That's Wine!

The small island of Cyprus blends Greek, Turkish, and British influences that have shaped its winemaking. Few know that Cyprus’s Commandaria is the world’s oldest recognized appellation. This episode explores how global wine giants impacted the local industry, and how small wineries revived native grapes, defining Cyprus’s winemaking future.

Winemaking in Greece has deep roots in myth and poetry. From ancient resin-infused wines to volcanic Santorini vineyards and Mount Athos monasteries, this episode explores how tradition shaped modern identity. We also follow Iliana Malikhin’s dramatic quest to revive 300-year-old vines lost to fire, redefining Crete wine’s legacy.

In Armenia, the world’s oldest winery was discovered in a cave with clay vessels called karases — now a symbol of revival. Once overshadowed by Soviet-era brandy production, Armenian winemaking was reborn through diaspora visionaries and powerful stories of resilience, including a displaced winery from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Lebanon’s winemaking roots trace back to the Phoenicians, who spread wine across the Mediterranean. From Roman temples in the Bekaa Valley to the country’s oldest modern winery with French heritage, this episode reveals how Lebanese wine survived civil war, economic collapse, and disaster, while small producers rose against all odds.

In the Holy Land, wine has played a vital role since biblical times. Today, its complex identity is reflected in the winemaking traditions of both Israeli and Palestinian territories. This episode explores historic wineries, kosher production, and desert vineyards — tracing how ancient grapes and shared craft offer hope for dialogue in a land shaped by conflict.

Georgia, the cradle of winemaking, holds 8000 years of history and tradition. This episode explores qvevri winemaking, amber wine, and the deep cultural roots of Georgian viticulture. We examine the impact of the Soviet legacy, the pursuit of global markets beyond Russia, and the rise of a new generation of female winemakers in a patriarchal society.