Nearly 6,000 years of Cypriot wine making
The history of winemaking in Cyprus can be traced back nearly 6,000 years. In 2005, a team of archeologists unearthed fragments of round flasks that were dated to the Chalcolithic period. These unwashed pottery fragments showed traces of tartaric acid (a component of wine), proving that the 5,500-year-old vases were used for wine. This provided evidence that the first wines in the Mediterranean region were produced in Cyprus, long before the Romans made mosaics with Dionysus, the god of wine (see my last post about the Roman mosaic in the Paphos Archeological Park: https://landscapes-revealed.net/cyprus-a-pop-up-island-between-converging-plates/).
Wine-making continues today. Although early wines were made for local consumption, larger wineries now distribute their wines throughout the island and even internationally. According to people who’ve come here for some time, the quality of the wine has been improving.
Before delving into the rocks of the Troodos Ophiolites, I’ll detour briefly into the world of wine. On our last full day in Paphos, we had the pleasure of visiting wineries and tasting their wine with our excellent guide Elena. Here is a link to the Troodos Vino Venture we did with Cyprus Taste Tours: https://cyprustastetours.com/troodos-vino-venture/.
Indigenous and imported grape varieties in Cyprus
Elena picked us up at our lodging in Paphos. With two other couples she drove us northward to three wineries located on the slope leading up to the foothills of the Troodos Mountains. There are 12 indigenous varietals grown in Cyprus today, and at least 20 imported varietals—all made as single-varietal wines or blended with other varietals.
Indigenous varietals are those that originated in Cyprus. These varietals began to be shipped to Europe in the late 19th century when the phylloxera epidemic destroyed most of the wine-producing vines there. Cyprus, an island with strict quarantine controls, was unaffected and the demand for their grapes and wines strengthened the industry.
Sterna Winery. The vineyard in the photo above is near the first winery we visited. Sterna winery is in the town of Kathikas, at an elevation of 650–700 m (1968–2296 ft).
Right-side photo. Another indigenous wine we tasted is Maratheftiko. This bottle was produced at Ezousa, the second winery we visited. It is more challenging to grow because it is not able to self-pollinate, so to reproduce, it must be planted next to another grape variety that flowers at the same time. Nevertheless, it is a popular varietal and 5th highest in productivity. This robust red with soft tannins is an excellent accompaniment to the popular Cypriot souvla—pieces of lamb, pork or chicken grilled on long skewers. At Sterna, we tasted a blend of Maratheftiko and Merlot.
At Sterna, we also tasted Commandaria, called the wine of kings and the king of wines because it was greatly enjoyed at the wedding of Richard the Lionheart in 1191 in Cyprus. It is said to date back to the time of the ancient Greeks, 4,000 years ago, when it was a popular drink at festivals celebrating Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Commandaria is a sweet dessert wine produced from mature, sun-dried grapes of Xinisteri or Mavro, another indigenous varietal. The Commandaria we tasted was made with sun-dried Mavro grapes and was delicious.
Ezousa winery. The next winery we visited was farther north and located next to the Ezousa River in the town of Kannaviou. The winery’s soils are mostly sediments of sand and gravel eroded from rocks in the Troodos Mountains and carried south by the river. We tasted a certified organic Viognier (imported varietal) that would stand up to our finest Viogniers in Oregon. Next, we tried their Xynisteri that won high awards in 2022. We were told that Xynisteri is well adapted to Cyprus because it copes well with hot conditions.
For red wine, we tasted a blend of 25% Mourvèdre, 25% Lefkara (indigenous varietal), and 50% Maratheftiko. This is a good red wine for Cyprus—it is usually served cold and has low tannins. We found it very drinkable—it would be lovely with cheese and fruit on a summer evening. We purchased a bottle of 100% Maratheftiko, but I will have to add a comment after we try it.
Tsangarides winery. Our last winery is located in Lemona village on our way back south to Paphos. We tasted a large number of single variety and blends, but in general we preferred the wines at the previous two wineries. Nevertheless, the tasting room were very pleasant.
Other parts of the tour
Between visiting the Ezousa and Tsangarides wineries, we toured a monastery and enjoyed a typical meze lunch.
High-elevation wine grapes
We are now high in the Troodos Mountains, but the elevation is not an impediment to wine grape growing. Because of the steep slopes, the vineyards are small, and many are on ancient terraces.
On my next post, I’ll describe other amazing features of the Geopark.
What an amazing story about the grape vines having roots so deep and still alive. Thanks. – Keeley
Agreed! We thought that was amazing. Our guide emphasized how the indigenous varieties have completely adapted to their environment and how, if exported, they would be quite different in another environment.
We finally drank our bottle of Ezousa Maratheftiko wine shown above. It was excellent! Not a strong red but very balanced and flavorful. Definitely our favorite of the Cypriot wines we tasted.