Fanagoria Wineries: in vino veritas

The winery offers a training for the sommeliers. The course consists of 4 lessons. The first is devoted to winemaking history and technology, grape varieties and wine diversity. The second lesson deals with European traditions of winemaking. The third lesson is devoted to New World winemaking. The last lesson takes up Russian and Soviet winemaking; the CIS winemaking regions, particularly, Kuban and aboriginal varieties in Russia and the Caucasus.

Organization of Temriuk Winemaking Department was the following step. By the beginning of the 20th century, Kuban became one of the winegrowing regions of the Russian Empire. Before World War I, its annual yields equaled to 16 million kg. Alas, no proper attention was paid thereafter until the 1950’s. So, only the opening of a new winery in the settlement of Sennoi (the future Fanagoria Estate Winery) in 1957 became a landmark in the rebirth of the history of the local wines.

The revival of Kuban winemaking took place in the last third of the 19th century. It was then that from France, classical grape varieties – Chardonnay , Sauvignon, Claret – would be imported to serve as the basis for future winemaking.

Approximately a dozen of ancient wineries dating back to the 2nd century BC – 2nd century AD, have survived until now. One of them, found in direct proximity to the contemporary winery, will be reconstructed and thus available for all Fanagoria Winery visitors. Having survived the invasion of nomadic tribes of the Goths and Huns, the polis of Phanagoria flourished till the end of the 14th century.

In the 4th – 2nd centuries BC, Phanagoria was a major trade centre of the Kingdom of Bosporus, then the biggest state in the Northern Black Sea area. The dwellers of Phanagoria used to grow vine and make wine, as it is proved by archaeological findings of grape stones, measuring vessels, wine amphorae, and grape clusters engraved on Phanagorian coins.

Fanagoria Estate Winery is located in the historical viticultural region in the western part of the Taman Peninsula. It is the site of the ancient Greek polis of Phanagoria known since 6th century BC and named after Phanagor, a courageous leader of the Greek settlers.

Oak wood is globally recognized as the main material used to produce the barrels for wine, brandy, etc. ageing. It is its moderate permeability for gases, impermeability for liquids, and active interaction with the beverage inside the barrel that significantly affects the parameters of technological process and the quality of the wine or brandy.

The oaked wine bouquet is a complex mix of hundreds of compounds of different chemical classes, many of which considerably differ from one another in chemical buildup, concentration and degree of influence upon the wine’s flavour and taste.

Fanagoria Winery has its own cooperage, using Caucasian oak for barrels. Owing to extraction of the oak wood components, barrel ageing is known to ensure constancy of physico-chemical and biochemical processes required for wine perfection. Thus, a wooden barrel is an ideal system for wine seasoning.

For instance Fanagoria crafts 4 varietal brands of ice wine: the white Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat and the red Saperavi. Cabernet Sauvignon Cru Lermont, the most titled wine, recently got a new distinction: this was the first Russian wine to bear the «Kuban Wines Are a Pride of Russia» logo.

The winery encompasses the whole production cycle: from production of rootstock and grafts to the manufacture and distribution of bottled wines.

The area of Fanagoria vineyards exceeds 2,500 hectares. The vineyards are the main guarantee of the quality of local wines.

Riesling came to the vineyards when Peter the Great (1672-1725) reportedly told the growers that they needed to import German varieties for entry-level wines. Most producers also make an aligote´ for that purpose as well.

Today, this winery looks like any other, with grapes growing on a single Guyot system, hand harvesting into small boxes, temperature control, pneumatic presses, etc.

Talking about the red prapes, several sorts should be noticed: Krasnostop Zolotovsky is a red grape with notes of plum, red currant, firm tannins, with red fruit flavors and spice. It is generally made to be consumed within 4-5 years. Tzimlanskiy Cherniy shows notes of prunes, spice, leather with a full body, firm tannins, and a cassis-jam flavor. Krasnostop and Tzimlanskiy are also blended relatively with Cabernet Sauvignon.

Among the white wines the most known are: Rkatziteli, a Georgian variety, shows a somewhat herbal, floral and citrus nose, with citrus, green apple, and mineral notes on the palate. This wine is typically made for young consumption and does not age very well beyond 2-3 years. And the second one is made of Sibirkoviy grape that gives off a floral, grassy and peachy aroma, and on the palate shows citrus, floral and apple notes. It should be consumed within 3 years as well.

Fanagoria vineyards are located in the Taman Peninsula almost totally surrounded by the Black Sea (on the west and south), the Sea of Azov (on the north), and the Strait of Kerch (on the north-west). The proximity of the two seas is a decisive softening factor in the peninsula's microclimate.

Fanagoria Winery operates in the unique climatic and geographical conditions and bases on the 2,000 years tradition of winemaking in the Taman Peninsula, Russia, where the vineyards are located.