The Tasting Panel magazine

July 2010

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Making wine in Cyprus, 1869. archaeological dig in Cyprus turned up pottery fragments dating back 5,500 years with traces of tartaric acid, the island nation inherited the title of the birthplace of wine in the Mediterranean. Its local dessert wine, Commandaria, became the oldest “named” wine in the world. According to Dennis Droushiotis, Managing Director of the Cyprus Wine Association, “This wine has been in continual production for over 3,000 years, and is the oldest appellation wine in the world.” Pharaohs of Egypt drank it, and Marc Anthony toasted Cleopatra with it. Made on the island since 1000 B.C., Commandaria was lauded by Homer and christened “the king of I wines and the wine of kings” by Richard the Lionheart, cen- turies before Barolo assumed the same tag line. Commandaria also supposedly won the world’s fi rst competitive wine tasting, held on behalf of Philip Augustus of France in 1224. The name Commandaria—the commander’s wine—refers to the commanders of the Knights of St. John and the Knights Templar, both of which were active on Cyprus in medieval times. Historic references appear on many Commandaria labels, including Keo’s St. John, Etko’s St. Nicholas and Sodap’s St. Barnabas. Commandaria is made from ancient native red and white indigenous grape varietals, Mavro and Xynisteri, respectively, both individually and as a blend. Grapes are dried on house rooftops speckling the hilly growing area leading to the sea. Locals participate in the season of harvest and drying, a national event. “During the harvest season, a third of Cyprus’s population is engaged in the winemaking,” notes Droushiotis. As with sherry, Commandaria is made using the stacked solera method, in which younger wine is rotated down by portion to blend with older wine whenever wine is removed from the oldest barrels below. The result is a consistent character from blends of various ages, often going back decades. Commandaria has a rich, butterscotch, caramel, raisiny fl avor, often with honeyed notes and aromas of dried orange-fl eshed stone fruits. It’s a thick, viscous syrup the color of amber. Traditionally enjoyed after a meal with dessert, it can also be dessert on its own. The rich, caramel, honey and raisin notes of the wine make it a nice pairing for rice pudding (particularly the Greek version, rizogalo), where the combination brightens and reinforces the spices of the dessert, while weaving together with the wine’s viscous character. Chocolate-cakey desserts hold up well, where the dense texture of the dessert offsets the thickness of the liquid, and the fl avors compliment each other nicely. Pairings with cheese, and cheese accoutrements like fi gs, are also reasonable. In Greece and Cyprus, the wine is paired with the local Halloumi cheese and fi gs; if you don’t have any Halloumi around, a nice blue works too. n 2005, when an Tasting Notes Eighty-six percent of Commandaria exports are dominated by four producers: Etko Wineries (www. etkowines.com), Keo Ltd. (www.atheneeimporters. com/keo.htm), Loel Ltd. (www.loel.com.cy) and Sodap Ltd. (www.sodap.com.cy). Here are my notes on current releases: Keo NV St. John Dark mahogany to black walnut wood color. Pronounced sweet raisin notes on the nose mingle with dark molasses. Smooth thick entry followed by a touch of acidity that develops nicely in the mouth. Lush caramelized brown sugar, molasses, dark raisins, dried dark apricots coated in dark chocolate, and rich sweet cacao. Etko 2000 St. Nicholas Burnished saddle leather brown moves to brilliant amber coloring. Rich, PX nose with a pleasant sharpness. Mid-weight mouthfeel with well-balanced acidity. Port-like elements present a sharp, bitter, sweet combination of over-sized sun- dried raisins, coffee, burnt sugar, bitters and candied orange peel with a bit of pith. Etko NV Centurion A 30-year-old blend. Dark mahogany color with a polished jewel-like brilliance in the glass. Lush, dense, raisined nose of toffee and light molasses. Smooth, lush, well balanced mouth with acid present- ing at mid-palate and rich layers of fl avor from start to lingering fi nish. Notes of toffee, brown caramel, burnt sugar, and the crust of fi ne crème brûée mix with dried fi g, dark raisin shards, light bitter tonic, molas- ses chips and espresso candy in a smooth, luxuriant, viscous symphony in the month. Finishes with a hint of bitter and palate cleansing acidity and a lingering sweet caramelized memory in the mouth. Sodap NV Saint Barnabas Medium brown-amber color. Nose of vintage port. Rich, raisined, port-like mouth with dense and bitter caramel. Bitters slightly towards the fi nish with growing presentation of acidity before washing away in a somewhat musty fi nish. Loel NV Alasia Medium mahogany color. Raisined, sharp nose somewhat reminiscent of aged PX Sherry. Thinner and lighter in the mouth than appearance would predict. Slightly sharp raisined notes with burnt sugar and components of a rich, dark, roasted edge of a barbequed beef rib. july 2010 / the tasting panel / 69 COURTESY OF CYPRUS WINE ASSOCIATION

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