Wines from Cyprus: current trends plus top bottles to seek out

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, located south of Turkey and west of Syria, Lebanon and Israel. It has a rich history in winemaking which dates back over 5,500 years.

The vines and winemaking areas are scattered around the foothills of the Troodos mountains in the centre of the island, with the seven Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) areas. These vineyards reach a peak of 1,520m above sea level.

Both a Mediterranean climate, providing long hot summers, and a desert wind from the Sahara influence the viticulture and winemaking. Water is scarce and vineyards are often terraced; sometimes the vineyards are trellised and irrigated, but many are made up of old bush vines.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 17 wines from Cyprus

The island itself is phylloxera-free and lays claim to the oldest named wine still in production: Commandaria.

What is Commandaria?

Commandaria was the product of the Knights of St John during the Crusades, but was also known centuries before, as far back as 800BC, as Nama.

A dessert wine made from partially raisined grapes, it must come from the vineyards surrounding the 14 permitted villages of the Commandaria PDO, north of Limassol city. Here the soil profile is volcanic, as opposed to the high proportion of calcium carbonate elsewhere on the island.

It may or may not be fortified, and must use the endemic Mavro and Xynisteri grapes. Ageing requirements state that this wine must be matured in oak casks for a minimum of two years.

Cyprus wine regions:

PDO wine regions:

• Commandaria
• Krasochoria Lemesou
• Krasochoria Lemesou-Afamis
• Krasochoria Lemesou-Laona
• Pitsilia
• Laona Akamas
• Vouni Panagias-Ampelitis

PGI wine regions:

• Larnaka
• Lemesos
• Lefkosia
• Pafos

The evolution of Cypriot wine production: from ancient beverage to quality product

Quality wine production has only taken hold in Cyprus in the past 30 years. Prior to that, production was dominated by bulk wines from the four largest companies: Etko, Keo, Loel and Sodap.

As with many emerging wine regions attempting to attract an international market, international grape varieties have found a place on the island.

Minas Mina, winemaker at Kyperounda Winery, grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Syrah, just like many other wineries on the island. These wines are popular domestically to both locals and tourists.

It is Mina’s white wine made from Xynisteri, called Petritis, though, that has attracted the most attention, being full of citrus fruit flavours and mouth-watering acidity.

Mina believes ‘more research is needed in regard to the other indigenous varieties’, such as Mavro, Maratheftiko and Yiannoudi. The interest for further research is there, perhaps because the latter two are unlike any vines elsewhere in the world due to their inability to self-pollinate.

Key challenges and how they are overcome

One trend that has emerged over the last 20 years is using altitude to combat the extreme heat of the island. Kyperounda, the highest winery in Europe at 1,200m in the Pitsilia PDO region, uses fruit from an average height of 1,400m, but has some vineyards reaching 1,520m.

‘Cyprus has a summer that lasts 10 months, and therefore we don’t have a problem with the fruit ripening, it’s maintaining acidity which is desired,’ said Mina, which is why elevation is used to achieve freshness.

Tsiakkas is another winery in the Pitsilia region that’s planting vineyards at high elevations, at 1,460m, harvesting late into October, experimenting with both international and indigenous varieties at these heights.

Old over new

But it is chiefly indigenous varieties that are the new wave of untapped potential to Cypriot winemakers.

Evangelos Bakalexis, from Santa Irene Winery, firmly believes this, focusing his production on only Mavro and Xynisteri. Located in Farmakas, on the eastern side of the Troodos Mountain range where in most vintages temperatures can fall well below -10°C in the winter months and the unbearable heat of the summer hits 40°C, rainfall is a rarity. Despite these extremes, Bakalexis has 150-year-old, dry-farmed bush vines that not only survive, but flourish.

Vouni Panayia was instrumental in pushing the focus back onto indigenous varieties, having done so since 1987.

Winemaker Yiannis Kyriakidis believes ‘these varieties are very well adapted to the soil and the hot and dry climatic conditions of Cyprus, which allows for sustainable practices. These ancient grapes are a cultural wealth for Cyprus, and for young vignerons.’

Irina Nemeth, UK sales director of Cava Spiliadis, represents Vouni Panayia in the UK and US and has noticed increased hunger among wine lovers for the wines of this island.

‘The island has an incredible terroir and climate for great winemaking. The fact that they focus on indigenous grapes just adds extra points to the offering’ she said.

‘Whites are fresh, floral and complex, whilst the reds are fruity and ripe. They offer great value for money too, being between £15-£40 and incomparable among other wines. From our current offering, we’re seeing huge popularity in the Xynisteri, Morokanella and Maratheftiko wines.’

Quantities are, as expected, limited, but well worth seeking out.

Wines of Cyprus: key facts

Area under vine: 7478ha

Number of wineries: 116 independent wineries and one cooperative

Age of plantings: 433ha of 35-49-year-old vines; 582ha of 50-65-year-old vines

Annual production: 88,873 hl (2020-2021)

Indigenous grape varieties: Mavro 2,951ha, Xynisteri 2,091ha, Maratheftiko 168ha, Ofthalmo 72ha, Yiannoudi 29ha, Promara 25ha, Morokanella 15ha, Spourtiko 12ha, Vasilissa 9.7ha, Kanella 1.6ha

International grape varieties: Syrah 329ha, Mourvèdre 234ha, Carignan 172ha, Cabernet Sauvignon 145ha, Cabernet Franc 104ha, Grenache 79ha, Merlot 53ha

Export markets: A total of 5,300hl are exported, mainly to China, Kenya, Estonia, Finland, UK, and USA (2021)

See tasting notes and scores for 17 wines from Cyprus:

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