Rural Destinations
: Troodos
Troodos Wine Routes
Cyprus wines are among the world’s oldest, with
their production dating to 2000 BC. Mosaics at the House of Dionysus in
Pafos attest to the colorful history of the Cyprus vine. Many renowned
wines of the world are made from vines brought to Europe from Cyprus
after the Crusades. Champagne, for example, may have originated from a
choice cutting taken from Mount Olympos.
Cultivated vineyards cover a large percentage of
the country’s hilly and mountainous land, from sea level up to 1,500
metres, predominantly on the southern and southwestern slopes of Troodos.
Commandaria is a sweet, robust dessert wine
that is said to be the oldest named wine in the world. Called “Nama” in
antiquity, it so reminded Marc Antony of Cleopatra’s kisses that he gave
the whole island to his legendary lover because of it.
Nama was renamed after Richard the Lionheart
sold Cyprus to the Knights Templar. The Grand Commandarie itself was the
estate of the Knights Hospitallers at Kolossi, which led to the renaming
of Nama to “Commandaria”.
The oversized Commandaria grapes are grown on
the high southern slopes of the Troodos, particularly in the villages of
Zoopiyi, Kalokhorio and Agios Konstantinos. They are picked late in the
season and sun-dried to enhance their sugar content. The wine is
produced by fermentation in open jars.
There are many other Cyprus wines, most of which are produced from
indigenous varieties of wine-grapes. More than 100 varieties of grapes
are cultivated in all.
Wine Routes
The CTO is preparing a series of organised “Wine Route”, which will
introduce visitors to Cypriot wines. This project is being co-financed
by the EU Structural Funds, and will be available on the CTO website
www.visitcyprus.com.
“The Cyprus Wine Story”
A brochure with an extensive presentation of wines and wineries of
Cyprus is available from CTO. Please inquire at the CTO Tourist
Information Offices.
Koilani Vineyard Museum
This museum is housed in a traditional house in the village of Koilani.
The museum has a display of traditional agricultural tools and
information on the harvest.
Tel +357-25-471-008
www.kilani.org/viticultural.shtm |
