Enogastronomical tourism enjoys well-deserved popularity in Crimea. Famous wineries with a long history, as well as young businesses that are ready to offer unusual excursions and services are ready to welcome guests. We tell you what new appeared at the Crimean wineries in 2022.
ESSE
Bakhchisaray district, Dolínnoyeh village
An awaited event for enotourists is a restaurant in the vineyards, which should open this autumn. In this season it will work daily on prior registration, out of season − three days a week. A visit to the new gastro-places is expected as part of the EsseWineTour. The restaurant will offer guests set menus − sets of several dishes for a fixed price. The guests will be welcomed by the brand ambassador.
Besides, 2022 has brought the winery two new wines: Pinot Gris Blush and Rkatsiteli Sur Lye. Pinot Gris Blush − a drink with a delicate aroma of raspberries, cranberries, currants and a blackberry aftertaste − will surely appeal to lovers of dry white wines. As for the second novelty, it has undergone additional aging in the bottle for six months. It has a creamy-spicy, floral aroma and a slight bitterness in the aftertaste.
The Esse brand was created by the Satera winery in 2005. At that time, the old factory was renovated. After 10 years, production of sparkling wines was started. The winery has 70 hectares of vineyards in the valley of the Chyórnaya River at an altitude of about 300 m above sea level. The seedlings were purchased from Italian and French nurseries. Specialization − still and sparkling wines. Tourists are offered tastings and excursions. Everyone can also watch the sunset in the vineyards.
Address: 25b Lenina St.
Website: essewine.com
Винный тур EsseWineTourWine tour EsseWineTourWINEPARK
Yalta, Ponizovka village
The WINEPARK wine tourism center invites guests to the Reflections − a new immersive show. It will unfold in 11 locations, where the actors will reveal the story of the chief architect of the wine park in vivid visual images. The promenade will be complemented by drinks and snacks from the chef. Participants will see the process of competent selection of wine for a particular dish.
In addition, a new Hide & Drink tasting has been designed, thanks to which visitors will be able to "find" in their glass the best in the world, according to the hosts, Blanc de Blanc and other premium wines. Tastings are held in one of the most intimate place of WINEPARK − the Wine Bank, which contains rare wines from the best collections with worldwide recognition: about 1,500 unique brands in total (12,000 bottles). Visits to the Wine Bank require prior reservation.
WINEPARK and Mriya Resort & SPA also implement the Wine Tours project – tours of Crimean wineries. A total of 5 tours are planned until the end of October on Fridays every two weeks. The program is designed with an impressive gastronomic component. In addition to tastings, each journey ends with a dinner and wine tasting at a winery's vineyard.
The WINEPARK wine tourism center, which celebrated its first anniversary this summer, is a multifunctional space designed to develop wine culture in Russia and interest in Russian winemaking both within the country and in the world. Here, on a total area of 30 hectares, 7.75 hectares of vineyards are planted. Themed locations and art objects, tours of the gravity-type winery, a visit to the highest tasting room in Crimea (45 m) and, in fact, the tastings themselves with the participation of a sommelier robot wait for guests there.
Address: 22 Primorskaya St.
Website: winepark.ru
Винный парк Winepark Wine ParkMANGUP
Balaklava district, Rodnóyeh village
Good news for ecotourists: on the territory of the winery, on the slope of Zybúk-Tepe Mountain, a modern glamping with a fashionable interior, equipped with all amenities, has recently been opened. There are even heated blankets to keep you warm on autumn evenings.
The owners of the winery tried to please the guests and connoisseurs of gastronomic impressions. This year, a modern cuisine restaurant was inaugurated there, combining global culinary trends and local cuisine. Besides, under the Mangup Organic brand, the production of natural cosmetics, made from local plants, has started. As you see, not by grapes alone.
Mangup is not only a winery with 33 hectares of vineyards, but a real brand for connoisseurs of enogastronomy and relaxation in the bosom of nature, away from the bustle of the city. It works since 2011. You can come here for a walk, relax both in glamping or in comfortable wooden houses, go to an open-air bathhouse and participate in wine tasting. Speaking of wines: there is a basic collection that introduces European varieties in one of the best Russian terroirs, and there is an exclusive collection − M.N.G.P., dedicated to the local festival.
Address: 43a Sumskaya St.
Website: mangup.estate
Мероприятие на территории усадьбы «Мангуп»Event on the territory of the estate "Mangup"DOMAINE LIPKO
Balaklava district, Khmelnítskoyeh village
This year, a family boutique winery near Sevastopol has released two new products − Grüner dry white and Blaufränkisch red dry.
The first is made from the Austrian autochthonous grape variety Grüner Veltliner. In taste and aroma, it combines the juicy tones of stone-fruit and flowers inherent in the same Riesling. At the same time, a distinctive feature is a light spicy bitterness in the aftertaste, tones of white pepper.
In the seductive aroma of Blaufränkisch wine hints of raspberry, blackberry, berry jam, decorated with subtle woody touches. The taste is rich, soft and slightly astringent, with clear fruit and berry accents. This wine is the first of such experiment in Crimea and, it should be noted, very successful.
And to make tasting the "sun in a glass" even more pleasant, the owners of the winery built a cozy summer gazebo in the heart of the vineyards − with a beautiful panoramic view. At tastings, they offer a full line of wines (6-7 samples) with light snacks from local producers: farm cheeses, homemade grissini, craft bread, seasonal fruits. A tasting option with hot dishes, cooked on a fire is also available.
Domaine Lipko is the brainchild of a talented winemaker Ivan Lipko, who strives to create modern smooth wines, while not forgetting the traditions of classical winemaking. The company has been operating since 2017 and owns about 48 hectares of vineyards. Winemakers are experimenting a lot there, they were the first to risk planting varieties unusual for Crimea: Grüner, Blaufränkisch, Malvasia, Trebbiano. Classics are also present: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Muscat, Riesling and others. On the labels of the wines, an ice pick is depicted, symbolizing another passion of Ivan Lipko − mountaineering, as well as the personification of perseverance and determination.
Place coordinates: 44.553138, 33.661010
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Сбор урожая на виноградниках Ивана Липко Harvesting in the vineyards of Ivan LipkoKALOS LIMEN
Chernomorskiy district, Nizovka village
This year, Kalos Limen − the only winery in the Chernomorskiy district − has released several new wines. These are: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot Cabernet.
The Syrah dry rose wine is of particular interest – it received a gold medal at the 'Best Product of the Year' competition in the 'Wine Products' nomination. The drink is multifaceted in aromatics, its taste reveals itself in stages: first berry shades appear, then strawberry aroma opens, which smoothly turns into cherry.
Of course, the king of red wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, also deserves attention. Its taste is rich, slightly astringent, with a hint of chocolate, black currant, raspberry, mint, black pepper, smoke. The aroma is multiple, with notes of tobacco and cedar.
Kalos Limen produces author's wine in an ecologically clean region of Crimea, where there are no industrial pollution. The company grows grapes based on the best European varieties. The total planting area is 38 hectares. Today, a highly qualified winery team is led by a professional with 20 years of experience − Galin Milkov from Bulgaria. Tastings are offered for tourists.
Address: 15 Zelyonaya St.
Website: kalos-limen.ru
Авторское вино производителя Kalos LimenAuthor"s wine producer Kalos LimenSAVVA VALLEY WINE PARK
Sudak, Ai-Savva Valley
The wine company, specializing in dry wines, boasts 7 new products in 2022: white Pinot Blanc, Vermentino/Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Petit Mansan, rosé Pinot Noir and red Bordeaux and Shiraz.
The Petit Mansan can safely be called the hallmark of the winery − a wine from the group of rare naturally sweet wines, which appeared due to the noble Botrytis cinerea mold, which concentrates grape sugars. This is an impressive full-taste drink with notes of quince, apricot, honey and citrus fruits, with amazing mineral content, with a pleasant and very long aftertaste.
The Valley of St. Savva wine park is a successful tourist attraction. Last year it was visited by about 2 thousand people. The complex includes a vineyard, a museum of viticulture and winemaking, a winery, a shopping area, a beautiful viewing gazebo in a juniper grove, panoramic photo zones, walking and car routes for tourists.
The wine park of the Ai-Savva Valley is considered the oldest winery in Eastern Europe: 800 years ago, the Italian settlement of Kaza-Karagachi was in its place, the inhabitants of which successfully produced this noble drink and even paid taxes on it to Genoa and Venice. It offers excursions with tastings in the cellar of 1882 (there is also a museum of ancient artifacts), jeep tours of the vineyards. And in the very heart of the Ai-Savva Valley, a coral reef aged 280-290 million years has “settled down”.
Address: 47b Alushtinskaya St.
Site: stsavvavalley.ru
Grapes and glasses of wineSOLNECHNAYA DOLINA
Sudak, Mindalnoyeh village
The highlight of the year is the release of the first limited batch of the long-awaited Meganom Blanc de Blancs brut sparkling wine. Sparkling wine from seven grape varieties according to classical technology − a new experience of one of the oldest Russian wineries. This drink was born after several years of work of winemakers and 18 months of aging on the lees according to the classical technology.
A wine with a delicate and rather complex aroma, which reveals notes of white flowers and southern fruits, classic shades are noticeable − fresh dough or lightly fried wheat toasts, as well as light mineralization. Color − glaring straw, with golden tints. The best snack for Meganom will be seafood, fruit salads and young cheeses.
The company, which turns 134 this year, has 800 hectares of vineyards in the sunniest corners of the peninsula. It produces dry, semi-sweet and liqueur wines and is especially proud of the latter. More than 50 autochthonous and European varieties of grapes are grown there. Including very rare ones − Ekim-kara, Dzhevat-kara, Kefesia, from which the Black Doctor and Black Colonel wines are produced, which have long become the hallmark of the Solnechnaya Dolina (sunny valley) winery. For tourists, several types of excursions are offered, including the ancient Arkhaderesse wine cellars.
Address: 8a Mindalnaya St.
Website: sunvalley1888.ru
ВиноградникVineyardZOLOTAYA BALKA
This year the winery has updated the ZBWine collection of still wines. The range of dry wines has been expanded with: white Rkatsiteli, red Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot. Rkatsiteli is distinguished by bright aromatics of honey plants, Crimean herbs interspersed with white lilac, acacia and honeysuckle, spices and honey tones. The aroma of Merlot is dominated by red berries, notes of cedar and poppy are noticeable. In turn, the Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot duet opens up in a glass with aromas of red and black berries and fruits: cherries, plums, blackberries, with tones of licorice, cedar and cloves.
The novelty of September was the release of the first red wine in the ZBWine Natura line − a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend. The premium collection is also being prepared for renewal: two wines created by the classic champagne method will be released soon: Cuvee de Vitmer Brut Blanc de Blancs 2018 and Cuvee de Vitmer Brut Rose 2019.
In addition, 11 Zolotaya Balka wines came out with new labels: on each of them you can find witty phrases that make the wine an adornment on any table.
Now the winery offers 18 types of excursion programs. In addition to wine tours, wine evenings with live music in the vineyards, aroma brunches, master-classes from the chef of the Terroir restaurant in cooking dishes from local products, individual holidays, full-on celebrations and much more for guests.
The history of Zolotaya Balka (golden gully), one of the largest wineries in Crimea, begins in 1889, when Alexander Witmer founded a wine cellar and planted industrial vineyards in the Balaklava Valley. He loved to mix varieties and experiment with blends, and today the company continues his tradition. The main specialization is young sparkling wines, bruts, dry, semi-dry and semi-sweet wines.
Address: Balaklava, 66 Krestovskiy St.
Site: zolotaiabalka.ru
Бокал с вином на виноградникеGlass of wine in the vineyardALMA VALLEY
Bakhchisaray district, Vilino village
New for 2022 are Sémillon and Kokur. Sémillon has subtle fresh aromatics with notes of lemon peel, pink peach and herbs. The soft, refined taste of stone-fruits complements it and will definitely appeal to white wine lovers. And you can try this new product in the Standard tasting set.
In its turn, Kokur Alma Valley was aged on fine yeast lees for 5 months in a stainless steel tank with weekly batonage, thanks to which the aroma of the wine turned out to be bright and juicy, it will fill the glass with yellow apples, ripe nectarine, notes of beeswax and light minerality. The drink is presented in the VIP tasting set.
The varietal line of wines was also supplemented by new 2021 vintages: Pinot Gris, Rislaner and Colombard.
Modern gravity winery Alma Valley, located in the valley of the Alma River, built in the best traditions of European winemaking. Vineyards are planted on an area of more than 406 hectares. Today in Alma Valley, the main emphasis is on international grape varieties, including those quite rare for Russia: Tempranillo, Dornfelder, Syrah, Rislaner, Petit Arvin and many others. Experiments are being conducted with the Crimean autochthons. Classical music plays around the clock in the wine cellar, which makes the wine even more harmonious. Guided tours with tastings are offered.
Address: 13 Vygonniy Lane
Site: alma-valley.ru
ВиноградGrapeINKERMAN
A novelty from INKERMAN: aged Bastardo dry red wine from the Special Reserve collection. It is called a height of skill of Crimean winemakers. The wine is made from the Bastardo Magarachskiy grape variety grown in the vineyards of the Kacha river valley.
Aged 18 months in American and French oak casks on fine yeast lees. Thanks to a special approach to creating a blend, it became possible to obtain a unique sample of rich pomegranate color, with a bright, multiple bouquet.
Connoisseurs are unlikely to remain indifferent to the shades of taste: milk cream, chocolate chips, dried prunes, ripe cherries and vanilla. A long pleasant aftertaste ends with hints of ripe plums, dark chocolate, light smoked nuances with the addition of an ice-cream plume.
The Inkerman Vintage Wine Factory was established in 1961 on the basis of bryozoan limestone stone pit, which was mined for the restoration and construction of Sevastopol after the war. Today, in those adits at a depth of 5 to 30 m wine is stored in bottles and casks. According to natural factors, the territory of the vineyards completely repeats the famous French terroir − the province of Bordeaux. Enoteca is represented by dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, dessert strong, and sparkling wines.
Address: Inkerman, 20 Malinovskiy St.
Site: inkerman.ru
Пробки от винаWine corksVILLA DI ALMA is a new point on the enogastronomical map of Crimea
Bakhchisaray district
The first certified organic farm in Russia, Villa di Alma in the Bakhchisaray district, is harvesting this year for the production of its first wines. Thus, it is planned to harvest about 90 tons of grapes and make sparkling wines according to the classical method and according to the ansestral method (single fermentation method), as well as white, pink and red still dry wines. In total, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Kokur, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot varieties were planted on a territory of 35 hectares. In addition, the plans of the owners of the winery include development of excursions and routes of varying complexity (the winery itself is 9 km from the vineyards) and the opening of a restaurant.
Address: Plodóvoyeh village, 1 Musle St.
Website: villadialma.com