The first written mention of winemaking dates back to 1600-1625. Those who know about viticulture can talk for a long time about the specifics of the local climate. In a very simplified language, it boils down to the following: a mix of black soil and sand, a large amount of sun and strong temperature drops day and night, giving the desired balance of sugar and acidity.

Wine for the inhabitants of Bessarabia has always been something ordinary, natural. Like air, like water. Previously, they even had breakfast like this: a glass of wine and a piece of hominy (thick corn porridge).

Shabo Industrial and Trading Company

Shabo, Belgorod-Dniesterovsky district, Odessa region

The Iukuridze family business, the SHABO wine company, combines a powerful production complex with modern European equipment and almost two thousand years of winemaking tradition. Founded in 2003 based on the oldest wine production in Ukraine in the village of Shabo.

The winemaking traditions of this region were laid down in ancient times, and cultural winemaking was developed by Swiss settlers, who founded a winery here in 1822.

The structure of the company includes "Shabo Wine House", "Shabo Wine House", and "Shabo Cognac House". The production volume is 15 million liters per year. Nowadays, Shabo is one of the leading Ukrainian manufacturers.

The technical equipment of the winery corresponds to the best European enterprises. Since 2012, the company "Shabo" - the only one in Ukraine - has received the right and creates premium wines "controlled designation of origin" (wines of KNP) - the Ukrainian analogue of the French Appellation; origin control. Over the past 10 years, the volume of production of noble drinks "Shabo" has almost doubled: in 2008 - 533.5 thousand decalitres, in 2018 - 989.8 thousand decalitres. Since 2012, Shabo is actively exported to 18 countries - Europe, the USA, Canada, Asia.

One of the few most titled companies in Ukraine that have won more than 500 awards at competitions, including the most prestigious abroad, including the Decanter Wine Awards, Mundus Vini, New York IWC.

Terroir "Shabo" - is 1250 hectares of vineyards, 4 million vines. The Shabo production complex is located in the immediate vicinity of the Shabo terroir vineyards, which are located in the south of Ukraine, between the Black Sea and the Dniester estuary, at the same latitude as Bordeaux and Burgundy (46.6 °).

The unique soil and climatic conditions are created here by nature: mild steppe climate, favorable temperature throughout the year, various types of soils, including medium loam chernozem and loamy soils with limestone. Vines for planting were imported from France and Italy. The density is 4100 bushes per 1 hectare. The oldest vine is 55 years old, the youngest vine is 10 years old. There are a total of 30 varieties of grapes.

Vinkhol Oksamytne LLC

Oksamytne, Bolgrad district, Odessa region

The Vinkhol Oksamytne Enterprise was founded in 1998 on the territory where Count Davydov's vineyard chateau was located 120 years ago. Favorable location, temperate climate and fertile soils are ideal for growing vines and wine production. The winery is engaged in the cultivation and sale of wine material to partner companies. The total area of ​​vineyards is almost 1000 hectares, of which 540 hectares are own.

In addition to the production and supply of wine, the company has its own bottling of still and sparkling wines. The plant is located at a distance of 7 km from the vineyards. The company has its own brands "Tintarella", "Villa Tinta", "Vinkhol" and "Odessa Black". Production reaches 400,000 bottles per year, much of which is exported to Romania and Germany.

The vineyards are located in the valley of Lake Yalpug. Loam soils, the number of bushes per 1 hectare is from 2650 to 3000 pieces. A small amount of wine is kept in a barrel for the experiment.

The company has a wine shop, where you can taste wines and get comprehensive information about "Oksamytne" and its history.

The winery is equipped with modern European equipment for all stages of production: from Italian crushers and French pneumatic presses for thorough and gentle pressing of grapes, ending with the Italian line for bottling still and sparkling wines. Vinkhol Oksamytne has its own certified laboratory to control the production process and wine quality.

Leleka Wines

Rozivka, Saratsky district, Odessa region

Leleka Wines is a new brand of Wine Discovery Selection, the idea of ​​which is to create high-quality wines of modern Ukraine, according to high international standards and a real Ukrainian soul.

The collection is named after the stork - a special bird and a sacred symbol of Ukraine. Every year thousands of storks return from their vultures to their native places, to Ukraine, bringing hope and the spirit of travel on their wings. Leleka Wines are created for true connoisseurs and travelers in the world.

Wine Discovery Selection is an international team of wine experts with knowledge in the field of oenology (wine science). Every year, experts visit the author's wineries and large wine companies in different regions of the world in search of wine discoveries. They study local technologies of viticulture and wine creation, conduct multi-level tastings and strictly select the brightest, whole and harmonious samples of modern winemaking.

V.Petrov Winery

Strumok, Tatarbunary district, Odessa region

V. Petrov Winery was founded in 2003. The family winery is headed by Valery Petrov. By 2003, the Petrov family was gradually taking the first steps in producing their own wine. In 1993, a farm was organized with 40 hectares of industrial grape varieties. The harvest was sold to wineries.

After receiving specialized training at the Odessa Food Academy, his wife Svetlana and son Vadim acquired the profession of technologist, which gave impetus to create their own production. Diana Petrova, the daughter, graduated from the Kyiv Agrarian Academy with a degree in "Perennial Agronomist". To date, the Petrov family has chosen the direction of organic winemaking and received the appropriate certificates for the production of organic products, the harvest of 2014 and 2015.

The location of the farm in the village. The stream is favorable for wine production, as it lies on the same geographical parallel with the famous French province of Bordeaux. More than 76 hectares of vineyards were planted for this Bordeaux direction of winemaking. Density - 4000 bushes on 1 hectare. The age of the vine is 15 years.

Soils: southern gray chernozem. The volume of production is from 20 to 30 thousand liters per year.

Winery "VINARIA"

Loshchynivka, Izmail district, Odessa region

The small village of Loshchynivka was founded in 1945 and is located north of the town of Izmail. Already in 1956, the Loshchinovsky winery was founded here, which operated until the time of the "anti-alcohol campaign".

Today "Vinaria" is a family winery of Polshakov Valery Radionovych, in which the owner puts his whole soul. From the vineyard to the winery is a path of up to 3 km, which allows you to quickly deliver the crop for processing. During the initial processing, the grapes are squeezed very delicately, the juice yield is approximately 50%. Fermentation of white wines takes place at a temperature of 10-12 ℃, which makes it possible to obtain the highest quality wine material. Only natural antioxidants are used in the production. The wines are stored and aged in stainless steel containers made in Italy and oak barrels. The production volume is 10 thousand liters per year.

The planting area of ​​the vineyards is 1.5 hectares. The density of planting vines: 3500 bushes per 1 hectare. The age of the vine is from 12 to 3 years. Soils are mainly southern chernozem and loam.

Winery "VINOPION"

Bolgrad, Bolgrad district, Odessa region

Winery "VINOPION" was founded in 2019, a winemaker by vocation and a winemaker by profession - Yuri Grekov. Craft winery is arranged in the winemaker's own estate.

The production volume reaches more than 2 thousand liters per year. Fermentation takes place with controlled temperature regimes in stainless steel tanks. Wine is stored in plastic containers with floating stainless steel lids.

Location of the farm in Bolgrad. The planting area of ​​vineyards 3 hectares. The age of the vine is 15 years. At the time, the winemaker is in the process of obtaining a license to produce alcoholic beverages.

White grape varieties: Chardonnay, Riesling, Traminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Rkatsiteli.

Red grape varieties: Cabernet, Merlot, Saperavi, Odessa black.

Christophe Lacarin

Shabo, Belgorod-Dniester district, Odessa region

A winemaker by vocation and perfumer by profession, Christophe Lacaren, calls his winery a great hobby. He worked as a perfumer in Ukraine for two years at the Lviv enterprise, then, fate brought him to viticulture and winemaking in the Odessa region. The first vineyards were purchased in 2005.

The winery is located on the site of a former settlement of Swiss Germans. The house is completely preserved to this day. The host sincerely receives guests and holds tastings of his wines here, accompanied by delicious French snacks, home-made cheeses and pleasant light chats about life and wine.

Christophe Lacaren's winery has received a license to produce alcoholic beverages. No chemicals are used in the processing of grapes, the wine material is obtained from ecologically clean grapes. The wines are aged in a bottle and on an oak beam.

Today the area of ​​grapes reaches 40 hectares. The density is 1650 bushes per 1 hectare. Soils: chernozem medium loamy and loamy soils with limestone.

It is especially worth noting sparkling wine with the classic method of champagne in a bottle. We have witnessed a complicated procedure to remove sediment from the bottle by hand.