History

According to historians, the vine was domesticated for the purpose of producing wine, first in the regions around the Black Sea as early as the 6th millennium B.C., and from there, it spread to Mesopotamia, Syria, Egypt and the Aegean territories. In Cyprus, most probably the cultivation of grapes started in the 2nd millennium B.C., if not earlier.

During the classical Greco-Roman period, wine production, trading and consumption played a significant role in the life of the Cypriots. The mosaics of Kato Paphos, dating back to the 3rd century A.D., illustrate how important wine drinking was in daily life.

The era of the Knights was followed by the Lusignan and Venetian periods, during which wine production was refined and was acknowledged and praised by several prominent nobles, travellers and writers.

Although there was a decline in the quantity and quality of wine production when Cyprus came under the control of the Ottomans during the period between 1571 and 1878, grapes continued to be cultivated on the higher and less fertile slopes of the Troodos mountain range.

The production of Cypriot wine took a new turning with the arrival of the British. Under British rule, winemaking prospered once again and every effort was made to regain lost ground. The main wine activity was focused in Limassol where large factories were established at the beginning of the 20th century. These wineries produced almost all of the Cypriot wines with the notable exception of the Commandaria dessert wine, which continued to be made in certain villages situated up the mountainous slopes due north of Limassol.

Since independence, the Cypriot government has been active in promoting the introduction of new types of grapes suitable to local conditions. Cultivation of these strains has been encouraged to produce lighter wines of lower alcoholic content, more suitable to the European palate. Furthermore, a large number of small local wineries has been established which, under the guidance and support of the oenology department, are producing a wide range of excellent wines.

Cypriot wines became famous and were exported to the neighbouring countries. The Pharaohs of Egypt showed special preference and affection, while Cypriot wines were in great demand from the ancient Greeks and Romans. Poets like Homer and Pindaros have commented on the quality of Cypriot wines.

In the Middle Ages, the Crusaders conquered the island and Cypriot wines became available in the western parts of Europe. During this period, the production of the legendary Cypriot dessert wine was adopted by the Knights of the Order, who named it “Commandaria”, after their commandary of Kolossi near Limassol.