Xynisteri

This is a bottle of Cypriot white wine made from Xynisteri grapes. Xynisteri is indigenous to Cyprus, where some 13% of the vineyards, especially some 500 hectares on the south slope of the Trodos mountain range, are planted with it. Various delicate and fruity whites are made from this native aromatic variety but its fame lies with the famous dessert wine Commandaria, which is made from sun-dried Xynisteri and Mavro (indigenous red grape).

What of this wine? Golden straw with green hints, the wine was initially sweet and fruity on the nose, subsequently becoming crisp lemony and acid. The palate was neutral dry and lemony, turning a minerally acid towards the finish, all the while retaining a citrussy lemony note.