A. Riabenka, I. Dovgun

National University of Food Technologies, Kyiv, Ukraine

The Development of Wine Tourism in Western Ukraine

Zakarpattia is a unique beautiful region of Western Ukraine with interesting traditions and culture. The culture of winemaking gives it more charm. Wine tourism offered you a familiarity with the culture of the region, the traditions of the use of wine, food and personal acquaintance with the winemakers. Wine production in Zakarpattia is pursued by small businesses, but its traditions are old enough. Judging from the written sources, in the XII century on the slopes of the foothills the grapes were collected and wine was made. Local wines in large quantities were exported to Warsaw, Vilnius and Moscow.

The principles of wine tourism in Zakarpattia are very simple: to try wines only in the places of the production (Berehovo, Mukachevo, Uzhgorod, Vynohradiv districts), to bind tightly in the memory and imagination a bouquet and taste of a drink with a secret of its origin in nature, history and the spirit of the area.

Wine tourism is a specialized form of tourism aimed to taste, use, purchase wines directly from the manufacturers.

Wine tourism in Zakarpattia includes:

1. Visiting the vineyards plantations;

2. Visiting the tasting rooms and cellars;

3. Visiting the restaurants which offer wine tasting services;

4. Visiting wine festivals;

5. Visiting other special events.

Every year the wine festivals attract about 150,000 tourists.

Wine cellar “Chardonnay”

Uzhgorod first tasting room is located in the heart of the old town near the medieval castle. According to a legend, the basement was used by Uzhgorod nobles for their friendly conversations with the overseas guests with a glass of good wine. While tasting, you will be offered six kinds of the best Zakarpattian wines and a variety of brandy.

“Chardonnay” was opened in 2007 by the winemaker A. Kovacs. At the entrance to the tasting room you can see the wine press of the XIX century. While the visitors enjoy the taste of the best wines, they are demonstrated a film about Zakarpattian winemaking “divine gift of Bacchus”. The most popular wines are: “Cotnari”, “Leanca”, “Zakarpattian garden”, “Troyanda of Zakarpattia”, “Cahors”, “Chardonnay” and others.

Old Basement in Berehovo

“Old Basement” in Berehovo is small, but very age-old basement. The basement is located in the mountain on which once the north scopes of the Roman empire passed and it has solid age – over 300 years. In “Old Basement” the acknowledged winemakers produce exceptionally dry fine wines from the historical districted sorts of vine. During tasting you reveal the secrets of wine making, tasting five varieties of dry wine. You can feel the variety of the shades of flavour, colour and taste.

Wine cellar in Srednee village

The first block of the cellar was built in 1537. Here you can taste eight wines: “Spokusnitsia”, “Troyanda”, “Іrshavske”, “Іzabella”, “Cabernet”, “Seredniansky castle”. During tasting you will hear the history of Zakarpattian wines. Also every year at this place the Festival of New Wine “Zakarpattian Bozhole” is held.

There are unique wine cellars of the XVI century in Srednee village. These dungeons were witnesses to the ancient winery of the inhabitants of Zakarpattian. The cellars are carved into the tuff rock of volcanic origin. They have on their walls of microscopic capillaries through which seeps the air. So there is always the same temperature: +13 degrees. The history of these unusual cellars is connected with the name of the national hero of Hungary – Istvan Dobo.

Dungeons today are filled with barrels of the divine drink and are listed by UNESCO as one of the ten best wine cellars of Europe. Visitors are offered an interesting tour with tasting of vintage and unique dessert wines.

Wine cellar of the Shosh family in the village of Kidosh

In the village Kidosh which is 5 km from the coast towards Irshava, you can take part in wine tasting. Making wine is on the mini-factory which belongs to Charles Shosh (Shosh Korca). Here is the fifth generation of this family involved in winemaking, being able to achieve this great success. Wine tasting lasts for two hours with the assistance of a professional sommelier. During this time you will have the opportunity to try more than 15 different varieties of wine and brandy sorts.

Carlo Shosh has welcomed guests in its wine cellar since 2006, and it holds tours and tastings. However, before he started to receive the visitors, he participated and won many contests, wine festivals, wine tastings and special courses. In the last decade Karl Shosh has received numerous awards – 15 gold, 27 silver and 32 bronze medals. He is also an active organizer and participant of many wine courses.

In the spring of 2008 Beregovsky owners visited Austria, where he shared his experience with Burgundian winemakers. Tasting in Shosha is in the cosy wine room that is one room with a cellar. Here you can see the most important devices used in the traditional processing of the grapes and making of wine: kitchenware for the vintage, bucket, barrels of different sizes, bottle for wine. There is generally accepted rule, tasting starts with a light, white, dry wine, and completes with a sweet red wine. After tasting each wine, the guests are treated with the sliced apples, cheese, salted sticks, biscuits, peanuts. During tasting in the cellar Shosha four kinds of dry white, four types of dry red, as well as five species of five white semi-sweet and red semi-sweet wines are served. In addition, the guests have the opportunity to try two different varieties of vermouth and unique wine made according to classical technology, but from white grapes – white Cahors named “Gray eagle”.