Articles
The Russian Wine Industry from A to Z (2020)
Winemaking and wine itself have always played and will always play an important role in the life of Russia, a country with a centuries-old history of winemaking, which has, of course, had its ups and downs. It is believed that winemaking already existed during the time of Ancient Greece, in particular on the Crimean Peninsula and the Taman Peninsula. Wine was always an integral part of imperial receptions and balls. The rapid development of the viticulture and wine industries began during the USSR, but Mikhail Gorbachev’s anti-alcohol campaign seriously undermined the industry. It was only in the 2000s, with the influx of new investments, as well as the involvement of foreign specialists and young Russian winemakers, that a new stage of development began. The quality of wines produced in Russia is improving each year, while the country’s consumption is also rising.
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Main diseases in Russian vineyards and modern methods of combating them
Diseases cause significant damage to the crop and vines in Russian vineyards each year. Affected berries become unsuitable for consumption fresh and for processing in the wine industry. The development of diseases on leaves and shoots leads to disruption of the most important physiological processes of a vine, such as photosynthesis and respiration. In epiphytotic years, in the case of sensitive varieties, you can lose both the crop and the vines themselves completely.
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Options available to a winemaker who wants to make dry wine with lower alcohol content
The level of alcohol in modern wines is growing every year. This is directly related to climate change, namely global warming. However, although initially an increase in alcohol gave wines a little more body, a further increase has led to wines beginning to lose balance and elegance due to “generous” alcohol. Not every consumer appreciates such high alcohol content, preferring lighter wines.
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How to taste wine
Wine tasting refers to the process of its analysis according to a specific system as well as the assessment of the quality level. For beginners, wine tasting can seem like a difficult task, as all wines may seem very similar to each other. Special preparation is required to distinguish one wine from another, and most importantly, to determine the quality level of a sample; this can be gained under the guidance of an experienced mentor.
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