White wine

The sun-drenched, subtropical island of Cyprus can look back on a long wine-growing tradition. The Mediterranean climate of the island and the mineral-rich soil are ideal for the cultivation of various grape varieties. Wine was grown here as early as the 3rd millennium BC. The vines can also be grown in Cyprus without subvines, which are resistant to phylloxera; in this way, traditional genetic material is preserved for the future through the viticulture culture. In Greek sagas, the alcoholic god Dionysus preferred wine from the island of Cyprus; and in the Cypriot town of Paphos, floor mosaics depicting grapes bear witness to the island's early wine culture.
In addition to red wine, Cyprus white wine is also world famous. Since vine pests such as phylloxera rarely occurred on this island, aromatic, fine wines can be produced here largely without the use of chemicals. Sample the Cypriot Chardonnay white wines or try the zesty, fruity Xynisteri white grapes. This grape variety is also part of the world-famous sweet wine Commandaria, which is grown in Cyprus on the slopes of the Troodos Mountains. The Commandaria is a high-alcohol, almost creamy-tasting wine with a very idiosyncratic character that every wine connoisseur should try at least once.