Russia Wine Country

As soon as we hear the name ‘Russia’, most of us unintentionally think about Vodka, but not wine. However, in the southwestern part of this immense country, in between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, one can encounter numerous vineyards and wineries producing original Russian wine. Relatively warm climate accompanied by the influence of the Black sea, the Caspian sea and the Caucasus mountains make this part of the country particularly suitable for vine-growing.

The history of winemaking in Russia started in modern times, around the mid-19^th century when Prince Lev Golitsyn opened the first winery to produce Russian sparkling wines. The production underwent a dramatic disruption first when the Russian Revolution occurred in 1917, and then with the several anti-alcohol campaigns initiated by Soviet leaders. Due to the introduction of European winemaking techniques in the beginning of the 21^st century, Russian wineries started to produce more. Nowadays, one of the most distinguishable products of Russian winemaking is their sparklings made with continuous method. This method is similar to the tank one in its core but requires more time and the use of wood shavings or chips.