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Spring is the time when the vines awaken — and with them, the season of fresh releases, tasting competitions, and major international exhibitions kicks off. Over the past few years, Ukrainian winemakers have become increasingly active participants in these global events — and they’re making waves. One particularly encouraging development is the unification of domestic producers under the Wines of Ukraine brand. Thanks to their joint efforts and the support of the Wines of Ukraine team, Ukrainian wines are carving out a place on the world stage.
Among the most significant events in the global wine and spirits industry remains ProWein in Düsseldorf. This is where the crème de la crème of the international wine community gathers — buyers, major retail reps, sommeliers, experts, journalists, and influencers. Despite fierce competition and a crowded field, being at ProWein means being on the global wine map.
For the third year in a row, Wines of Ukraine joined ProWein with a national stand. This year, it featured 12 producers of wine and spirits from various regions across the country. Among them were Villa Tinta and Kolonist from the Danubian Bessarabia region; Chateau Pinot, 46 Parallel Wine Group, and Bolgrad from Odesa; Beykush Winery from Mykolaiv; Chateau Chizay from Zakarpattia; and from the Kyiv region — Big Wines, Biologist, and the craft spirits maker Honey Badger. Special mention goes to Artwinery, Ukraine’s most renowned producer of traditional method sparkling wines. The story of this company has become something of a legend: their plant in Bakhmut was destroyed by Russian shelling. But not only did they manage to evacuate a significant part of their irreplaceable collection from the labyrinthine cellars before the city was seized — like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Artwinery has since resumed production of its most beloved cuvées, relocating to Odesa region.
For Chateau Chizay of Zakarpattia, this wasn’t their first ProWein. Oleksandra Polishchuk, the company’s VP of development, shared her insights: “We had our own booth at ProWein in 2017 and 2018, but for the last three years we’ve joined the collective Ukrainian stand. And honestly, that was a perfect decision — it’s proven to be a powerful way to promote each producer individually while also strengthening the Wines of Ukraine brand as a whole. It allows us to team up on exports, present a diverse and engaging portfolio, and negotiate consolidated shipments with importers.”
According to Oleksandra, this year’s ProWein felt different from previous editions: “Compared to last year’s 30th anniversary edition, this one was more low-key. There were fewer visitors overall — but the quality of business interactions was much higher. We’re hopeful for new contracts and are already in negotiations with potential buyers.”
Artem Skubenko, co-owner of Honey Badger, sees participation in events of this scale as non-negotiable: “If you want to succeed in export, you have to show up at least at one major international exhibition. It’s a way to maintain connections with current and potential partners, to stay on their radar, and most importantly — to meet new, interesting clients. ProWein is the most recognized international (not just regional) event. That’s why it’s crucial to be there. Plus, it’s not just about wine — there’s a huge variety of alcoholic products on display and a lot of fresh, exciting ideas. Our portfolio — traditional Ukrainian bitters and liqueurs, along with a brand-new line of Ukrainian gins — is truly unique and catches the eye of international buyers. We’ve made at least a dozen promising contacts, and we’re optimistic about turning those into real partnerships.”
Svitlana Tsybak, CEO of Beykush Winery, Chair of the Association of Craft Winemakers of Ukraine and a Wines of Ukraine ambassador, also emphasized how productive this year’s ProWein was: “Because the crowd was smaller, we had more quality time with buyers. And the geographical spread of interest in Ukrainian wines has grown — for instance, we met with importers from Malaysia and Japan who weren’t just curious to taste something ‘exotic,’ but were actively scouting for new wines to add to their portfolio.
Overall, we were really impressed with the quality of the audience and the level of engagement. For us, ProWein is a genuine launchpad for business growth.”
Should winemakers prepare for an event of this scale?
“Homework is a must — it directly impacts how successful the exhibition is,” shares Svitlana Tsybak. “Ahead of the show, I go through our existing contact base and send out personal invitations to visit our stand. I also expand that list through networking and personal connections. As for the matchmaking tools offered by ProWein — they’re not quite effective in attracting buyers yet, but hopefully, they’ll be improved in the future.”
Drawing on her own experience as an importer, Svitlana also points out that for buyers, intuition plays a big role — along with the winemaker’s ability to spark interest. “Sometimes all it takes is a welcoming smile. You have to be open, make people want to stop by and taste. From there, it’s all about the quality of your wines.”
How did visitors at ProWein react to Ukrainian wines — especially those made from indigenous or lesser-known grape varieties?
“There was both curiosity and surprise,” says Oleksandra Polishchuk of Chateau Chizay. “For instance, many had never heard of the Chersegi grape variety. We produce sparkling wines from it — both Charmat-style and traditional method — as well as still wine. But the real star of the stand this year was Furmint, which we showcased in four styles: our barrel-aged Furmint, produced by the method of stabulation (not yet on the market), an Orange Furmint, and our award-winning Furmint Late Harvest. Visitors were genuinely intrigued to see how this iconic Hungarian variety performs on Ukrainian soil — and we were thrilled with the positive feedback.”
Nadiia Krasilenko, Marketing Director at Bolgrad Winery, noted that visitors were especially impressed by their Chardonnay Grand Reserve, the red Odesa Black, and Odesa White — a blend of Sukholymansky and Chardonnay.
“What stood out to us,” Nadiia shared, “was the strong interest from importers in Germany, Canada, and Turkey. We also received great feedback on our label design, which we specifically adapted for export markets.”
Kostiantyn Tintulov, co-owner of Villa Tinta — one of the most award-winning producers of wines from the Odesa Black grape — confirmed the growing appeal of local varieties.
“International experts responded very positively to our Odesa Black and Sukholymansky, local white. Recognition of these grapes has noticeably increased compared to last year,” he said.
But wines made from European varieties — like Gewürztraminer, Riesling, and Chardonnay — also attracted serious attention. “Tasters were comparing our wines to their European counterparts, noting both the quality and unique character. Some were even a little surprised — in a good way!” he added with a smile.
Among this year’s trends, Tintulov pointed out the rising interest in Ukrainian bulk wines from buyers in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Greece. “They demonstrated strong attention to this issue, especially since 2024 yielded a lower harvest, and Spanish bulk prices have gone up.”
During the exhibition, several international visitors to the Wines of Ukraine stand also shared their thoughts with me on Ukrainian wines.
Chan Jun Park, Asia Director of the OIV wine competition Asia Wine Trophy, Vice-President of Korea International Sommelier Association, Founder and Director of Institute for Wines from Eastern Europe, and the WTA public voting winner, has already tasted a few Ukrainian wines and plans to deepen this acquaintance in the future:
“My first Ukrainian wine experience was a sparkling wine produced by SHABO. It was presented in early March 2024 in Berlin by Kateryna Yushchenko, a wine expert and founder of the Wine & Spirits School in Kyiv. The sparkling wine was made from international grape varieties using the traditional method. I was truly surprised by its high quality.
My second encounter with Ukrainian wines was tasting sparkling wines by Artwinery at the Ukrainian booth at ProWein 2025. I tried four sparkling wines — one produced by the Charmat method and the others by the traditional method — all made from international grapes. The traditional-method sparklings showcased refined, well-balanced flavors with mineral notes. I really enjoyed them.
In my opinion, the price-quality ratio is very good. These wines definitely have strong potential for the Asian markets. However, as more and more winemakers in Eastern European countries are producing high-quality sparkling wines, competition will be intense.”
Shahzad Talukder, Vice-President for the Association of Sommeliers of Germany, who visited the Wines of Ukraine’s booth at ProWein, says it wasn’t his first acquaintance with Ukrainian wines — but the first time he’s tasted so many of them: “I was deeply impressed by the range of wines and their high quality. Of course we know Ukraine is a big country, but your wines are not presented so widely in Germany, so very little we know about. I was very impressed to find out that Beykush Winery is making Timorasso. This grape variety is quite rare even in Italy, where it originates from. I find both experimenting with unique grapes from all over the world, as well as promoting local grapes, fascinating. I think it demonstrates that Ukrainian winemakers have a deep understanding of wine technology and a vision of a diverse future for wines from Ukraine.”
Shahzad tasted several samples made from indigenous and local varieties, and he believes these wines have a chance to win the German market — despite a very strong competition from local and foreign producers: “Telti Kuruk is a Ukrainian grape variety which probably has the best chances to settle on the market. The name of the grape is relatively easy to pronounce for central-europeans, and the flavour profile is close to that of Pinot Gris and Trebbiano, a little more complex. I am sure it has a chance to find its consumers”.
Shahzad believes that now is the best time to promote Ukrainian wines in the west: “There is a strong sense of solidarity with Ukraine because of the war, so people are open to Ukrainian products. You can combine the presentation of local Ukrainian grape varieties with more familiar ones, such as Syrah, Cabernet, or Furmint. Including well-known international varieties, especially in sparkling wines (the German market loves bubbles), can help introduce Ukraine as a wine-producing country and open the conversation about your native grapes.”
The war in Ukraine continues to shape how both Ukrainians and Ukrainian products are perceived abroad. It’s a powerful emotional factor — one that draws attention, stirs compassion, and inspires a genuine desire to support. The very fact that grapes are still being grown and wine is still being made in Ukraine — today, just as it was three years ago — still sparks admiration. But among industry experts from the UK, Sweden, Poland, Germany, the US, and beyond, that surprise has faded. What remains is respect. It’s safe to say now: Ukraine has claimed its place on the world wine map.
Have Ukrainian winemakers managed to turn the early wave of attention and solidarity — sparked, tragically, by war and the country’s brave fight for independence — into something lasting? Absolutely. The geography of Ukraine’s wine exports has grown significantly in the last three years. Today, Ukrainian wines are sold in the UK, the US, Sweden, Estonia, Poland, the Netherlands, across the EU, and in several Asian markets.
Recently, Ukraine secured a new foothold in Germany, and, as the cherry on top, the importer is a company founded by Ukrainians. Ruslan Khan, co-owner of Munich-based BlackSeaWine, currently collaborates with wineries like Beykush, Villa Tinta, Kolonist, Frumushika Nova, and Stakhovsky Wines — and he’s not stopping there. “To many in Germany, Ukrainian wine is still a dark horse, and that’s exactly what makes it exciting,” he says. “We decided not to wait and became the first to import Ukrainian wine into Germany, because we see a fast-evolving industry that deserves its own niche here.”
Despite the large Ukrainian community in Germany, Ruslan says it’s the German consumers — known for being patriotic and price-conscious — who are actually buying most of the Ukrainian wine. “Even though Ukrainian wines aren’t cheap,” he notes, “it’s the Germans who are buying them, both in our shop and in the restaurants that now include them on their wine lists.”
So, what do German wine lovers reach for? “It’s definitely the whites,” says Ruslan. “Chardonnay from Stakhovsky and Kolonist, Albariño from Beykush, Irsai Olivér from Villa Tinta — these are all hits. And there’s also growing interest in white wines from local grapes like Citron of Magarach and Sukholymansky from Frumushika Nova and Villa Tinta. As for reds, Odesa Black is the clear favorite. We carry outstanding expressions of this powerful variety from both Kolonist and Villa Tinta.”
So, what’s the takeaway?
We’re gaining hard-earned experience, expanding our reach, learning how to work with our native and lesser-known varieties — and falling in love with them ourselves. More importantly, we’re getting the world to fall in love with them too.
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