Sparkling Wine from Ukraine

According to statistics, in 2015 Ukrainian winemakers produced 0,48 million hl of sparkling wines and 0,32 million hl of Champagne of Ukraine, in 2014 – 0,36 and 0,26 million, in 2013 – 0,4 and 0,3 million hl.

In 2014 the volume of domestic production, exports and imports of sparkling wine and Champagne of Ukraine by the results of the year decreased in physical terms. The main reason for the decline of the market of sparkling wines and Champagne was the occupation of Crimea, on the territory of which about 20 % of the total volume of Champagne and sparkling wine were produced.

Champagne of Ukraine consists of 72% of the total production volume; Sparkling wine – 27%; Grape carbonated wine – 0.8%. The greatest share is provided by sweet wines – 60%, semi sweet, in turn – 20% and brut – 11%. Less popular are rose and red sparkling wines are less popular due to the prevailing consumer preferences. The greatest demand for sparkling wines is in the price segment up to 60-80 UAH for a bottle.

Most of the domestic producers of sparkling wine and Champagne are located in the Odessa region. The leading producers of sparkling wine and Champagne of Ukraine are the Kiev Champagne Winery Stolichny and Artemovsk Winery. These two companies control almost half of the product market – 22.4 % and 22.2 % of the total production, respectively.

The production of sparkling wines on the territory of modern Ukraine was started in 1799 in Sudak, Crimea.
The first wineries, specialising in the production of sparkling wines, was established in 1812.

In the middle of the XVIII century, the Crimean sparkling wine Ai-Danil of Prince Vorontsov became famous, which the experts of that time found not inferior to the real French Crémant. However, with the outbreak of the Crimean War (1853-1856) these enterprises were closed and technology descriptions were lost.

L. S. Golitsyn restored the production of sparkling wines. In his estate Novyi Svet he planted vineyards. According to his design, first-class cellars were built and a unique collection of wines of the best French and other foreign companies was created.

Winemaking map of Ukraine

Viticulture in Ukraine is traditionally practised in the southern regions (Odessa, Mykolayiv, Kherson, Zaporozhye regions) and in Transcarpathia. The quality of base wine largely depends on the ecological and agrotechnical conditions of grape growing. The set of environmental factors should ensure a slow accumulation of sugars in the berry with a moderate decrease in the content of titrated acids during maturation. In terms of quality, the best base wine for sparkling wines are produced in Ukraine in Odessa, Mykolaiv and Kherson regions.

Today Ukrainian legislation is changing with European amendments. In the nearest time the GI classification is planned to be introduced.

Information from the Kolonist family winery in cooperation with the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine National Scientific Center Tairov Institute of Viticulture and Wine-making and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and food of Ukraine.

Written by Tatiana Mann