Founded in 1990 by Theodoros Fikardos, the Fikardos Winery in Mesogi gives great emphasis to the growth of indigenous Cypriot grape varieties like the rare red Maratheftiko, the white Xinisteri – one of the two grapes used to produce the legendary Commandaria – which produces fruity whites with delicate notes of citrus and the rare Spourtiko.

Fikardos Winery

Besides growing indigenous grapes like Gannoudi, Maratheftiko, and Xinisteri in its own vineyards at Pano Arodes and Choulou, the Fikardos Winery sources grapes from growers in Tsada, Stroumpi, Polemi, Letimpou, Kathikas, and Killi. Paphos offers the perfect climate for winemakers, as the vineyards in this area are not affected by phylloxera – the pale yellow sap-sucking insects that destroy the roots and leaves of grapevines like a plague in many other regions around the world.

Fikardos Winery’s Pano Arodes vineyard sets 600 meters above sea level in an area known as Furnia. Here, they cultivate mainly Maratheftiko, Mataro, and Shiraz grapes. The Choulou vineyard is divided into two distinctive sections: the Karias area at the Ezousa river at an altitude of 400 meters, where Xynisteri and Mataro grow in harmony; and the Maloutena site, 450 meters above the sea level, where the rare Gannoudi grows alongside Altesse grapes.

If you visit the Fikardos Winery Spourtiko wine, which is made of a very rare Cypriot white grape variety bearing the same name. In fact, Fikardos was the first winery in Cyprus to produce Spourtiko wines, so you know you will get the original here. According to the winery, Spourtiko is “a dry white wine with aromas of green apple, key lime, and grapefruit.”

Besides this rare wine, Fikardos Winery produces several other whites, reds, and rose wines, mostly using local grapes, but also international varieties, like Shiraz, Mataro, Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon, and Chardonnay.

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