TURKS AND CAICOS - Tucked away in chic Regent Village, behind Grace Bay’s sparkling stretch of sun, sand, and sea, lies a paradise within a paradise. Vino Tiempo has it all: fine wines and cigars, delicious food, impeccable service, and the perfect location. Best of all, this trendy wine bar is as laid back as it is elegant, making it the perfect place to chill, people watch, or just enjoy the jazz.

Ironically, I discovered Vino Tiempo one afternoon when I was looking for Wi-Fi in Grace Bay. I walked in and was struck by the posh interior with its glistening circular bar, high ceilings, Roman pillars, and draped floor-to-ceiling windows. The focal point of the room is the electronic wine dispenser system on the back wall, the only one in Turks and Caicos. Patrons may choose to sit at the bar, in lounge clusters, or at tall bar tables for four.

I caught up with the force behind the wine bar, Mr. Anthony Garland, and asked how this relaxing retreat came to be. “Vino Tiempo is a collection of thoughts I’ve been compiling throughout my travels in the wine world and in the world in general,” he said. “I felt the island was ready for an upscale, adult-driven restaurant experience where people could enjoy wine in a relaxed ambience.”

The décor is a combination of European influences. The furniture is Italian lounge concept, the upholstery French, and the cuisine tapas-style since tapas naturally complement wine. Mr. Garland observed that it’s about a meal at Provo’s four and five star restaurants. “Many people prefer more variety, so at Vino Tiempo, they can choose three or four types of tapas like conch, lobster, beef patties or kabobs.”

The mood at Vino Tiempo is definitely relaxed. Tranquilizing rhythms drift from Bose speakers, the under-bar lighting is mellow, and the staff is laid back but efficient. If you’ve been to Franco’s Bar in Santorini, you know the vibe!

I wondered how Mr. Garland landed the prefect location for all this ambience. “After putting the concept together, we knew we needed a location in a soothing environment. The location also had to be in the tourist area of the island and had to have certain physical amenities like an outdoor patio where people could relax under the trees. The main road was out because of traffic. Fortunately, we found this interior corner spot with the blessings of the HAB group of developers who own the entire Regent Village. They welcomed Vino Tiempo because it fits in with the upscale concept they want—that Manhattan, South Beach, Monte Carlo-type environment—here in Turks in Caicos. Life is about being creative. It becomes boring and monotonous if you don’t think outside the box. A place like Vino Tiempo on a remote island sounds incongruous, but guests coming to our shores are looking for it. There’s only so much sunset and sea they can enjoy before they the need the amenities of back home, of Manhattan, of San Francisco, where they can stop at their favourite wine bar or pub.”

The uncanny genius of Vino Tiempo is that it effortlessly exudes upscale charm while remaining affordable. The wine bar boasts of being in Grace Bay but not at Grace Bay prices. “We’re taking the myth out of the perception of what wine and cigars are all about. For years wine and cigars have been considered the area of elitists, but in a blind taste test, a $9 bottle of wine beat a $150 bottle.”

It’s true that except for the casinos, most of Turks and Caicos winds down around nine o’clock, so Vino Tiempo offers a nightlife alternative. Wednesday Wine and Jazz Nights feature a live band consisting of a bongo drummer, guitarist and keyboarder who perform from 8-11PM. Nothing beats a live band, but the next best thing is Vino Tiempo’s Bose sound system. “The system allows different music inside and outside so it can create entirely different environments. We mostly play relaxing instrumental on weeknights, but on Friday nights, if we get a little groove going, we notch it up.”

Vino Tiempo’s lounge and bar are nonsmoking, so guests are invited to enjoy their cigars in the garden under the palms. “Cigars and wine go hand in hand,” Mr. Garland noted, “so we carry a variety of cigars from all over Cuba. Our signature cigar, however, is the Turks Select. Turks Select is blended exclusively for the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Dominican Republic using Dominican tobacco.” Turks Select cigars’ first blend was named “1841” to commemorate a special moment in local history that year when slave ship Trouvadore sank while transporting a group of Africans across the Atlantic.

I inquired about the wood and glass box fronts on the wall next to the bar. “That’s a unique feature of Vino Tiempo,” Mr. Garland explained. “Patrons can rent a cigar locker box and bring in their own cigars or wines and store them in their own temperature-controlled and humidified boxes. They’re 100% rented at the moment, most on multi-year leases, some to homeowners who come down regularly and the rest to locals.”

Vino Tiempo is within walking distance of Grace Bay’s major resorts. There is no dress code. Come, relax, and enjoy the ambience, the food, the music— and of course, the wine.

Vino Tiempo Wine Bar, Lounge and Cigar Garden The Regent Village, Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands 649-946-8466 Open: T-W-Th: 5 PM-12 AM; F-Sat: 3 PM-LATE; Wednesday Wine & Jazz 8 PM-11 PM; Closed: Sun-M; In season, M-Th 4 PM-12 AM; F-Sat 12 PM-12 AM; closed Sun.