Good taste

Wine cavas are springing up across the island, Paphos is no exception. We take a look at one of the newest

Paphos. A city of history, culture, a holiday resort with wonderful hotels and now with spectacular wine and cigar shopping opportunities. Whatever your motivation it’s worth leaving some time in your weekly schedule to visit some leading wine shops that are now blossoming in Paphos.

There was a time when wine could only be purchased from supermarket and souvenir shops. However oenophiles in Paphos can now enjoy several wine and cigar shops. One of them is Bueno Gusto at Kinira 13 Street in Paphos, right next to the new Court House. It is managed by young entrepreneur Kyriakos Papalazarou, a quantity surveyor by profession.

The sign outside the shop reads “wine and tobacco”. It is true that the trend in Cyprus is for wine shops to have a separate space with humidor to protect the exhibited cigars. At Bueno Gusto, there is a large collection of cigars, as aficionados of this luxury will certainly find out as soon as they walk into the humidor. Cigar smokers will enjoy a focused and educational selection of Cuban cigars and will be able to buy several brands and sizes to the quantity they choose. The range of cigars includes Cohiba, the flagship brand of Habanos, Montecristo, Bolivar, Partagas, Romeo y Julieta and Hoyo de Monterey.

Bueno Gusto offers a comprehensive selection of wines sourced from various suppliers. There are wines from most wine producing countries that suit most purposes - dinner parties, home collection or presents. The selection is founded on a simple principle: wines don’t have to be a great expense. The Cava presents over 100 different wines, many under £10. They are kept on wooden shelves with labels visible to customers and copper signs to indicate the name of the wine and price. The selection includes some domestic wineries, the likes of Yaskouri, Tsiakkas, Ktima Argyrides, Tihikos, Vlasidis, and from Paphos SODAP, Ktima Ezousa, Fikardos, Kathikas and Vouni Panayias. The Greek wine list is also extensive, an indication that Paphos is following the national trend of preference for Greek wine makers. One can find collections from Ktima Hadjimichali, Costa Lazaridi, Nikos Lazaridi, Ktima Papaioannou, Ktima Pavlidi, Gaia Estate, Gerovasiliou, Tselepou, the list is endless.

Five years ago Kyriakos was not a wine drinker. Friends initiated him to wine and gradually he became passionate about the subject. Hence his decision to open a wine shop. He is working closely with various wine suppliers, this is then a wine shop with a bit of everything, a wide representation of what is available on the island. There are Chilean, Italian, Australian, New Zealand, Californian, French, Spanish and South African Wines. Finally, because of the cigar collection I presume, his selection also includes carefully selected cognacs and liqueurs.

Kyriakos will soon feature a small wine library, where clients will be able to buy books on wine. His aspiration is also to create a small tasting room designed to accommodate wine lectures and classes.

For more information contact Bueno Gusto Cava 26 948900/99 683134

Date for your Diary
On March 1, Browns Wines of Australia will be presented and tested at The Annabelle hotel at 4pm. The presentation and tasting is open to the public. For more information please contact Oenoforos at 25 760608.

Wines of the Week
2004 Ktima Pavlidi White, Kokkinogeia, Drama, Greece Alcohol Volume 12.5%
In northern Greece, 17 km west of the city of Drama, lies the Ktima Pavlidis Winery, founded by the visionary Christophoros Pavlidis in 1988. The white of this estate is made with a Greek white variety of Santorini Assyrtiko and Sauvignon Blanc. It has a light yellow-green colour; the nose is intense and fruity with tropical aromas of mango and melon, citrus, orange peel and acacia. This is a well-balanced wine, clean and fruity with a lot of freshness and a long crispy aftertaste, a characteristic of the Assyrtiko. Served at 10?C with grilled Mediterranean fish, seafood and salads and chicken with white sauce.

2004 Ktima Pavlidi Red, Kokkinogeia, Drama, Greece Alcohol Volume 14%
Yet another combination of an indigenous grape variety, Limnio, blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Dark purple colour with violet reflections, intense aromas of cherries and plums combined with those of chocolate, smoke and vanilla. The mouth is generous with a good balance and lively tannins leading to a voluptuous structure. Long and fruity aftertaste, with a light touch of oak. Served at 17?C, it is perfect with red meat dishes in spicy sauces and smoked cheese.