Commandaria Saint Barnabas

Commandaria is a sweet dessert wine, made on the foothills of Mount Troodos from sun-dried native Xynisteri and Mavro grapes. It is a truly mythological wine, probably the oldest in the world still produced 2800 years after its supposed birth. The passerillage process, which is the key to this mythical and legendary wine, must take place within the 14 villages designated by the production rules, which now benefit from a Commandaria protected designation of origin.

The vineyards are established on the southern slopes of Mount Troodos, in the Limassol district, at an altitude ranging from 500 to 900 meters, which allows for a good day/night temperature range, favoring the preservation of the grapes' delicate aromas before harvest. This is probably one of the keys to the success of this nectar.

Aging lasts at least 2 years in used oak vats using the Solera technique. This sumptuous cuvée has a brilliant, still very fresh orange hue. The nose of this wine is striking, with beautiful purity offering nuances of bitter almonds, coffee, spices, candied figs, and cocoa. The alcohol does not stand out at all, and the whole is full of elegance.

The palate, with great aromatic precision, is very flavorful. The length is impressive, and the wine finishes with a fireworks display of aromas of dates, figs, sweet spices, and candied fruits. No heaviness, a slight bitterness superbly rebalancing the natural freshness of this nectar.

The island is located 80 km off the southern coast of Turkey and a little further off the west coast of Syria. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. It measures 225 km from east to west. The Cypriot wine industry was at its peak in the Middle Ages and experienced a steady and gradual decline over the centuries that followed. The island's location once made it a useful port of call for voyages from Greece and Italy to Egypt and the Levant. Cyprus was of great use to medieval merchants and traders. Until the end of the 20th century, most local wines were made in the southern port towns of Paphos and Limassol. This meant that the fruits had to travel long distances in the Mediterranean heat and often in relatively primitive means of transport. Things have changed a lot now, with a new wave of winegrowers growing their own grapes and producing wines representative of their Cypriot terroir.