What are Crimean wines made of and is there anything decent among them?

My wife and I have a tradition – from every place where we relax, bring a bottle of local alcohol as a keepsake. Last autumn we visited the Crimea. We caught the real “velvet season” – the warm sea, the absence of crowds of tourists and, of course, the time of grape harvest.

We even went on an excursion to the Massandra Palace, the center of winemaking in the Crimea. From there we brought a bottle of Alushta port wine. Yesterday we opened and plunged into the memories of the vacation.

Where wine is produced in Crimea

Crimean vineyards:

  • “Donkey” (Yalta);
  • “Massandra” (Yalta);
  • “Inkerman” (Sevastopol);
  • “Fountain” (Bakhchisarai);
  • “Koktebel” (Feodosia);
  • “Sun Valley” (Sudak);
  • Dionysus (Simferopol);
  • “Zolotaya Balka” (Balaklavsky district);
  • UPPA Winery (Rodnoye village, Bakhchisaray district);
  • Alma Valley (Vilino village, not far from Sevastopol).

Winery “Massandra” is not only an operating production, but also a popular tourist attraction.

The range of most Crimean factories is extremely wide. These are both “mass” table wines and exclusive vintage wines.

There are also more “specific” products – sherry, port wine, sparkling wine. The brands are mostly “old honored”, many of them under various names have been around for several hundred years.

What is wine produced in Crimea

In the Crimea, many varieties of grapes have successfully taken root, which are used for the production of wine and grown in other countries:

  • Cabernet Sauvignon;
  • Sauvignon Blanc;
  • Chardonay;
  • Pinot Noir;
  • Riesling;
  • Traminer (Траминер);
  • Gewürztraminer (Гевюрцтраминер);
  • Syrah (Cheese);
  • Grenache;
  • Pedro Jimenez (Pedro Jimenez).

There are also autochthonous varieties (bred in the Crimea):

  • Kokur;
  • Kefesia;
  • Sarah Pandas;
  • Sabbath;
  • Bastardo Magarachsky.

Bastardo Magarachsky is one of the “signature” Crimean grape varieties.

Since the times of the USSR, vineyards have been preserved in which Saperavi and Rkatsiteli varieties are cultivated. They have already become time-tested classics in the Crimea.

White Crimean wines

White Crimean wines are not as famous as red ones, but there is plenty to choose from here:

  1. “Muscat White Red Stone”. Exclusive production of “Massandra”. Vintage liqueur wine with a strength of 13% from the local variety Muscat White. The taste is floral, with distinct notes of rose. The aroma is very fresh. The cost is quite high – about 850 rubles per bottle.
  2. “The Seventh Heaven of Prince Golitsyn”. Dessert, very sweet white wine with a strength of 16%. It has been produced by Massandra since the end of the 2th century. Exposure – 550 years or more. The main grape variety is Muscat, with the addition of Pinot and Kokura. The taste is honey-peach, with hints of quince. The cost is about XNUMX rubles.
  3. “Madeira”. It is a worthy alternative to the Portuguese Madeira produced by Massandra. This sweet white wine has been aged for at least two years. The fortress is high (19,5%), so it is not drunk too easily. It is made from varieties of Albillo, Sersial, Verdello. Taste – walnut-caramel. The price is about 450-500 rubles.
  4. Sherry Massandra. A sweet white wine made from the same grape varieties as Madeira. The fortress varies from 15 to 22%. The taste is tart, somewhat reminiscent of cognac, the cost is about 600 rubles.

“Muscat White Red Stone” – perhaps the best Crimean liqueur wine.

Red wines of Crimea

Red Crimean wines are distinguished by a very rich, dark garnet color:

  • “Bastardo Magarach”. The famous red sweet wine “Massandra” from the autochthonous grape variety of the same name. The drink with a strength of 16% is very thick and sweet, literally “envelops” the tongue and throat. The taste for wine is unusual, chocolate-creamy, the cost in retail stores is about 600 rubles.
  • “Black Doctor”. Very dark, almost black dessert wine with a strength of 16%, a true masterpiece of Crimean winemaking. It has a high content of tannins. Taste – notes of figs and black mulberry berries. Produced by the Solnechnaya Dolina enterprise. The only drawback is the high price, 1700 per bottle.
  • “Black Colonel”. Another gem of the “Sunny Valley”. Fortified (17,5%) liqueur wine 3 years old. Produced from a mixture of only local grape varieties. Taste – chocolate with berry notes (lingonberries, cornelian cherry, prunes). It costs less than the “Black Doctor” – about 800 rubles.
  • “Cabernet Kachinsky”. Dry red wine with a strength of 13%, the legitimate pride of the Inkerman brand. The minimum aging period is 1,5 years. The taste of prunes with hints of milk chocolate. Price – from 600 rubles.

Wine “Black Doctor” is so expensive that it is even available in small bottles of 250 and 375 ml.

I gave prices for Crimean wines in retail chain stores. But in Crimea, I bought local wine much cheaper. For example, a bottle of Alushta port wine cost me 280 rubles in the Massandra brand store. And in my hometown I had to give almost 600.

The first associations with Crimea for many are “sea”, “sun”, “beaches”. But those who appreciate good alcohol immediately remember Crimean wine. On the territory of the peninsula there are several dozen wineries, whose products are world famous and have won many medals at relevant international exhibitions.

Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health. Take care of yourself!

Do you like Crimean wine? Is there a favorite variety? What do you think about the current state of winemaking on the peninsula?

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