Stowell’s Guide to the Wines and Wineries of Cyprus by Matthew Stowell is probably the only book about Cypriot wines; at least, it is the only one I’ve seen.
The core of the book is the 56 winery profiles. It covers – according to the author – all wineries (or almost) in Cyprus. Each profile is short and concise, one or two pages long. You will find a brief description of the winery and its history. A few tasting notes are included, and, importantly, the contact details of each winery. All profiles are also rounded-off with a few personal favourites of the author.
The beginning of the book is a short general introduction to the wines of Cyprus, including a page on the traditional Cypriot grape varieties. The legendary sweet “commandaria” wine is given a slightly more thorough introduction, explaining its history and how it is made.
The third section of the book is a collection of articles by the author, pieces that have previously been published elsewhere. Many of them are more in-depth profiles or interviews with some of the winemakers, but some other subjects are also covered, for instance, women winemakers in Cyprus.
The book is in a convenient pocket-size format. It is an essential companion for any wine-lover who comes and visits Cyprus. It has the essential facts that will guide you through the Cypriot landscape and hopefully make you discover several of the island’s wines and winemakers. I am sure you will be positively surprised and delighted by the island’s delicious wines.
One could have wished for a simple map showing where the different wineries are located to help plan a route. It would also have been nice with a little more information and characterisation of the indigenous grape varieties, as well as soil, climate, geography, and why not Cypriot gastronomy – the kind of facts that many of today’s wine lovers yearn for. Since the book is a print-on-demand, available from Amazon, maybe one can hope for that in future “editions”.
In any case, it is a must-have for anyone who is travelling to Cyprus and wants to explore the wines of this surprising country. Stowell’s Guide to the Wines and Wineries of Cyprus, by Matthew Stowell is available on Amazon.
