Commandaria Saint Nicholas 2017
16,00 €
A delicious desert wine produced from a blend of selected grapes of Mavro (red) and Xynisteri (white) indigenous varieties of the island of Cyprus. The wine is covered by the Protected Designation of Origin Commadaria, having this type of wine an enormous history and millenary tradition deeply rooted in the culture of the inhabitants of this part of the island. This superb sweet wine is the result of sun-drying grape process, fermentation of a very rich and concentrated juice and subsequent maturation in old barrels for a minimum period of three years.
Description
Technical Data
Vineyards location: Belonging and therefore located within the Commandaria Controlled Appellation of Origin area, Limassol, Cyprus.
Soil: limestone, stony
Climate: Mediterranean, mild winters with the majority of the annual rainfall, very hot and dry summers.
Altitude: from 550 to 650 m
Age of the vineyards: from 20 to 60 years old
Farming: rainfed crop
Vine training: cup-shaped (goblet)
Varieties: ungrafted grapevines (Franc de Pied): Mavro 70 %, Xynisteri 30%
Production: 40.000 bottles
Winemaking.
The grapes are harvested at that point close to the over-ripeness, what results in a high content of natural sugars in the fruits. This situation is possible under the specific climatic conditions of the region.
Then the grapes are arranged on a large area on the ground for about 15-20 days. That achieves an intense sun-drying of the fruits, when the fruit turns to raisins, with an extraordinary concentration of sugars and aromas.
The sun-dried grapes are collected by hand and pressed. The syrup juice obtained is fermented with the natural yeast flora to an alcoholic content of 11-12 degrees, remaining a rich concentration of natural residual sugar of approximately 200 grams per liter.
The resulting wine is topped up to 15 degrees with wine alcohol (brandy), then it is transferred to a old oak barrels for aging for a minimum of 3 years in our barrel room in Limassol.
Tasting notes
Sight: medium tawny colour, brown yellowish with slight green olive colour edges, typicall of its long and oxidative ageing. Pronounced tearing and thickness visual sensation.
Nose: The ripe fruits aromas appear first: Dried apricots, dried plums and raisins. Tertiary aromas of ageing: hints of deep wood, vanilla, honey and toasty flavors.
Palate: silky and syrupy, it runs along the palate giving a dens mouth-feel, reappearing in the aftertaste the aromas of riped and dried fruits that we smelled before. Zesty acidity that balances the sweetness and the warm sensation of the alcohol. Long and tasty finish.
Serving: chilled, between 10-12 C.
Style of glass: Traditional wide sherry glass or white wine glass.
Pairings: It is a dessert in itself. Combining well with not too sweet desserts: dark chocolate desserts or tiramisu. Pairs generally with great intensity and mature cheeses like Cheddar, Emmentaler, Graviera, Parmigiano or Kefalotiri, blue cheeses like Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola or Cabrales. Traditional cypriot desserts: Boureki with Anari cheese, mahalebi etc.
