government General Practitioner and a central Police Station. You could also find here a number of shops, flour-mills, small craft industries which attracted people from the surrounding villages to do their shopping. Kilani is the birthplace of a number of distinguished Cypriots. Among them were Archimandrite Kyprianos and Paissios who lived in the 18th century. Proof of their love for the village is preserved until today in the church of Monogenis. Like most village communities the population of the village has been rapidly declining in the last four decades. The old architecture of the houses is still preserved as very few new houses are nowadays built in the village.

It is a densely packed village with houses built in adjoining squares. The irregular, steep, narrow roads take you to the most remote ends of the village. High surrounding walls enclose each household, making it difficult for a passer by to have a look at what is inside. Rectangular and arched solid outside doors are the evidence that family life was of very great importance and securely guarded and protected. This Museum is in fact a traditional household in the village. It is built of mud and stone thick walls, it has a thatched roof of tree logs covered with branches of bushes and mud. It is east-facing and the outside courtyard is covered with white stone slates. The rooms built in a line next to each other get light through the door and more rarely through windows placed on the one side. It must be pointed out that these three rooms belonged to three different owners and constituted three different households. In each one of these rooms the whole family slept, there were big earthenware jars in which they kept their products and it was not at all unusual to have their animals in the same room. A reminder of hard times and poverty.

WINES OF THE MONTH APERITIF : KEO "Fino" Properly made in a bodega in Limassol that could be in Jerez, KEO Fino is the only fortified Cyprus wine made in the traditional "Flor" manner. It is virtually a hobby of the island's largest company. Made from Palomino grapes, in small quantities, it enjoys modest local sales. A writer who shall be nameless regularly plugs it in his column and has been known to reprimand hotel bar keepers if they don't have a chilled bottle available. White "Ayios Andronicos" 1997, Xynisteri from the Monte Royal Winery at Chrysoroyiatissa Monastery Made the first 'independent' winery, started 15 years ago, with German advice and equipment. Grapes from the monastery's own vineyards. Problems of inconsistency but on its day this is one of the best whites on the island. Xynisteri, the indigenous variety, makes a nice, fresh wine, which can be fruity and is best drunk young.

"Ayia Irini" 1997 Semillon-Xynisteri from the Paphos winery of Theodoros Fikardos, a young, adventurous and increasingly successful wine-maker. He makes limited quantities of varietals (Chardonnay, Riesling, Semillon), which show well the origin of the grape, but are gentle and enjoyable. "Vasilikon" 1996 Xynisteri from Kathikas Winery, Paphos, another young winery established in 1994. Good light gold colour, nice fruity nose and crisp 'Xynisteri' grape flavour. A staple white and enjoyed by most of our visitors. Red "Ayios Onoufrios" 1996 from the Kathikas Winery. A blend of indigenous grapes - the low-acid Mavro and higher acidity Opthalmo and Maratheftiko. Drunk young, this wine had a fresh berryness unique to Cyprus. It is worth noting that 1995 was the first year in which the Nikolaides family had ever made commercial red wine.

"Semeli" 1994 from the oldest wine-making company on the island, the House of Haggipavlu. Undisclosed blend, probably some Mavro, Opthalmo and maybe Cabernet. Made in some quantities, it is a cut above most factory wine and has the virtue of being consistent year on year. Plenty of bite for red meats, stews etc "Heritage" 1990 Varietal Maratheftiko Another indulgence by KEO, but one with a future. Maratheftiko is a high-acid, tanninic Cyprus grape, rediscovered by KEO growing in small numbers in a field of Mavro - a sure hint that in the "old" days in the villages they knew about blending low and high acid grapes. KEO have spent a lot of money developing and replanting this grape, rather than Cabernet Sauvignon, in order to produce, in very Bordeaux style, wine which spends six months in new Limousin oak barrels. Rent Cyprus Villas.

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Question: Which country, a member of the EU, produces the rich dessert wine Commandaria?
Answer: Cyprus