Cyprus — wine

Commandaria

The world's oldest named wine still in production, Commandaria is a naturally sweet wine produced in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains from sun-dried Xynisteri (white) and Mavro (red) grapes. The name dates to the Knights Hospitaller who governed the region as the Commanderie during the Crusades (12th–13th centuries), though wine production here predates even that by millennia. The wine is made by harvesting ripe grapes and leaving them to dry in the sun for 10–14 days, concentrating sugars to extraordinary levels before slow fermentation and aging, often in a fractional blending solera system.

Year Rating Notes
2021 Ideal drying conditions with low humidity. Concentrated, complex Commandaria with balanced sweetness.
2020 Good vintage for sun-drying — hot, dry autumn winds helped concentrate the grapes.
2019 Outstanding year — exceptional sugar concentration and natural acidity produced wines of great balance.
2018 Reliable vintage with good natural sweetness and the characteristic dried fruit complexity.
2017 Classic Commandaria conditions. Well-balanced wines with good aging potential.