🍷 Commandaria
A sweet Cypriot wine from sun-dried grapes; one of the oldest wine names.
Commandaria is a sweet wine from Cyprus. It is one of the oldest wine names in the world that is still in use. The island lies in the warm Mediterranean and gets plenty of sun.
The wine is made from two local grapes: red Mavro and white Xynisteri. First the grapes are dried in the sun for 7 to 10 days. The berries lose water and keep more sugar. Then they are pressed, and the result is a thick sweet wine.
The wine is then aged for at least 2 years. Fortifying with spirit is allowed but not required. Its drying method is compared to straw wine, and Cyprus also has a related drink, zivania.
Commandaria is dark, amber-brown in colour. It is usually served as a dessert wine in small glasses. It is usually drunk after a meal in small amounts, because the wine is very sweet and rich. As with any alcohol, it should be drunk in moderation.
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Commandaria → → → 🍇 Mavro → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🍷 Fortified wine
- Where it is made
- 🗺️ Cypriot wine
- Related to
- 🍇 Xynisteri, 🍇 Mavro
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Straw wine, 🥃 Zivania
Frequently asked questions
What is Commandaria?
It is a sweet Cypriot wine made from grapes dried in the sun. It is considered one of the oldest wine names.
Which grapes are used for Commandaria?
Local varieties Mavro (red) and Xynisteri (white).
How long is Commandaria aged?
At least 2 years. Before that the grapes are dried in the sun for 7 to 10 days.
Similar
🍷 Rutherglen Muscat · 🍷 Liqueur wine · 🍷 Carcavelos · 🍷 Mavrodaphne of Patras · 🍷 Moscatel de Setúbal · 🍷 Fondillón
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.
Sources
- Wikidata
- Wikipedia: Commandaria
- Wikipedia (de)
- Wikipedia (fr)
- Wikipedia (it)
- Wikipedia (es)
- Wikipedia (pt)
- Wikipedia (uk)