Увага! На сайті використовуються cookie файли.
The site uses cookie files
Даний сайт має вікове обмеження.
This site has age restrictions!
Я підтверджую, що мені, на жаль, давно виповнилося 18 років
On April 23, Kyiv hosted the awards ceremony for the Ukraine Wine&Spirits Awards 2025. This year’s competition showcased 216 wines and spirits from every corner of Ukraine — from the Carpathian foothills to the southern coastline, featuring everything from boutique producers to established brands. A few international entries also joined the lineup, adding extra flavor to the competition.
“It’s incredibly encouraging to see not only well-known, award-winning wineries competing, but also many ‘new names’ stepping into the spotlight and taking home medals. For many of them, this is an outstanding debut!” shared Viсtoria Agromakova, founder of Wine&Spirits Awards and WS Events.
The competition was judged by five expert panels made up of top Ukrainian specialists — including members of the Ukrainian Sommelier Association, leading retail buyers, specialized journalists, and industry critics. All samples were evaluated through blind tastings, following the standards set by the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine).
“I am incredibly proud of all the participants who continue to impress tasting panels not only here but also at numerous international competitions, bringing home medals and prestigious awards. My deepest gratitude goes to all the jury members for their efficiency, fairness, and outstanding professionalism,” Viсtoria Agromakova added.
Competition Results: A Stunning 200 Medals Awarded!
The 2025 Ukraine Wine&Spirits Awards concluded with impressive results: 200 samples earned medals this year.
Among them, five Platinum Medals were awarded exclusively to outstanding spirits:
The remaining medals were distributed as follows:
Ivan Bachurin, President of the Ukrainian Sommelier Association and Ukraine’s Best Sommelier of 2009, called the spirits results unprecedented: “In the grape-based category, the Platinum Medal went to a 35-year-old brandy by Eduard Gorodetsky — a complex, mature spirit, rich with evolved tertiary notes. The judges immediately recognized it as an exceptional and aged creation. Truly, a Top performer!
The other four Platinum Medals were claimed by single-barrel whiskeys crafted by Oleg Yankovyi. Aged between 5.5 and 7 years, each whiskey matured in superb first-fill casks previously used for Muscat, Port, and Marsala wines, with cask strength ranging from 47% to 49%. The Muscatel Cask whiskey achieved the highest score ever recorded in the history of the Wine&Spirits Awards (now in its 8th edition) — an outstanding 95.4 points! Overall, the entire tasting panel thoroughly enjoyed the blind judging experience. My compliments to Ukraine’s craft distillers!”
The title of Best Wine of the Competition went to Grande Vallee Brut 2018 — a white sparkling wine aged 60 months on lees, earning a score of 91.29 points. “This sparkling wine holds a special meaning for us — it even has its own slogan: Five Years of Waiting for the Perfect Moment,” shared Ksenia Filtseva, Brand Manager of Grande Vallee. “Two years ago, there was already high demand for this unique Brut, and we did sell part of it after 42 months of aging. However, the company owner decided to hold back the remaining release for extended ageing — a decision that truly paid off. This wine didn’t just wait — it matured in silence, gaining depth and complexity over time. Today, we proudly present the Brut 2018 as a new release with a full 60 months of aging. It made its debut at ProWein, where it received high praise from numerous international experts.”
Marina Revkova, Ukraine’s Best Sommelier 2021, holder of the ASI Diploma, and a student at the prestigious Weinakademie Österreich, has extensive judging experience at tasting competitions both in Ukraine and abroad. “It was the first time that out of 43 samples on our panel, not a single one was disqualified due to a serious fault!” Marina commented. “In my view, that’s already an excellent result. Of course, there were wines that required more attention from the winemakers — for example, better hygiene practices at the winery or stricter temperature control — but even these are improving year by year.”
Marina also shared important advice for winemakers submitting their wines to competitions: “First: taste as many European wines from different regions as you can — not to copy them, but to better understand what inspires you, and what unique Ukrainian style you want to create. Second: don’t let the rank of the medal (if it’s not what you hoped for) discourage you. Remember that 90+ point scores are most often awarded to French and Italian winemakers who are several generations into their craft. Here in Ukraine, we face war, a lack of information in our native language, and a slow path toward a clear legislative framework. What the French and Italians proudly boast about today, will be the heritage of our grandchildren and great-grandchildren — if Ukrainian winemakers don’t give up and keep moving forward.”
Olha Todoriuk, Editor-in-Chief of Drinks magazine, was also impressed by the quality of the wines presented to her tasting panel: “The star of our panel was the Citronnyi Magaracha from SlipenKo, which scored 90.50 points — a vivid, fresh, and beautifully balanced white wine, a true example of how to work with indigenous grape varieties. Among fortified wines, the undisputed leader was the Ruby Port from Sun Wine Ukraine, with a score of 88.86 — a deep, rich, and very harmonious wine that made a strong positive impression on the jury. Among the top reds, I would like to highlight the Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve from Chateau Pinot, and Bukkerò from Vino Demidi — both showed impressive depth and structure.”
Across all entries, white wines dominated both in number and in results: the majority of the top 10 highest-scoring wines were whites. “This trend shows that Ukrainian winemakers are becoming increasingly skilled at working with light, fresh, aromatic varieties and adapting them beautifully to the local terroir,” says Olha Todoriuk.
Olha also noted an impressive rise in the quality of sparkling wines from Ukrainian producers, reflecting a broader global trend: “The level, diversity, and character of the sparkling wines were outstanding. One of the highlights on our panel was my Wine Sparkling Rosé Brut from EGO by Eduard Gorodetsky — an elegant rosé with fine mousse, vibrant berry aromas, and refreshing acidity — a true discovery! Another standout was Odessa Prestige Brut Rosé from French Boulevard (84.43 points), with its delicate texture and lovely fruity profile. Among the whites, Brut White from Leleka Wines (also 84.43 points) impressed with its stylish, harmonious profile — a modern Ukrainian sparkling at its best.”
Natalia Blagopoluchna, President of the All-Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers and founder of Ukraine’s first Sommelier School “Master-Class”, has been a judge at the Wine&Spirits Awards since the very first competition. “Over the years, the organization of the competition has improved significantly — and so has the overall quality of Ukrainian wines,” she notes. “In terms of trends, I would highlight the wines that I scored at gold or even platinum level. One of my favorites was Citronny Magaracha by SlipenKo — one of the finest whites in the competition. Another wine that impressed me was Mushlya, a dry white from Bakota Bay Winery, which earned 89 points. I also want to mention the Johanniter from Fathers Wine and the Sauvignon Blanc from CHARA & GARRA. Among the sparklings, my top picks were the Brut by Leleka Wines (89 points) and the Rosé Brut from Eduard Gorodetsky.”
As for the reds, I immediately recognized the wine from Demidi, made from the Krasen variety. Using the appassimento technique, they created a wine in an Amarone style — a rare and sophisticated approach for Ukraine. It was, in my view, the best dry red of the competition, with outstanding quality. I would also like to highlight the Cabernet Merlot and Merlot 2023 by Valerii Narovylo, both gold medalists, and the red dry wines from Chateau Pinot — the Saperavi Reserve and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Overall, the competition is evolving in a fascinating way, and with each year, Ukrainian winemakers continue to achieve impressive results.New styles are emerging, and wines are reaching new heights of quality. Anyone who doubts the potential of Ukrainian wine is mistaken. Competitions like this help identify the best and provide winemakers with crucial insights for the future. Thank you!”
For a full breakdown of the Wine&Spirits Awards 2025 results, visit W&S Awards Results Page.
A heartfelt congratulations to all the winners — and to every participant. You are incredible!
⇒ Join our social networks ⇒ Optimistic D+ editors will take this as a compliment.
⇒ Every like is taken as a toast!
