Zivania refers to the traditional alcoholic
beverage which has been produced for centuries in Cyprus by distillation, and has played an important role in the everyday life of Cypriots. Zivania is a strong drink, high in alcoholic content which according to tradition (also adopted by the 1998 Regulations for the Control of Zivania) it is a distillate produced only from grapes. Since 2004, Zivania has been protected under EU regulations as a product unique to Cyprus and as such cannot be produced in any other
country or marketed under that name.
Zivania is characterized by its typical
taste and
aroma. It is colorless and it has a pleasant alcoholic content with light aroma of
raisins. The typical
alcohol content is 45% by volume. It is a pure
drink that contains no
sugars and has no acidity.
Zivania is produced from pomace, the residue of grapes that were pressed during the winemaking process mixed with high-quality dry
wines, all produced from the local
grape varieties of Cyprus. Zivania is exclusively produced by the distillation of the two indigenous varieties, namely Mavro and Xynisteri. Zivania may also be produced by other, either local or imported varieties, but the variety used must be distinctively indicated on the label, for example as Zivania Cabernet or Zivania Maratheftiko.
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