I recently traveled to Greece and Cyprus on a wine tasting tour and besides being seduced by the beauty, food and culture of the countries, was fascinated by stories of the ancient Greek, Roman and Crusader-era history of the places. Both countries have been making wine for millennia, and many of the wine and food traditions we enjoy today were born in that part of the world.

Two highlights: the Assyrtiko bush vines at Domaine Sigalas on the island of Santorini, and the wine mosaics at Paphos in Cyprus. Assyrtiko vines on Santorini look like bushes or weeds—if you didn’t know what you were looking at you’d think they were just wild shrubs.  But lift up the “basket” and you’ll find Assytriko grapes growing, protected from the hot, windy, dry climate of the island. These vines are Phylloxera resistant and are ungrafted, making them an extremely rare and unique remnant of another age and producing very pure wine. Walking through the rustic vineyards, it’s easy to imagine the ancients cultivating the grapes. The setting is virtually unchanged, with unforgettable expanses of parched earth rolling down into an endless swath of brilliant blue.

At Paphos in Cyprus, the residential palace of the regional ancient Roman governor, called the House of Dionysus, is home to some of the most beautiful mosaics in existence (in my opinion). In addition to depicting various Roman gods and ancient myth, there’s a focus on Dionysus, winemaking, wine consumption and grapes. The mosaics were preserved after an earthquake buried the area, and the colors are still vibrant. The Romans loved brilliant, almost garish color—and you can still see that at Paphos.

Some other interesting vinophile facts I picked up on the trip and in my own research:

• Romans drank (and ate) while lying on their left sides to aid digestion. They did not use regular goblet-style wine glasses but drank out of a kind of shallow plate/bowl that they tipped into their mouths. The wine splashed around their lips, which they felt enhanced the senses. The Greeks also drank out of bowls, held by two small handles.
• The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates used wine as an antiseptic and a treatment for fevers. It was also used as a tonic, a diuretic and for digestive problems.
• Romans also enjoyed grand cru wines. The vintage of 121 BC was famed and named the Opimian vintage, named after the consul at the time—Lucius Opimius.
• Roman wine was often flavored with herbs such as lavender and thyme.
• Though the Cypriot dessert wine Commandaria is associated with the Crusaders who set up shop on the island (12th century-14th century), the wine was made by indigenous Cypriots for centuries before (back to 800 BC). The island was reputed to be the birthplace of Aphrodite and hosted festivals in her honor during the ancient Greek era; the wine was a star attraction.  It is made from sundried Mavro and Xinisteri grapes.

Wine is an integral part of Greek and Cypriot culture, and is deeply enmeshed in their rich history. Both are essential visits for anyone truly interested in wine.

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