Chris BerryFounder, Wine Underdogs — chasing the world’s overlooked grapesYiannoudi is a Cypriot red that came back from almost nothing. It was found in one person's garden, it gives very little fruit, and the people who make it have not agreed on what it should taste like. That uncertainty is the reason to try it.
Say it: yah-NOO-deerecorded by Anastasia Konstantopoulou
The grape in brief
According to José Vouillamoz on JancisRobinson.com, the grape was found in the garden of a man named Yiannis, and like Maratheftiko it has female flowers. Akis Zambartas, who led the rediscovery of Cyprus's native grapes, noted that its cuttings were limited and production minimal (Zambartas Wineries). The Buyer put plantings at only 30 hectares in 2018.
Why there is so little of it
Poor fruit set limits the crop. Fikardos reported that 1,500 vines gave them just 1,008 kilograms of grapes, well under a kilo per vine. Growers such as Dafermou plant it alongside other varieties (Circle of Wine Writers).
No reference wine yet
Head Oenologist Anastasia Konstantopoulou of LionSpirit Winery & Distillery thinks that is a good thing:
I don't think we have a single reference for Yiannoudi yet, and I'm not sure we should be in a hurry to create one.
That also makes me cautious about imposing too much winemaking style too early. Heavy extraction, a lot of new oak or a very dominant cellar signature can easily become the reference before we have properly understood the variety itself. In this phase, I think observation and comparison are extremely important - allowing the grape to show us what it can do before deciding what it should become.
What it tastes like, according to whom
- Justin Keay in The Buyer: plenty of body and firm tannins, but good fruit and freshness.
- Paul White for the Circle of Wine Writers: red and black fruit with a smooth, creamy texture.
- A 2020 study in Beverages found young Yiannoudi wines leaned toward spicy and herbal aromas, but after barrel ageing they became hard to tell apart from the comparison wines. That supports Konstantopoulou's warning about oak.
Who makes it
Wine writer George Kassianos reviewed nine varietal Yiannoudi wines in 2025, from Gerolemo, Tsiakkas, Oinou Yi, Mallia, Dafermou, Vlassides, Ezousa, Fikardos and Makarounas, priced at €16 to €28 in Cyprus (Cyprus Mail).
Where to find a bottle
wine.com had none on 25 September 2026. Wine-Searcher's US listings showed Makarounas Yiannoudi 2022 at a few US shops for roughly $31 to $35.
Read more in Cyprus wine grapes, from a head oenologist and on Cyprus's lost grapes.
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Frequently asked questions
Where does the name Yiannoudi come from?
According to José Vouillamoz, writing on JancisRobinson.com, the grape was found in the garden of a man named Yiannis. The Buyer translates the name as 'Little John'.
What does Yiannoudi taste like?
Writers who have tasted it describe body and firm tannins with good fruit and freshness (Justin Keay, The Buyer) and red and black fruit with smooth texture (Paul White, Circle of Wine Writers).
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