The history of wine in Cyprus can be broken down into four distinct periods.
Ancient
Exactly how far back wine production in Cyprus goes is unknown. Wine was being traded at least as early as 2300 BC, the date of a shipwreck (similar to the Kyrenia ship) carrying over 2,500 amphorae, discovered in 1999. Its origin and destination are unknown, but must have been along the trade route between Greece and Egypt.
More recently, two discoveries have put that date back by a few more years. The first was the discovery of a Bronze Age (2500-2000 BC) perfumery near the village of Pyrgos. Near this perfumery, an olive press, a winery, and copper smelting works were also discovered. Wine containers and even the seeds of grapes were unearthed.
The second discovery involved an intriguing sequence of events. Dr. Porphyrios Dikaios, a major figure in Cypriot archaeology and once curator of the Cyprus Museum, had carried out excavations on the outskirts of Erimi village between 1932 and 1935. During these excavations, several fragments of round flasks were unearthed (amongst other artefacts). These pottery fragments ended up in the stores of the Cyprus Museum still unwashed in wooden boxes. They were dated to the chalcolithic period (between 3500BC-3000BC). In 2005, well after Dr Dikaios’ death, the chemical signatures of 18 of these were examined by a team of Italian archaeologists led by Maria-Rosaria Belgiorno. Twelve of these showed traces of tartaric acid (a component of wine) proving that the 5,500-year-old vases were used for wine.
Medieval to 1878
As expected, the history of wine on the island closely relates to its political and administrative history. During the Lusignan occupation, the island had close ties with the Crusader nations and especially the nobility of France. During this period, Commandaria wine won the Battle of the Wines, the first recorded wine tasting competition, which was staged by the French king Philip Augustus in the 13th century. The event was recorded in a poem by Henry d’Andeli in 1224.
During the Ottoman occupation of the island, wine production went into decline. This was attributed to two factors: Islamic tradition and heavy taxation. Indicative are reports written mainly by French and British travelers of the time; Cyrus Redding writes in 1851: the vine grower of Cyprus hides from his neighbour the amount of his vintage, and always buries part of his produce for concealment; the exactions of the government are so great, that his profit upon what he allows to be seen is too little to renumerate him for his loss in time and labour.
1878-1980
1878 marked the handover of the island form the Ottoman to the British Empire. British occupation brought a revival in the winemaking industry. Taxation rules changed and the local cottage industry began to expand. 1844 saw the foundation of one of the largest wineries surviving to date.
1980 onwards
Since 1983 the Cyprus Government has actively encouraged small wine growers to set up regional wineries. This has enabled higher quality wines to be produced, both in that smaller hi-tech fermentation vessels are employed so that fermentation temperature may be accurately controlled and also obviating the previously long journeys between the vine and the winery, thus ensuring that grapes reach the winery in optimum condition. In recent years wineries have collected grapes from their own vineyards, each a ‘terroir’ with its own particular microclimate, to produce wines with their own individual characteristics. Regional wineries have, too, made a positive contribution to rural employment.
The large producers have made their contribution also: Keo has acquired new, and improved its existing, regional wineries and have and are undertaking research in producing new grape varieties whilst ETKO has established a winery at Omodos in the heart of the vine growing foothills of Troodos. Vineyards have been replanted both with Cyprus and international grape varieties and modern research and production techniques have been introduced.
Today’s wine production is still very much in the hands of ‘the big four’ with Keo alone accounting for about 25% of the island’s wine production. The small wine producers account for about 10% of the wine produced on the island and, as yet, a small but growing share of the export market.
But, thanks to the Department of Agriculture’s forward thinking, small entrepreneurial vine growers have come forward to share responsibility for the great improvements in the ancient and noble tradition of wine making in Cyprus. Today there are 40 regional wineries of which at least 15 have facilities for visitors. All of them are equipped with modern equipment and it is in these rural wineries that award winning wines are likely to be produced in the future.
