Cypriot wines "King of wine, wine of kings

My ship will stop in Limassol, Cyprus on Sunday, December 6, 2009. I will have a Chauffeur for 4 hours which will really limit the number of stops I can make. Possibly 3 wineries and the wine museum. I have two general areas of interest and could use some help.

My first thought is a tour of the Commanderia region, in the Troodos Mountains, for samples of the dessert wine and to learn first hand about the changes in the wine making process over the centuries. The Commanderia wine would be forund in the Vouni and Afames sub-regions which I believe are on opposite sides of the Ha-Potami river.

My second thought is to spend some time with Sophocles Vlassides, a young man who graduated with a masters degree from the University of California at Davis, in the late 90's. He has returned to his family winery in Kilani and is an important part of what I would call the "new wine movement". This would involve tasting some of the more traditional wines like cabernet, merlot, sav. blanc etc., and some whites from the local Xynisteri.

I have been unable to find tasting notes or other current information on the progress of Cypriot wines since they joined the European Union in 2004. Many change have been made which are said to have improved the quality and consistency of their wines.

So, I would like any information you would like to share on Cypriot wines and I am interesed to know which itinerary you think is best.

Cypriot roads are not the greatest once you get off the motorways and if you head into the Troodos area you will not come close to a motorway. But then it is 11 years since I was in Cyprus and things MAY have changed a bit since then.

Live Maps driving time from Limasol to Kilani is 33 mins for 25 miles. Not sure I would like to be in a car driving at that speed on the back roads of Cyprus. So I suspect that you will be very limited in what you can do, unless your chauffeur knows the wineries that matter and not just the ones he may get a kick back from. I would try to contact Sophocles directly and see what he says.

We still have a bottle of Comendaria we bought on that trip. One of these days we will have to try it and see if it still lives....

I think you are correct. My hope is that Sophocles replies to my e-mail. I think my chauffeur will take us anywhere we want to go. She comes highly recommended. Maybe I can arrange for the wine to come to us. I would like to drive to Kilini and have lunch with Sophocles. We could have an informal tasting, while enjoying some of the local dishes, over a slow lunch. Then we could head back to the wine museum before returning to the ship.

It is my understanding that when a daughter is born on Cyprus, the neighbors fill clay pots with Commanderia wine as a gift to the new parents. It is then burried until the child is married, at which time they dig it up and drink it. My youngest is 29 and still not married. I would have a tough time leaving that wine in the ground that long. Maybe you should bury that bottle for another 10 years or so before you drink it.

Thanks for your reply.

...I will have a Chauffeur for 4 hours which will really limit the number of stops I can make. Possibly 3 wineries and the wine museum....

3 wineries and a museum in 4 hours might be doable with a helicopter, but not by car, no matter how good the driver.

Having the wine come to you over lunch sounds much more enjoyable, if the wineries will cooperate.

Have a good trip, and please post your impressions when you return.