Cyprus - Cyprus Food and Drink - Drink

Beer

The mild Mediterranean climate of Cyprus produces rich wheat and allows it to brew light beer (of high quality). There are two breweries in the Republic of Cyprus established: KEO, the Cypriot brewery and the world known Carlsberg brewery.

Brandy

However, a good wine makes also a good Brandy. The Cyprus Brandy is popular because of its mild taste. Pure or in long drinks, not only experts will enjoy it. It also makes the famous "Brandy Sour" to the specialty that it is. Did you know that it is tradition to offer Brandy to the wedding guests?

Cyprus Wines

Cyprus wines are among the world�s oldest, their production dating to 2000 BC. Mosaics at the House of Dionysus in Pafos attest to the colorful history of the Cyprus vine. A panel in the West Gallery relates the mythological origins. Dionysus, the pleasure-loving god who taught Icarius how to plant vines in exchange for the hospitality he had shown him, is seated on a chair holding grapes. An inscription that reads �the first wine drinkers� in Greek accompanies a mosaic depiction of two shepherds quite drunk on Icarius�s wine. Many renowned wines of the world are made from vines brought to Europe from Cyprus after the Crusades - champagne, for example, may have originated from a choice cutting taken from Mount Olympos, in Cyprus.

Today no Cypriot wine enjoys greater renown than Commandaria, a sweet, robust dessert wine that is said to be the oldest named wine in the world. Called �Nama� in antiquity, it so reminded Marc Antony of Cleopatra�s kisses that he gave the whole island to his legendary lover because of it. Nama was renamed after Richard the Lionheart sold Cyprus to the Knights Templar (the Grand Commandarie itself was the estate of the Knights Hospitallers at Kolossi). The oversized Commandaria grapes are grown on the high southern slopes of the Troodos Mountains (particularly in the villages of Zoopiyi, Kalokhorio and Agios Konstantinos), picked late in the season and sun-dried to enhance the sugar content. The wine is produced by fermentation in open jars.

There are many other world class Cyprus wines, most of which are produced from indigenous varieties of wine-grapes. More than 100 varieties of grapes are cultivated in all , about 55 percent of which in the Pafos District. Lemesos is the major winemaking and exporting centre.

Most vineyards in Cyprus are small and in some places still ploughed by donkeys and oxen. The major vine-growing areas are on the sunny southern and southwestern slopes of the Troodos Mountains. There are three principal wine tours, ideal for driving: Lemesos District East, which takes in some of Cyprus�s best red grape vineyards and the Pitsilia Winery; Lemesos District West, including the charming whitewashed village of Omodos with its antique wine press; and the Pafos District, including two boutique wineries in the hill village of Kathikas. Tours and wine tastings are generally possible at all the wineries.