A tasting of collectible Russian wines was held in Crimea

A tasting of the rarest collectible wines was held in Crimea. Some samples are almost 100 years old. There are unique specimens that were even evacuated to the rear during the Great Patriotic War to be preserved. They were evaluated by the best experts in the country. Oleg Zaikovsky, a correspondent for Izvestia, spoke about how the story unfolds through refined taste.

The history of Russian winemaking comes alive in the glasses. The tables feature works of art: from real wine relics bottled back in the 30s of the last century, to samples from recent harvests.

"The 1936 white Sous-Dagh port wine is absolutely unique, as beautiful as Kokur can be at this age," says Elena Batrak, chief expert on collectible wines at PJSC Massandra.

The tasting is conducted according to a vertical scheme, that is, experts could taste several brands of wine produced in different decades and assess how it has changed over the years.

"It is a great experience for colleagues and winemakers to see how the wine develops in the collection, because our wines are long—lived wines. To trace the entire chain of changes, how organoleptics, taste are transformed, what happens to wine in terms of color," said Alexander Yakimenko, Chief winemaker of PJSC Massandra.

The Egorov tasting is not just a tradition founded by the legendary winemaker back in the 1940s, but an important event for the entire industry. Specialists from the best enterprises in the country can touch the standard, get acquainted with the best examples of dessert wines.

"The tasting is such that you take off your hat and bow to those winemakers who once laid such fine wines. It helps us build our library in our head, the development of wine. We can see the potential of Crimean wine in the future when it is bottled," said Lyudmila Gerasimenko, Director of Production at Inkerman Vintage Wine Factory LLC.

Experts leave a short written review of each submitted sample. All these data will be scrupulously studied by Massandra specialists and, possibly, will make adjustments to the technology of wine production.

"The tasting was completed by the white muscat "Massandra" from 1937. The uniqueness of this wine is that in 1941 it was evacuated in a barrel and only five years later, after returning to the Crimea, it got into the bottle," the correspondent noted.

The Massandra collection is one of the largest in the world. The bottles are stored in basements built at the end of the 19th century by one of the fathers of Russian winemaking, Lev Golitsyn.

"The Massandra Enoteca is a real treasure trove of vintage wines. There are more than a million bottles in the mountain, and some wines are over 200 years old. Here it is, the noble dust of centuries," the journalist showed.

For more than 130 years, Massandra has maintained its status as one of the best wineries in the world, but they are not standing still here. Machinery and equipment are constantly being updated, and output is increasing. In 2025, Massandra produced almost 25 million bottles.

"We plant a certain number of vineyards every year, mainly those varieties that are unique to Massandra: sherry varieties, madeira varieties," explained Vladimir Maslovsky, CEO of PJSC Massandra.

The plant has equipped two new sites for aging madeira for 500 barrels. This unique wine is called the twice-born sun.

"Madeira is aged in oak barrels under the rays of the Crimean sun, breathing mountain air and sea breeze. In five years, the wine acquires a rich bouquet with cognac, nutty and vanilla tones," the correspondent said.

Massandra produces four varieties of madeira, two of which are modern developments. Our madeira is in no way inferior to Portuguese.

"I visited the island of Madeira. Our brands are on par, or maybe even one step ahead of the Madeira ones. Our wine is more eloquent, richer, and more tender," emphasizes Rameta Kushkhova, head of the Vorontsovsky Cellar aging department at PJSC Massandra.

Massandra's winemakers do not deviate from the rules and principles laid down by Lev Golitsyn and Alexander Egorov. Wine is considered alive here and treated with reverence. The result is consistent quality over the decades and numerous prizes at international and national competitions. Massandra winemakers do not stop there and are actively developing a new direction for themselves — dry wines.

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