Overview
With numerous wine villages dispersed around the island, wine culture is prominent, gathering wine lovers to explore its trails. An interactive and informative way to do so is by visiting the Cyprus Wine Museum, located in the village of Erimi in Limassol.
The museum highlights the history of wine-making in Cyprus and boasts a unique thematic exhibition, a collection of archaeological finds and a series of exhibits all on the subject of the nectar of the gods. Providing a one-of-a-kind trip through the fifty-five centuries of wine production in Cyprus, the museum gives information on the storage, usage and trade of wine from ancient times to this day. It also outlines the importance of vines, grapes and wine in the arts, highlights the native varieties of grapes and the history of one of the oldest most unique wines still in production today, the Commandaria (Nama).
Housed in the owner’s traditional Cypriot stone building that has been passed down from generation to generation in Erimi, the village is at the crossroads of Cyprus’s wine routes and is also very close to the prehistoric settlement of Sotira, where it is said that the oldest remains of grape seeds were found. It is also in the same area as the Kolossi Castle, a medieval Commanderie of The Hospitaller Knights that gave the name to Cyprus’ first wine known as Commandaria.
Free guided tours are offered to both individual guests and groups at wine expositions and wine tastings produced from Cypriot grape varieties (for a fee). If you want to do a tour, it’s recommended to make arrangements beforehand.
