From Russia, with wine
Crimean peninsula has been a cradle of winemaking since antiquity
THE TERRITORY of Russia spans vast distances. It stretches more than 4500km, from the freezing cold Arctic in the north to humid subtropical regions in the south.
To put it another way, contrary to the deep-rooted stereotype that Russia is a place of never-ending winter, the country’s south is blessed to have a rather warm climate similar to that of the coastal areas of the Western Cape, which allows it to grow grapes.
Wine-making regions of Russia include Krasnodar Krai, Rostov Oblast, Stavropol Krai, the Republic of Dagestan and the Republic of Crimea. The latter is particularly famous for its traditions of winemaking.
Its coastal areas have been familiar with viticulture and the production of wines since the times of antiquity when colonies were established by ancient Greek city-states in the 6th century BC.
In 1783 the Crimean Peninsula was peacefully incorporated in the Russian Empire. The person who engineered this political move, Russian statesman Prince Grigory Potemkin, took an interest in cultivating grapes.
Wine production also became part of the government’s plans for the agricultural development of the region. Following a decree of Emperor Alexander I, the first Russian school of viticulture was opened in the town of Sudak in 1804.
A moment of glory came with Prince Lev Golitsyn, an unrivalled connoisseur and winemaker, presented a sparkling wine from his Novi Svyet (“new world”) estate in Crimea at the 1900 Paris Exposition.
The wine defeated all the French entries and won the much-coveted Grand Prix de Champagne. For decades, the story of Crimean wines was that of success.
One would think that state-run campaigns promoting the healthy lifestyle of the late Soviet period brought about tough times for local viticulture. Indeed, some vineyards were uprooted and a number of wineries converted to serve other uses.
However, it was only after the breakup of the Soviet Union that the Crimean wine industry suffered its worst plunge. Vineyard areas dwindled and production plummeted.
A new dawn came for Crimean winemaking five years ago. On March16, 2014, a referendum was held with over 95% of Crimeans voting in favour of reunification with Russia.
March 18, 2014 saw the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol sign an agreement on reunification with Russia.
For five years, the winemaking industry of Crimea has been operating in a new environment. Naturally, the Crimean producers of wine had to adapt to Russia’s legal framework, but that hasn’t been a one-way adjustment.
Russia’s lawmakers have been working on new legislation regulating the sphere of viticulture, in close contact with the winemakers.
As a result of such co-operation, new legislation with an emphasis on governmental support is expected to be passed next month. Besides that, since 2014, considerable financial support has been available to wine producers as part of a broader agricultural community.
With only half a decade passed, tangible progress has been made on the ground. Vineyard areas have tripled, the yield capacity of the vines has improved and new production facilities have been built.
While the Ministry of Agriculture together with the Ministry of Industry and Trade are busy putting together a wine guide of Russia, many Crimean wines have already been chosen as the country’s best.
Just as importantly, wines from Crimea are going international and winning numerous accolades. In 2017, wines from Alma Valley and Massandra wineries won silver and bronze medals at the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition in Hong Kong.
In 2018, Alma Valley stood out again. Its Riesling Ice Wine Reserve 2015 was awarded a “silver outstanding” medal, while chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon wines were marked silver and bronze at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London. It might take a while for the Crimean wines to come to South Africa, which simply means that wine-lovers are welcome to come to Crimea for an on-site tasting.
On a personal note, spoilt as I am by the beauty of South African wines, I was won over by the wines of Crimea when I toured it two years ago.