You may already have tried Commandaria, a dessert wine made from sun-dried grapes from a very specific region in Cyprus. Dating back to 800 BCE, Commandaria may be the oldest named wine still in production today. The poet Hesiod and Pliny the Elder both mention a production process similar to that of today's vintners resulting in a sweet final product.

So where does this fit in for Æthelmearc brewers?

A quick search of internet sources suggests that an aspiring brewer might write an interesting research paper about this wine that encompasses the entirety of our time period. Maybe you can prove -- or refute -- the title phrase attributed to King Richard the Lionheart on his wedding day. Did Commandaria really win the first known "Battle of the Wines"? Did the Crusaders give it the name "Commandaria"?

Like "champagne", "Commandaria" can only originate from a specific time, place, and grape, however the methods used to produce the wine could make a delightfully interesting A&S project.

Be prepared to invest time into this beverage though -- traditionally it must be aged for two years in oak barrels before bottling!