Brief profile history
Brief profile and history
La Maison du Vin was founded 15 years ago in Limassol by Victor Papadopoulos, a Cypriot born in Congo. Having lived for many years in France, Victor developed a passion and love for fine wine.
After resettling in Cyprus 15 years ago, Mr Papadopoulos realized that there was a need and market for quality imported wines. Consequently, he contracted with agencies of top wine producers in France, Italy and Spain and he opened the first "La Maison du Vin" in Limassol. Soon another shop followed on Nicosia’s Kennedy Avenue.
The new "La Maison du Vin" is a superb modern cellar, well-designed and especially fitted out for the proper storage and handling of wine.
La Maison du Vin is also an agent for the prestigious Eurocave line of personal and institutional storage cavas. The well-known Eurocave was the first in the world to produce wine storage cabinets and they are still considered the top producer in the field. All the models of Eurocave’s special wine storage cabinets and cellar conditioners are displayed at our shops.
La Maison du Vin is also the exclusive agent in Cyprus for the following producers:
E. Guigal from France, who is considered by almost all wines critics to be the best wine maker in the world. In 2002, Wine Spectator magazine classified Guigal’s Châteauneuf du Pape as the world’s Number One wine. Decanter Magazine elected Guigal as Man of the year in 2006. The famous wine columnist of the Financial Times, Jancis Robinson, in her BBC Wine Course said that Guigal is "simply, the best wine maker on the planet". And Robert Parker stated, "How does this planet’s greatest wine maker continue to turn out perfect wines year after year?" Twenty-one times the wines of Guigal have received the highest score of 100 from Parker, an achievement that no other wine in the world has approached.
Other agencies from France are: Vidal-Fleury; Maison Louis Jadot, with his great Montrachets and Chambertins; Albert Bichot with excellent Chablis and winner in 2004 of the Trophy of Pinot Noir; Domaine Schoffit from Alsace; Henri Bourgeois from Loire; Château les Valentines from Provence; Calvados Christian Drouin from Normandie; Château de Laubade from Armagnac; Leopold Gourmel from Cognac; Henri Mandois from Champagne; and a great selection of Petits & Grands Châteaux of Bordeaux.
From Italy, the Baron of Barbaresco Angelo Gaja, who, according to the Wine Spectator magazine, is the best overall Italian producer, and in 1998 was voted by Decanter Magazine as Man of the Year. He is the only Italian producer with 4 stars in the Italian Bible of Wine, Cambero Rosso.
Casanova di Neri, whose Brunello di Montalcino was chosen No.1 in the world for the year 2006 by the Wine Spectator, represents Tuscany along with Barone Ricasoli, the inventor of the Chianti Classico, and Poliziano with his aristocratic wines Vino Nobile Montepulciano and Castello di Gabbiano.
Also from Italy there is Veneto Zenato and Zardeto, while from Sicily, Planeta, from Umbria Lungarotti.
From Greece, the Alpha Estate which is considered today the top Greek producer, the Wine Art Estate from Drama,Parparousis from Nemea, and from Santorini the outstanding producer Hadjidakis.
From Spain: the famous Marqués de Murrieta from Rioja and Valduero from Ribera del Duero.
From Germany: the excellent producers Von Kesselstat and Johannishof.
From Australia: the greatest name, Penfolds with their big range of wines, among them, the best wine of Australia Grange, and Wolf Blass, wines with good value for money.
From Napa Valley in California, Beringer with their many well-awarded wines.
From New Zealand: Matua Valley, with their excellent Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Clos Henri.
From Argentina, Bodega Norton, from South Africa Beyerskloof, an excellent producer and from Chile, Casa Lapostolle, an outstanding producer according to Robert Parker.
From Austria: the great Producer Brundlmayer
The Pride of La Maison du Vin is the Champagne Ruinart, the oldest Champagne House, founded in 1729, and a champagne known essentially to connoisseurs. Historical documents note that Ruinart was the favourite Champagne of Queen Maria Antoinette and Empress Josephina, wife of Napoleon. But following her divorce from Napoleon, Josephina refused to honour her debts to Ruinart, and until today, the company’s accounting books have Josephina’s balance marked unpaid. Ruinart is available in Cyprus (as all the other wines of La Maison du Vin) only in the shops of La Maison du Vin and in the best Restaurants and Hotels, such as the Prestigious Four Seasons and Le Meridien, where Ruinart is the House Champagne.
La Maison du Vin also represents in Cyprus "Les Produits Gourmets" of Maxim’s de Paris.
Victor Papadopoulos was honoured by France in 2004 as Officier de l’ Ordre du Mérite Agricole. In 2009, by Italy with the title of the Cavaliere Dell’Ordine al Merito Della Repuplica Italiana and this year, again by France with the Chevalier du Mérite National.
He is the President for Cyprus of the oldest Gastronomique Union in the world, founded by the King of France Louis le Saint in 1248 "La Confrérie de la Chaîne de Rôtisseurs"
and he is also a chevalier de la Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin.
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