18 Commandaria is an amber-coloured sweet dessert Cypriot wine made from sun-dried grapes of the indigenous varieties of Xynisteri (white) and Mavro (red). Its production dates back to the 12th century. Commandaria was served at the wedding of King Richard the Lion-heart to Berengaria of Navarre that took place in the Cypriot city of Lemesos (Limassol) in 1191; it was during the wedding that King Richard pronounced Commandaria “the wine of kings and the king of wines”. Richard sold the island to the Knights Templar who kept their military headquarters at Kolossi, Cyprus, named “La Grande Commanderie”. When the Knights Templar began producing large quantities of the wine for export to European royal courts and for supplying pilgrims en route to the holy lands, the wine assumed the name of the region (Commanderie/commandaria). Thus it has the distinction of being the world’s oldest named wine still in production. In recognition of its long tradition, it holds a “Protected Designation of Origin”. Did you know that... Richard the Lionheart named the Cyprus Commandaria “the wine of kings and the king of wines?”
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