The ‘Top 24 Best Wines of Ukraine’ are named by Masters of Wine from across the world
On 29 July, an expert panel was assembled by Wines of Ukraine to find the best Ukrainian wines and champion them to the wider world.
An international team of six Masters of Wine gathered in Warsaw, Poland, to judge nearly 100 wines preselected for both quality and availability. The tasting was organised by Wines of Ukraine and Polish MW Wojciech Bońkowski, a firm supporter of the Ukrainian wine industry.
“I have been following the progress of Ukrainian winemaking with great interest for several years,” says Bońkowski, who recently explored the winemaking region of Zakarpattia, western Ukraine. “During my visit to Zakarpattia in April 2024, I was really struck by the relentless spirit and positive vision of the wine people I met. I considered it both a personal honour and a duty to contribute to their international success."
It is hoped that this ‘Top 24’ selection will set an international benchmark for the sector, boosting its image across the world.
“Ever since the war started, I’ve been thinking about how to support Ukraine and Ukrainian people,” says Heidi Mäkinen MW, a judge at the event and Star Wine List’s Finland Ambassador. “The most natural way for me was to do it through wine. I’ve hosted tastings and talks on Ukrainian wines before and so it was obvious to me that I would jump on the opportunity to join the panel to taste and choose the best wines of the country.”
Mäkinen, Bońkowski and their colleagues tasted 91 wines submitted by 27 wineries, spanning sparkling, white, red, rosé, orange and sweet styles.
“The diversity of wines showcased during the tasting was quite remarkable,” says Mäkinen, “proving Ukrainian wines have many stories to tell through different styles produced and grape varieties used.
“The standard was very good overall, clearly suggesting that the best wines of the country had been entered. I really liked how the wines showed clear varietal expressions without overt winemaking masking them. The structural balance, harmony and purity of many of the wines were impressive.”
The judges
The panel was comprised of six Masters of Wine, representing five countries:
- Sarah Abbott (Great Britain)
- Richard Bampfield (Great Britain)
- Wojciech Bonkowski (Poland)
- Heidi Mäkinen (Finland)
- Caro Maurer (Germany)
- Cees van Casteren (Netherlands)
The wines
These are the judges’ Top 24 Best Wines of Ukraine. Those marked with an asterisk were deemed especially worthy of note, making the ‘Super 12’ shortlist.
Sparkling
Grande Vallée White Brut 2023 (Charmat)*
Odesa region
(Chardonnay 40%, Riesling 30%, Pinot Blanc 30%)
Chateau Chizay Carpathian Sekt Rose Blaufränkisch Brut 2023
Zakarpattia
(Blaufränkisch 100%)
Grande Vallée White Brut 2020 (Traditional Method)
Odessa region
(Chardonnay 50%, Pinot Blanc 25%, Pinot Meunier 25%)
Kolonist Bisser Brut (Traditional Method)*
Odessa region
(Chardonnay 100%)
White
SHABO Chardonnay Reserve 2022
Odesa region
(Chardonnay 100%)
Beykush Winery Telti-Kuruk 2023*
Mykolaiv region
(Telti-Kuruk 100%)
Frumushika-Nova Muscat Ottonel Not Filtered 2022*
Odesa region
(Muscat Ottonel 100%)
Villa Tinta Sukholymansky Premium Collection 2022*
Odesa region
(Sukholymansky 100%)
Bolgrad Chardonnay Grand Reserve Collection 2022
Odesa region
(Chardonnay 100%)
Frumushika-Nova Suholimanske Not Filtered 2023
Odesa region
(Sukholymansky 100%)
SHABO Telti-Kuruk Grand Reserve 2022
Odesa region
(Telti-Kuruk 100%)
Orange
Beykush Winery Arbina 2021*
Mykolaiv region
(Rkatsiteli 100%)
Chateau Chizay Furmint Orange 2023
Zakarpattia
(Furmint 100%)
Rosé
Rose my Wine Eduard Gorodetsky 2023
Odesa region
(Pinot Noir 100%)
Red
Grande Vallée Saperavi Reserve 2022*
Odesa region
(Saperavi 100%)
SHABO Cabernet Merlot Grande Reserve 2022*
Odesa region
(Cabernet Sauvignon 70%, Merlot 30%)
Beykush Winery Loca Deserta 2020*
Mykolaiv region
(Merlot 29%, Saperavi 28%, Malbec 15%, Cabernet Sauvignon 14%, Tempranillo 14%)
46 Parallel Grand Admiral Сabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Saperavi 2018
Kherson region
(Cabernet Sauvignon 40%, Merlot 40%, Saperavi 20%)
GIGI winery Alibernet reserve 2022*
Odesa region
(Odesa Black 100%)
Villa Tinta Odesa Black Premium Collection 2020
Odesa region
(Odesa Black 100%)
Kolonist Cabernet Merlot Haute Gamme 2018
Odesa region
(Cabernet Sauvignon 50%, Merlot 50%)
Bolgrad Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Bolgrad 2021
Odesa region
(Cabernet Sauvignon 100%)
Beykush Beykush Red 2023
Mykolav region
(Pinotage 100%)
Sweet
Chateau Chizay Furmint Late Harvest 2022*
Zakarpattia
(Furmint 100%)
What next?
The top 24 wines from the tasting will go on sale in Silpo stores across Ukraine and represent the country in global export markets, via events, masterclasses and reviews. It is hoped that giving these wineries an international platform will encourage wine lovers the world over to give them a try and boost the profile of Ukrainian wines in general - with a rich winemaking history and a wealth of indigenous grape varieties, there is much for the rest of the world to discover.
This is certainly where Heidi Mäkinen sees Ukraine’s largest opportunity: “I always think that the indigenous varieties are the more interesting ones,” she says. “Of course, they might be harder to sell internationally, however I do think that for wine lovers, or those a bit more engaged in their wine selections, a unique story can be told by an indigenous variety. In that sense, if Ukrainian winemakers can really craft those indigenous, original varieties of the country into world class wines, then they have a unique selling point.”
There are already plans for another such event, with even more producers encouraged to apply. In the meantime, Wines of Ukraine and the jury members have been hugely positive about the wines tasted.
“I believe the Ukrainian wine industry has a bright future ahead,” says Mäkinen, “and now is the moment to raise awareness of the country’s long wine producing history, different regions, indigenous varieties, and producers’ ambitions.
“With increasing focus on vineyards, healthy soils, and authentic winemaking, I think Ukrainian wines can compete on a world-class level and tell their own story, without trying to mimic anyone else.”
Find out more via Wines of Ukraine.
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