Brussels, Belgium. More than 500 diplomats, European officials and invited guests gathered in Brussels on June 17 for an event celebrating Commandaria, a Cypriot sweet wine with origins traced back more than three millennia. Organisers said the evening highlighted not only the wine but also Cyprus’s history, people and traditions.
Ancient roots
Historians trace the origins of Commandaria to a sweet wine once known as Nama, produced on the island long before the creation of the modern Cypriot state. Ancient references indicate that methods used in its production today have roots in antiquity.
One of the earliest descriptions comes from the Greek poet Hesiod, who lived around 700 BC. In Works and Days, he described grapes being dried in the sun before fermentation, a method that closely resembles the process still used by producers in Cyprus.
Continuing tradition
The vineyards, mountains and villages associated with the wine-producing region continue a tradition that links present-day cultivation with earlier generations. For many Cypriots, Commandaria is seen as a symbol of cultural continuity and identity.
Brussels event
The event, titled Cyprus Nama: Commandaria, was organised by the Press and Information Office of the Republic of Cyprus and hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels. It featured film, photography, music and food.
Guests were introduced to Commandaria, the sweet amber wine often described as the oldest named wine still produced in the world. For many attendees, it was their first encounter with a product presented as holding a unique place in both Cypriot culture and the wider history of winemaking.
Message of the evening
The exhibition presented Commandaria not simply as a drink but as a living connection between generations. Speaking at the opening, Press and Information Office director Aliki Stylianou described the wine as “a symbol of knowledge, craftsmanship and tradition passed from one generation to the next.”
Organisers said that message defined the evening.