OF ALL the independent wineries that have sprang up over the last six years, Marios and Leonidas Kolios’ homonymous winery is probably the most predominant. The winery itself is built between the Chrysoroyiatissa monastery and Statos-Ayios Photios village, a half an hour drive from Paphos.
There is a new-found appreciation of the domestic wine market despite the severe competition from imported wines from all over the world. Part of this is down to the new breed of innovative winemakers, men like Marios and Leonidas Kolios. Talking recently to Marios, the structure of his whole winemaking venture became evident. This is based on three principles: high quality wine, reasonable prices and a totally user-friendly winery.
Marios’ former job was farming, growing up apple trees in particular. Leonidas still owns a successful butchery in Paphos. The winery is situated 3,000 feet above sea level and is surrounded by newly regulated appellation of origin vineyards – Panayia region – as declared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Oenological department. It was founded in 1999 and during the first year of wine making it yielded 70,000 bottles. In 2004 the production rose to 255,000 bottles.
The winery itself is built with stone, the front courtyard is impressive and equipped with a well-designed tasting room, which welcomes daily visitors to taste and buy wines. In the basement of the winery there are huge refrigerated rooms used for preserving apples, an indication that Marios has not forgotten his old farming passion. The cellar also hosts numerous old casks used for ageing wine. Marios and his wife now also have facilities to cater for groups with traditional meals and I believe it won’t be long before Kolios winery will set up a trend of combining food and wine on the same spot. Good wine accompanied by good food, at reasonable prices, is a successful recipe used by hundreds of wineries abroad.
The Kolios Winery is indeed impressive; its setting alone makes it worth the trip up to Statos-Ayios Photios. The surrounding Kolios vineyards take up more than a 100 hectares of prime, plumb, producing wines. Marios can boost eight different labels. First, the two Xinisteri-based Persefoni whites. The dry version is a typical light, aromatic Xinisteri that suits the hot weather with aromas of white flowers and green fruit. The medium dry Persefoni is light, beehive-sweet like, white and innocuously fruity. The rose is made from Mavro grapes and is pleasantly fresh, dry, and redcurranty. However, from the well priced wines the best value goes to Ayios Photios, a blend of three local grape varieties – Maratheftico 38%, Mavro 40% and Opthalmo 22%. Young with medium intensity, easy drinking exuberantly cherry fruitiness and subtle tannins. Similarly the medium dry Statos 99, a combination of the same grapes as Ayios Photios, is suitable for those who like a touch of sweetness to their palate. Mind you, slightly iced and it becomes drinkable to all tastes.
The list continues with three more red varietals. The Maratheftico is a firm, fresh grassy red wine with juicy plump and cherry fruit, whereas the Cabernet, my one time favourite and recommended in this column not so long ago, has medium intensity with well-developed aromas blended nose, light and smooth on the palate. The third is my choice for wine of the week.
Quality wine makers have just started to emerge on the Cyprus commercial market. This country can now seriously boast ownership to several serious wine producers such as the Kolios brothers. Now they can seriously rival many of their highly competitive wines which have invaded the Cyprus shelves.
l Kolios Winery. Tel: 26 724090
Wine of the week
2000 Shiraz, Kolios Vineyards, Alcohol Volume 13%, Price approximately £6.00
Certainly one of my favourite Shiraz vinified on Cypriot soil. The colour is deep vivid red with purple hints; the nose classic berries with cherry and plum-skin undertones.
Spicy-oaky with vanilla scents, this wine is mature for 18 months in barrels. It has medium flavour density on the palate with smooth tannins, a balanced tone with vanilla aftertaste. Served at 17ºC try this with roast red meat and game, the likes of herb crusted roast lamb, or roast duck with forest fruit sauces. This wine can age for three more years and there were only 3,000 bottles produced.