Something sweet from Cyprus
A Bevy of New Vintage Sweeties
©
Michael Vaughan
2002
National Post Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
Saturday • January 26, 2002
There’s
nothing like a sweetie to brighten up a frosty winter night. With Valentines Day almost upon us, it’s time to stock up
on something that will be perfect to sip in front of that crackling fire.
Problem
is, so much of the stuff is always the same. Fortunately, Vintages is now
offering some truly wonderful choices. In
the current release, there’s a spanking new kid on the block that’s bound to
turn heads.
 It’s
called Filfar
Extra Fine Orange Liqueur. At
only $19.40, it has explosively sweet, spicy, essence of tangy orange flavours
that go on and on. It hails from
Cyprus, a country that is better known as a destination for Canadian
peacekeepers than fine beverages. Nevertheless, if Cointreau ($29.90) or Grand
Marnier ($41.95) turn you on, then you’ll flip over Filfar at a fraction of
the price. Better yet, it’s only
34% alcohol.
For
the uninitiated, the tiny island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean has been
producing wines and spirits since antiquity. If prestige, packaging and brand
recognition turn you on, then forget about Filfar, which comes in an old
fashioned bottle with a label that verges on being downright ugly.
Fortunately, we drink what’s inside and happily there’s lot here.
You’ve
got to hand it to Takis Philippou,
the genius behind Filfar, who got the recipe from his grandmother and perfected
it in his mother’s kitchen back in the 1940’s.
It was apparently handed down, generation by generation, originally from
the monks of Kantara.
‘When
I was a young boy,’ says Takis now 84, ‘I watched my grandmother making the
liqueur and, with my mother's help, I experimented every year until I had the
final product.’ Today, the recipe is a closely guarded secret known only to
Philippou and his partner Demos Aristidou, Managing Director of Damaris Wines & Spirits.
Demos Arstidou & Takis
Philippou
Trained in France as a chemical engineer, Takis checks every batch
ensuring that it is right. It takes from 16 to 18 Cyprus-grown oranges of
different varieties, blended with a secret selection of herbs, to make a single
bottle of Filfar. The entire
process is done by hand, taking about four months while the liqueur ferments in
oak casks. It’s very much a seasonal item with a total production of less than
5,000 cases annually.
Takis
explains that it acquired its name by chance. “I went to the telegraph office
to register my telegraph address, and I wanted to put ‘Fabrique Phillipou’ -
Far Fil. But I made a mistake.
Instead of writing Farfil, I wrote Filfar, which immediately sounded better, so
I decided to keep it and register it under that name."
In
1957, Takis sent two cases to a friend in Paris for a competition. “He
submitted two bottles,” Takis recounts, “and the chef spoke on television,
saying he preferred Filfar to make crepes suzettes rather than Grand Marnier!”
And viola, Takis was on the
road to success.
Those
interested in sampling Filfar will have to hurry - only 600 bottles are
available. Anyone wanting to explore other wines from Cyprus will have to make
do with a delicious, inexpensive, dessert wine called Commandaria.
 According
to Jancis Robinson this is “one of the world’s classic wines” whose
qualities inspired poets back as far as 800 BC.
Keo
Commandaria St. John (CSPC 101451) is a viscous, super sweet,
butterscotch-inspired, raisin pie flavoured dessert wine with 14% alcohol. It is
available in Vintages on an almost continuous basis.
Produced
from sundried grapes, this elixir is based on indigenous red Mavro and white
Xynisteri grapes, which are allowed to dry to a raisin-like state after being
harvested. Commandaria was the libation of choice for the Knights of St. John on
their long journeys to the Crusades. By 14th century it was the
ultimate luxury costing considerably more than the best Claret.
Today,
its production is strictly controlled - in fact; Commanderia was the first
Cypriot wine to receive full legal designation in 1993.
This continuous Gold Medal winner at the Toronto Wine & Cheese Show
is guaranteed to satisfy the sweetest tooth in town. If you can’t find it,
call Dionysus Wines at 416-223-6567.
 Another
Vintages discovery, Bottega
Gianduia Crema at $29.75 (500 ml) is
definitely worthy of a detour. Although not inexpensive, this dense, creamy,
chocolate coloured Italian elixir (17% alcohol) has delicious, sweet, rich,
chocolate-hazelnut flavours melded with a touch of Venetian grappa. It comes in an attractive gold bottle, perfect for Valentine
gifting.
Also
not to be missed is the outstanding Quinta do
Noval 1996 Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Unfiltered Port
($22.80) with its intense deep purple colour. Now some may think
it’s a tad pricey for a LBV, but let me assure you, it’s worth every penny.
The nose shows sweet prune and chocolate with a hint of lemon zest.
On the palate the rich, mouthfilling, chocolaty, baked plum flavours
linger perfectly.
 Closer
to home, there’s Southbrook
Canadian Framboise d’Or at $17.40 (half-bottle). This orange-pink hued beauty (14% alcohol) has an elegant,
sweet, citrusy, raspberry air to it. Velvety on the palate, it’s hard to
stopping sipping this gently tangy, fresh raspberry flavoured sweetie.
Update On This Week’s Events:
The
11th
Pacific Northwest Wine Fair takes place at Roy Thomson Hall (from
6 to 8:30 pm) on Tuesday, January 29th.
The invitational afternoon Trade-Only tasting takes place from 2:30 to 5 pm and
trade readers should call (416) 410-4630 to make arrangements to attend.
The evening consumer tasting is from 6 to 8:30 pm $45 (Wine Club Members
& Vintage Assessments Subscribers/$50 guests).
For more information call 416-410-4630 or email hesas@forefrontcom.com
For details on the 27 producers and 100+ wines CLICK
HERE
To explore the best award winning wines from the Pacific Northwest see the
results from the 2001 Enological Society Competition Click
Here.
The
Preview
Tasting for Classics 2002 Winter Edition takes place on
Wednesday, January 30th at Crowne Plaza Hotel (225 Front Street
West, Toronto) from 6:30-9:30. Some
65 new selections will be available for tasting (to see the list CLICK
HERE),
ranging from 1998 Chateau Palmer and 1998 Opus One to 1997 Beringer Private
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Tickets
are $95.00 (a portion will be going to the National Ovarian Cancer Association).
Call 416-365-5767 or toll-free 800-266-4764.
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