Wine has long been a good meal’s best companion.
But for how long and when did the magic of wine begin?
Jesus was said to have turned water into wine, but that was only 2,000 years ago!
Greek legends say Dionysus created wine first, but when and where.
Modern Turkey holds the first written records of wine – going back a good few thousand years before Christ, and, modern wine grapes can be genetically traced back to Turkish grapes.
Wines’ journey can be traced from Turkey into the Eastern Mediterranean and islands and onto mainland Europe.
And, as I discovered while in India this May, wineries have not only reached India, India now produces superb red wines.
Cyprus was a very early step in wines’ journey – the oldest record is almost 4,500 years ago, and it is said, Cypriot wine production is closer to 6,000 years old.
Cypriot wine has had, possibly many, revolutions and modern Cypriot wines have increasingly become world class. Cypriot wines wine international awards.
Cyprus grows some twenty seven grape varieties and these include non-Cypriot grapes such as Chardonnay and Shiraz. Some wineries are experimenting with Merlot and more while others are reintroducing almost forgotten Cypriot varieties.
So, we are pulling a cork on a few Cypriot wineries and wines with a short introduction to three Cypriot wineries.
Many Cypriot wineries are nestled amongst historic mountain villages. So you may add stunning vistas, old traditions and ancient monuments to your wine tasting journey; a sharp contrast to ultra modern wine production.
Fikardos winery was born out of a marriage and his wife’s grapes in the 1980’s. Theodoros Fikardos, a local restaurant owner dreamed of making his own wine. So, after his wedding and with his wife’s grapes he made a barrel of wine to share with family, friends and restaurant customers.
Next year he doubled production… and…. come the early 90’s set up his own winery.
The winery is now a modern production facility and the grape are all grown in the Akamas region of Cyprus.
And it paid off. From 2001 various of his wines have won national and international awards. And in 2013 the Sunday Mail called Theodoros The Don of Cypriot Wine; not bad for someone who made wine at home in the late 80’s.
Check out Fikardos’s Chardonnay and Shiraz
We loved “The Don’s” story and you will love spending a day in the Akamas region with nearby wildlife sanctuary, beautiful hills and idyllic old Cypriot villages on the approach to the Troodos mountains.
Vasilikon Kyperounta Winery takes Cypriot wine to a different level.
Yes, the wines are consistent winners of Cypriot and international awards, but, there is yet another level.
Kyperounta is Cyprus’s third highest village, at 1300 metres, and the winery and some vineyards are amongst the highest in Europe.
The whites are from the Chardonnay grape and Petritus while the reds are Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
Vouni Panayia Winery produces wines based solely on Cyprus’s indigenous grapes.
Panayia’s wines are a of blend tradition with innovation and experience with knowledge. The winery creates quality wines, from selected grapes of indigenous varieties cultivated in the winery’s vineyards.
At Panayia you can taste the land of Cyprus and its historic grapes.
Cyprus offers around another 50 wineries. Some provide great event facilities including conference space so ideal for offsite morning meetings followed by a wine tasting lunch.
All you need add is Evie from Event Makers DMC.
