Kyiv’s wine boutiques cater to true connoisseurs
Those who consider themselves true wine connoisseurs don’t have to travel abroad anymore in search of their favorite wines, but instead simply visit one of the wine boutiques in Kyiv that offer an impressive selection complete with a range of additional services. In this overview we omit Lavinia wine boutique and restaurant, which we have already named Best Alcohol Store, and which is already well- known in Kyiv, instead presenting you with alternative options.
The collection of Wineport club-boutique, which recently became a restaurant as well, counts 600 bottles. The number may not sound too impressive, but the idea of the owners was to collect not the biggest number, but the best drinks of their class, matched with a perfect ratio of quality and price. Wineport presents all the wine regions of Italy, Great Wines of France, as well as Spain, New Zeland, South Africa, Uruguay, Australia and Croatia. The store also carries vintage port, Madeira and sherry and sparkling wines by Bollinger, Ferrari and Cristal, millesime armagnacs Legrand, cognacs Delamain and Tesseron of different years, as well as single malt whiskey from all the whiskey producers of Scotland.
As for the restaurant menu, its main highlight is the appetizers, designed to serve as a perfect addition to your chosen wine. Their selection of dried meat will surely impress you. There is “Culiato d’Oro” ham, “Kutten Schinken Papen Stuck” (German dried pork), several kinds of French salami – with nuts, with white mushrooms and made of black Gascogne pig, and Spanish veal “Cecina de Leono,” which is dried for at least 24 months and contains no fat. Among recommended cheeses are Spanish goat cheese in ashes “Los Balanchares,” “Machego,” sheep cheese in olive oil with rosemary, Swiss Tete-de-Moine (Monk’s Head). Cheese and meat plates are served with jelly (German wine confiture – white and red) and fruit. Also note that if you by the wine to go, it will cost 35 percent cheaper than if you decide to open it at the restaurant, which is of course not uncommon.
The second store of PremiumVin chain opened in September. While the first one is located on the Stolichne route, in the suburbs of Kyiv, its younger brother admits shoppers in the very center of town, on Muzeyniy lane, right next to the elegant Le Grand Cafe. Because 80 percent of the assortment at PremiumVin is being imported by the company-owner of the wine boutique, the prices for those drinks are rather favorable.
PremiumVin will be able to offer you wines from France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Chili, Argentina, Uruguay, US, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.
The prices start at Hr 35, while the most expensive range between Hr 100 and Hr 150, which basically means the shop will have something for you whether you do or don’t like spending much on wines. Among other alcohols offered are whiskeys, grappa, liquors, and millesime armagnacs aged from 1945 to recent years.
Also PremiumVin carries some products that should come in useful to you when cooking refined dishes to be served with the wine – high quality olive oil and balsamic vinager, as well as glasses to serve your drinks in – crystal by Riedel and Spiegeau.
Besides, you’ll be allowed to taste the wine before buying it, and get your purchase delivered to your home for free.
Barrymore boutique opened on Nov. 2 and became a worthy addition to Kyiv’s outfits carrying alcohol and cigars. The first floor of the store is occupied with expensive spirits, including Lheraud cognacs (imported to Ukraine by Barrymore’s owners) and Legrand armagnacs. The highlight of the collection is millesime cognac Lheraud Petit Champagne 1865 – an alluring collectible for some serious connoisseurs. On the first floor you’ll also find a tasting hall and humidor filled with cigars.
Barrymore’s Wine collection counts about 3,000 kinds, 1,000 of them French, including Great Wines of France, and wines from various wine regions of the world, arranged in the wine-cellar hall is designed in English style.
Cigars offered at the boutique are also imported by Barrymore – there are cigars from Honduras, Nikaragua, Dominicana, Cuba and the Bahamas. The latter are the specialty of the store – Bahamian Graycliff, hand-twisted are slightly lighter than Cuban. Graycliff Blue Label Corona will cost you Hr 150. Lightly flavored with vanilla or honey, Tatiana Dominican cigars are naturally favored by girls. Among the oldest cigars offered at Barrymore are Diamond Crown Maximus of 8-year aged leaf (Hr 250). Also you’ll be recommended Hemingway from Arturo Fuente (Hr 120) and cigar sets in mini-humidors, such as Pyramide No.9 Cuesta-Rey, that includes 36 cigars of different formats for Hr 3,600.
Apart from merely buying cigars at Barrymore you can use the services of its humidor master – order a box for storing your cigars and get advice on creating a humidor-room. You can also choose among pipes, tobacco, hookahs and smoking accessories. And finally, relax at the hookah bar, which serves cocktails, fresh juices, tea and oriental sweets.
Wineport (67 Honchara, 501-1695). Open noon till 11 p.m.
PREMIUMVIN (70 Stolychne Shose; 4A Muzeyniy Provulok, 259-1179). Open 11 a.m. till 11 p.m.
Barrymore (49 Khmelnytskoho, 234-5937). Open 9 a.m. till 10 p.m.
