"Russian Krasnostop Has a Real Shot at Success in the International Market." An Interview with Wine Enthusiast Dmitry Nechaev

On Cypriot Winemaking: "Cyprus is often lumped in with Greece, which I think is rather advantageous right now"

— Cyprus is politically divided into two parts—Greek and Turkish. Is this division felt in the wine industry? Is there any interaction between winemakers from both sides?

— In Northern Cyprus there's only one winery, Etel, founded by a couple from Israel who brought international grape varieties with them. The Republic of Cyprus has over fifty operating wineries, and their numbers grow every year. Thanks to the efforts of local wine enthusiasts and oenologists, recent years have seen successful work in identifying Cyprus's indigenous varieties—today every self-respecting winemaker tries to experiment with old vines. A brilliant example of a successful discovery is the dense red Yiannoudi; the white varieties Promara and Spourtiko show excellent results, and we must note the extremely successful examples of barrel aging the white Xynisteri variety, long considered suitable only for cheap 'beach wines.'

— How has wine tourism in Cyprus changed in recent years? Are wine connoisseurs coming here specifically for local wineries, or does the wine route remain a niche offering?

— In recent years, modern wineries have opened that invite guests not only for standard tastings but also for themed festivals and events. Worth mentioning are wineries like Tsiakkas, Vlassides, and Marathasa.

— How do Cypriot winemakers compete with wines from neighboring regions—Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Israel? Does Cyprus have a chance to stand out as a "new wine niche" in the Mediterranean?

— For international wine consumers, Cyprus is often lumped in with Greece, which I think is rather advantageous right now—Greek wines are currently the hottest thing on the wine lists of trendy New York bars. The well-known wine critic Eric Asimov regularly publishes rankings of Greek wines in his The New York Times column, which often leads to small production runs from various Greek family wineries being contracted for several years in advance. Cyprus has a winery that has managed to attract international attention with a successful showing at Europe's largest wine fair, KolnWein—the Paphos-based family winery Vouni Panayia, whose new generation of oenologists has diversified traditional wines with a fashionable line of 'micro-vinifications' that has already made it onto wine lists in London and New York restaurants.

On Russia and Europe: "Krasnostop has a real shot at success in the international market"

— Cyprus traditionally has a strong Russian-speaking community. Do you notice any interest from locals or restaurateurs in Russian wines? Is there any presence of them on the island at all?