Xynisteri, an indigenous grape in Cyprus makes one of my all time favourite white wines for the summer. Refreshing, with lemon/lime, grapefruit and apple notes and balanced on the acidic side with flavours of tropical stone fruits; think mango and also apricots and peaches. On the nose, there are floral and fruity tones.
It’s a great sipping wine for the patio, yet also perfect in food pairings such as fish, white meat and even salads with fruit.
I have my favourite four producers: their wines are similar yet with nuanced, discernable differences.
Here is the line-up of these four producers including the name of their Xynisteri wine,
Vouni Panayia Winery, Alina Xynisteri. I have written about Vouni Panayia before. They were awarded Decanter Platinum Award as best value Cypriot White wine for their Alina Xynisteri 2016.
Vasilikon winery, Xynisteri
Tsangarides Winery, Xynisteri – I have written about Tsangarides Winery previously as well.
Kolios Winery, Persephone Xynisteri
I should add that there are other producers of Xynisteri wines who I am not yet familiar with.
Xynisteri is a robust grape variety that grows well at high altitudes. Xynisteri is the main white grape variety grown in Cyprus. It is one of the two indigenous grape varieties used in the production of Commandaria, the amber-coloured sweet Cypriot dessert wine. Commandaria’s heritage dates back to 800 BC and has the distinction of being the world’s oldest named wine still in production. Xynisteri is also used for the production of the local spirit, Zivania.
If you are in Cyprus as a visitor, or resident, I suggest you look for these Xynisteri wines on restaurant wine lists and try them all over time and see which you prefer.
This seems like a perfect occupation when enjoying sunny days in Cyprus.
References: Vouni Panayia Winery www.vounipanayiawinery.com
Vasilikon Winery, http://www.vasilikon.com
Tsangarides Winery, Xnyisteri. http://www.tsangarideswinery.com
Kolios Winery, Persephone. www.kolioswinery.com
Sounds delicious. A pity we can’t get these labels in Canada. But it might well be one more reason for visiting Cyprus. Great post and photos!
Thanks! Yes, I definitely recommend a visit to Cyprus maybe en route to one of your other destinations. Glad you liked the photos!
Cyprus wine has come a long way, and it needed that journey. In the early years I was visiting at least three times a year on business and got to drink more than a little, plus the digestive zivana presented with the bill; and I visited vineyards typically set up by bankers with spare cash. Flabby, thick and overly alcoholic. From your description I see there is a change with Xynisteri. The trick here is to plant high to avoid the heat of the Mediterranean sun. I must put Cyrpus back on my travel schedule but not before a tour of South Island New Zealand. Cheers.
A return visit to Cyprus is definitely in order and I recommend the wineries I have written about over the years. Cheers!
Do you sell to UK? I am looking for Good quality Cyprus wines.
Thank you for your question. You may want to contact the wineries mentioned in my Xinisteri blog post as they produce good wines and can advice you about buying these wines in the UK. I don’t sell wine through elizabethsvines but appreciate your interest in buying these Cyprus wines.