Work trip to Bessarabia with the European project Geographical Indications in Ukraine: Shabo winery

The Ukrainian “Wine and Taste Road” united the most interesting places for wine and gastronomic tourism in the Danube Bessarabia. Among them – wineries, cheesemakers, productions of meat delicacies, as well as natural and historical locations in the region. The route starts in Odessa and runs through the whole of Bessarabia. “Road” is a product of the project “Support for the Development of the Geographic Designation System in Ukraine”. The initiator of the project is the European Union, the goal is the development of gastronomic and agronomic tourism.

10 years ago, the SHABO company opened the first wine culture centre in Ukraine. It is located directly on the site of the SHABO winery, in one of the oldest wine-growing regions in Europe, the wine traditions of which were laid back in ancient times. This is the only cultural centre in Ukraine that unites an operating high-tech enterprise, ancient wine cellars, a tasting room, expositions of modern sculptural and architectural art, as well as a unique museum of wine and winemaking. The owner of the company, Vazha Iukuridze, was born in Georgia, in a country with centuries-old national winemaking traditions. It is quite natural that he chose his mission to promote the awareness that wine is not only a noble drink, but also a part of the cultural heritage of the people. Telti Kuruk is one of the few autochthonous grape varieties that grows on the territory of Ukraine and is the highlight of the SHABO collection. It has been grown here on sandy terroirs for over 500 years. The preservation and development of unique vineyards is the company’s social mission.