QUICK GUIDE
Wine & Dine with Liftoff is more than just a diner—it’s a story woven with innovation, creativity, strength, and resilience. You are invited to share in Liftoff’s journey, where ancient wine tales blend with modern success, highlighting how a strong community and a collaborative spirit drive Liftoff’s achievements.
Liftoff’s Dinner Countdown
Wine and Dine with Liftoff
Event Timings & Flow
7:00 PM: Welcome Reception
You will be greeted with a sparkling wine and introduced to the theme of the evening.
7:30 PM: Interactive Wine Tasting Experience with Food Pairings
As each wine is presented, it will be paired with carefully selected dishes to enhance its characteristics. The storytelling will be woven throughout the meal, creating a memorable journey through the wines of Cyprus and Liftoff’s values.
- Sparkling Reception
- Food and wine matching
- sommelier Host
- at Dionysus Mansion
- Wine Game
Interactive Elements Throughout:
- Palate Training: Guests will explore how each wine complements the food and discuss the unique characteristics of the wines as they’re served.
- Pairing Tips: Insights into pairing these wines with various foods will tie the experience back to Liftoff’s focus on creating impactful and harmonious campaigns.
- Fun Wine Challenges: Lighthearted activities, adding excitement and engagement to the evening.
Come Prepared
– Dress in comfortable, casual attire that allows you to enjoy every sip without distractions. Leave the perfumes and lipsticks at home for this one.
– Bring along your burning questions and a big smile, and get ready to immerse yourself in the wonderful world of wine!
Wine & Dine with Liftoff
Play the Game
Your Liftoff Personality through wine
Dive into the world of wine!
See how your preferences align with the curated selection.
Each wine reflects a unique Liftloft value—let's find out which one suits you best!
Wine & Dine with Liftoff
Family-style Meze Menu
Authentic Local Flavors
Designed for your group to enjoy together, the menu features signature dishes served family-style. You will savor meze like traditional dips, fresh salads, grilled halloumi, and char-grilled meats. This communal dining experience fosters conversation as you share our vibrant food culture.
Have a Look at The Menu
Wine & Dine with Liftoff
The Wine List
Carefully chosen to reflect Liftoff’s core values, and innovating approach to global marketing. The tasting will immerse guests in the story of Commandaria PDO, adding another layer of meaning to the experience.
- Eddial, Bubbly, by Vlassides
- Xinisteri Tsiakkas Winery
- Akti, Kyperounda
- Mouklos, Tsiakkas Winery
- Commandaria KEO
Discover The wines
Innovation
Reflecting Liftoff’s innovation and fresh perspective.
A bold yet harmonious blend, reflecting a deep connection to tradition and community.
Tip: Perfect for sharing with colleagues during celebrations or milestones.
Creativity
Celebrating Liftoff’s creativity and balance
Akti (“shore” in Greek) symbolizes the meeting point of sea and land.
Tip: Ideal for casual yet meaningful discussions or reflective moments.
Strenght
Embodying the strength and depth Liftoff brings to its partnerships
By championing the humble Mavro grape, this light red demonstrates dedication to supporting global communities.
Tip: Best enjoyed while brainstorming bold new strategies or celebrating breakthroughs.
Resiliance
A timeless wine that tells a story of tradition meeting modern enjoyment—perfect for celebrating Liftoff’s unique approach
Full-bodied and well-structured, embodying timeless quality and reliability.
Tip: Perfect for toasts to long-term achievements and enduring success.
Celebrating Liftoff's focus on
Community
Representing the effervesces you feel throughout your journey with Liftoff
Named after one of the ancient Nine Kingdoms of Cyprus, known as Eddial, meaning “I saw the sun.”
Tip: Perfect for toasts to long-term achievements and enduring success.
Wine & Dine with Liftoff
The Theme
Commandaria: The Wine of Kings and the King of Wines
Commandaria, often celebrated as the “wine of kings and the king of wines,” is more than just a sweet dessert wine from Cyprus—it’s a storyteller, a historian, and a symbol of resilience and excellence. From medieval banquets to modern tables, Commandaria has been an ambassador of Cyprus’ rich winemaking heritage, much like how Liftoff embodies the values of creativity, collaboration, strength, and resilience in the world of mobile marketing.
The Stories
I’ll take you on a journey through four captivating stories that showcase the fascinating history of Commandaria and discover how its legacy aligns with Liftoff’s mission to transform challenges into opportunities for success.
The First Wine Competition
How miscommunication and the keen taste of an English priest led Cyprus Wine, the precursor to Commandaria, to win the first-ever wine competition in history, as immortalized by poet Henry d’Andeli.
read on...
Xinisteri (White) – The First Wine Competition
As we continue our evening, let’s raise a glass of light and crisp Xinisteri, perfectly paired with refreshing cold starters. This wine marks the start of our journey through Cyprus’ rich winemaking history, beginning with an extraordinary tale from 1224—the legendary Battle of the Wines.
Imagine the scene: King Philip Augustus of France hosted a grand competition to determine the finest wine in all of Christendom. An English priest was appointed as the judge, his discerning palate tasked with evaluating over seventy varieties of wine from across Europe, including the enigmatic “Cyprus Wine,” which would later become known as Commandaria.
The judging process was a spectacle of its own. The priest employed a unique method—he tasted each wine, and those that pleased him were celebrated with praise, while those that fell short were dismissed with a splash, literally thrown to the ground. His sharp judgments were later immortalized by the French poet Henry d’Andeli, who captured the event in his poem La Bataille des Vins. Through his words, the competition came alive, giving the wines a voice and transforming the tasting into a theatrical experience.
When the Cyprus Wine took its turn, it stood out immediately. The priest not only celebrated its exceptional quality but also declared it the champion of the competition. The wine was praised for its robust and invigorating nature—earning a place as the Apostle of Wines. Unlike the miscommunicated wines that met the ground, Cyprus Wine’s story was one of triumph and legacy, setting a high standard that echoed through the centuries.
Just as Cyprus Wine captivated medieval Europe with its bold character and unforgettable story, Liftoff embodies similar values in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Much like the English priest who skillfully separated the ordinary from the extraordinary, Liftoff’s innovative approach cuts through the noise, crafting marketing strategies that celebrate creativity, avoid miscommunication, and resonate with audiences.
Xinisteri, while light and fresh, carries this legacy of excellence. It reminds us that success lies not only in quality but also in how you share your story—creating lasting impressions and setting new standards, just as Cyprus Wine did nearly 800 years ago.
The Royal Wedding of Richard and Berengaria
How Commandaria played a starring role in the royal wedding of Richard the Lionheart and Berengaria of Navarre in Cyprus, earning the title “wine of kings and king of wines.”
read on...
Mavro Blend, Rosé – The Wedding of Richard and Berengaria
As we move along tonight’s journey, I invite you to savor our vibrant Mavro Blend Rosé, perfectly paired with warm starters. This exquisite blend merges the light, refreshing notes of Mavro grapes with the rich depth of Lefkada, capturing a story of love, power, and cultural fusion that unfolded nearly 800 years ago.
Let me take you back to May 12, 1191, when Cyprus became the backdrop for an unforgettable royal affair. Amid the tumult of the Crusades, King Richard the Lionheart was en route to the Holy Land when fate led him to Cyprus. His fiancée, Berengaria of Navarre, had arrived in Limassol ahead of him, and the island soon burst into life as it hosted their grand wedding—the only royal wedding ever held in Cyprus.
The celebrations were spectacular. Limassol’s streets filled with nobles, knights, and locals, all coming together for lavish feasts and jubilant festivities. At the heart of these celebrations was the region’s famed “Cyprus Wine”—the precursor to what we now know as Commandaria. This wine, with its deep and sweet flavors, was celebrated for its unique character and its ability to bring warmth and joy to the gathering. In fact, during the festivities, King Richard himself declared, “the wine of the kings, the king of wines”, celebrating its excellence and royal lineage.
For me, this story resonates deeply. Just as the union of Lefkada and Mavro creates a rosé that is both dynamic and harmonious, the wedding of Richard and Berengaria stands as a testament to the beauty of blending diverse elements to create something extraordinary. It’s a story of how cultures merge, challenges are overcome, and legacies are forged—values that are at the very heart of what you’ll do with Liftoff.
So, as you enjoy this rosé tonight, let it remind you of that remarkable day in 1191—a day when love, legacy, and even a bit of chaos combined to create an event celebrated for generations.
The Banquet of the Five Kings
A tale of diplomacy, excess, and unintended peace when five kings met at Vintners’ Hall, London, to discuss war but instead indulged in Cypriot wine and abandoned their crusading plans.
read on...
Mavro (Red) – The Banquet of the Five Kings (Served with Main Course)
As the main course is served, I invite you to experience the deep, bold character of Mavro—a red wine that truly embodies the spirit of Cyprus. This wine is more than just a drink; it’s a symbol of leadership and a witness to one of history’s most unforgettable events at Vintners’ Hall in London, located at 68 Upper Thames Street.
Let me take you back to 1363, when five kings—Edward III of England, John II of France, David II of Scotland, Peter I of Cyprus, and the King of Denmark—gathered at this iconic venue. They met not only to discuss war affairs and the possibility of a 4th Crusade, but also to negotiate alliances that could shape the future of their kingdoms.
However, as the evening unfolded, the generous flow of Cyprus Wine—the precursor to what we now call Commandaria—had other plans. Mavro flowed so freely that the formal debates soon gave way to unrestrained revelry. What began as a high-stakes war council quickly transformed into an orgy of laughter and merriment. In an unexpected twist, the night turned into a legendary offer to peace, as the weight of strategy was replaced by the unifying power of wine.
Mavro’s flamboyant character reminds us that true leadership is about resilience and the courage to navigate complexity, much like Liftoff’s innovative approach to transforming challenges into opportunities for success.
So, as you savor Mavro tonight, let it serve as a tribute to enduring leadership and the transformative power of great quality—a legacy that has defined Cyprus wine for centuries and continues to inspire us at Liftoff.
Cheers to strength, unity, and the timeless spirit of celebration!
The Rematch at the Congress of Kraków
The sequel to the London banquet, where Casimir the Great of Poland hosted a legendary feast in Kraków, celebrating the enduring appeal of Commandaria and its role as a peacemaker.
read on
Commandaria (Dessert) – The Rematch (Served with Dessert)
As we round off the evening with dessert, allow me to pour you a glass of the legendary Commandaria. This wine, known as the “Apostle of Wines,” boasts a rich and complex flavor profile that perfectly complements our final course. Just as this dessert wine marks the sweet conclusion to our meal, it also holds the closing chapter of a historic tale—one filled with kings, crusades, and the timeless power of celebration.
After the unforgettable Banquet of the Five Kings in London in 1363, where King Peter I of Cyprus famously served Cyprus wine to an assembly of European monarchs, he embarked on a diplomatic mission to rally support for a new crusade. His ambitions took him across Europe, stirring hope for a united front. However, much like the night in London, wine would once again turn the tide from war to peace.
In September 1364, a year after the London gathering, King Casimir the Great of Poland hosted a rematch of sorts in Kraków. The event, known as the Congress of Kraków, brought together Europe’s elite in what was intended to be a strategic diplomatic assembly. Yet, as described in a poem by the French poet Guillaume de Machaut, history repeated itself. The grand banquet, hosted by the wealthy Kraków merchant Mikołaj Wierzynek, became legendary—not for its political accomplishments but for its lavish feasting and revelry.
The wine, particularly the Cypriot one, once again played a pivotal role. Glasses overflowed, and spirits soared, turning negotiations into a celebration of unity and camaraderie. The hoped-for crusade never materialized, but what emerged instead was a testament to the soft power of wine—the ability to transform a battlefield into a banquet hall and conflict into connection.
The story of Commandaria’s journey from London to Kraków reminds us that sometimes the most powerful victories are those of peace, not war. Much like Liftoff’s philosophy, where challenges are transformed into opportunities, Commandaria exemplifies the resilience to adapt and thrive through changing times.
So, as you sip this iconic dessert wine tonight, let it serve as a toast to the enduring spirit of innovation, the boldness to navigate change, and the sweetness of success—values that resonate both in the rich history of Commandaria and in Liftoff’s story of excellence.
Cheers to a future filled with triumphs, both in business and in life!
Commandaria’s journey through history is a testament to the power of enduring quality and bold character—values that resonate deeply with Liftoff’s approach to crafting impactful, harmonious, and innovative marketing strategies. Much like this iconic wine, Liftoff continues to lead with resilience, creativity, and the courage to navigate complexity.
I hope you enjoy this blend of history and storytelling. Cheers to great wine and inspired innovation!
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