Cyprus Gourmet: A Modicum of Optimism

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In talking to a number of wine importers, hoteliers and others in the trade in the past week or two there seems to be a general air of guarded optimism that perhaps the recession is not deepening and that the situation will start getting better, albeit slowly, in 2010.
The doyen of our wine importers, La Maison du Vin’s Victor Papadopoulos, currently purveying some fine stuff for the festive season (see below) told me pre-Christmas trade is good. Whilst observing that sales of many wine lines had dipped this year, he has done record business in 2009 with his fine Chileans from Casa Lapostolle and with Ruinart Champagne. This is not altogether surprising: at every price level I think Chile is hard to beat for quality and value. And then, with his Ruinart sponsoring of the first Cyprus Sommelliers’ Competitions and some vigorous promotion he established that Champagne’s name throughout Cyprus. This proves a point I have long written about – to get yourself a market share, to get to the top, you have to promote. And above all, to help get out of a recession, you don’t cut back on promotion, you increase it.
Victor also sounded another encouraging note – observing the number of younger Cypriots who have not only taken to wine with their food, but to a glass of Champagne before it, and at other times.
On this positive note I shall move on. The Winter Issue of our magazine is now available (and you may now subscribe to it, too) and has been very well received. Our website expands weekly and we are now adding sections with NEWS AND EVENTS and longer features with writings from contributors and our readers. In 2010 you will not only be able to LOG IN but BLOG IN as well!
Next week, my annual-for-fun Christmas Quiz.

Greetings!