Drinks+ & Wine Travel Awards are collaborating with the world’s #1 wine and spirits trade fair, ProWein, which opens its doors again in Düsseldorf on March 19-21, 2023. 

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This year, not only are we going to present the WTA nominees in a special edition of the  Wine Travel Awards Guide (printed and digital), which will be distributed in the ProWein exhibition hall and on the digital platform of Messe Düsseldorf, but also invite guests of the exhibition to taste the wines produced by several Ukrainian wineries. We have selected the best of the best — Family Winery SHABO, Beykush Winery, 46 Parallel Wine Group, Stakhovsky Wines, Villa Tinta, Big Wines (Ukrainian branch of Vinos de La Luz).

Among the samples presented there will be two wines made from the Odesa Black grape variety. Today, this local variety has excellent development prospects and claims to be the hallmark of Ukraine. Visitors to ProWein 2023 will have a unique opportunity to taste Odesa Black produced by two Ukrainian wineries, Big Wines and Villa Tinta. Each of them reveals the special features of this variety, which many world professionals have heard about but have not yet tasted.

Wines from the rare Telti-Kuruk, a Ukrainian indigenous variety grown in southern Ukraine, which survived during the phylloxera epidemic that destroyed most of Europe’s vineyards, as well as the harsh times of the USSR’s “dry law”, will be presented by two wineries. One of them is Beykush, a relatively young winery that has already received many awards (including gold from Decanter). The second one is the true flagship of Ukrainian winemaking, the family-owned SHABO Winery, which has received more than 500 awards from international competitions (Decanter Wine Awards, Mundus Vini, IWC, etc.). SHABO owns the largest vineyards of indigenous Telti-Kuruk with a total area of more than 40 hectares located in Odesa region. It was from the Telti-Kuruk grape variety that SHABO created the first Ukrainian wine of Controlled Appellation of Origin (analogue to the French Appellation d’Origine Controllee).

Another participant of the tasting, 46 Parallel Wine Group, has collected 78 medals from international and Ukrainian competitions in just 3 years’ time since the company’s launch. Its wines have been included in the top 27 best wines in the world (Canada), and received gold and silver awards in the USA, Germany, and the UK. In August 2021, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence, 46 Parallel Wine Group presented a special release of its premium wine – Grand Admiral Proudly Ukrainian Vintage 2018. This is the wine we are proud to offer to the guests of ProWein 2023.

And finally, there is a wine from Serhiy Stakhovsky, an internationally famous tennis player who made his debut as a winemaker just in 2015. The champion’s wines are no less perfect than his tennis. This year, Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 by Stakhovsky Wines represents Ukraine at the La Cité du Vin wine museum in Bordeaux. At the ProWein tasting, Stakhovsky Wines will present Merlot “ACE” 2019.

We invite you to join the tasting of WTA nominees from Ukraine – SHABO Family Winery, Beykush Winery, 46 Parallel Wine Group, Stakhovsky Wines, Villa Tinta, Big Wines (Ukrainian branch of Vinos de La Luz) —  at ProWein. We are very happy to present the heroic Ukrainian winemakers who, even in the times of the war, under the attacks of enemy missiles, have faith in Ukraine’s Victory, and continue to do their job with inspiration and create outstanding wines!  

The tasting will take place on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 – 16.00 / Hall 13 (Forum 13.2).

The wines that will be presented in the tasting:

Beykush Telti-Kuruk 2021

White dry unaged wine.

Producer: Beykush Winery

Grape variety: Telti-Kuruk

Alcohol content: 13,5%

Maceration in stainless steel tanks at 7°C, further fermentation in steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 17°C.

Colour: deep straw yellow. 

Nose: tangible floral and fruity notes – white acacia and ripe quince, exquisite tones of the South African feijoa fruit.

Palate: round, rich, with minerality and fresh aftertaste characteristic of the grapes grown in the Black Sea terroir. It has an elegant body, clean and tasty, with good aromatic content, smooth, lengthy and pleasant finish. 

Overall impression: a rich and soft white wine with well-balanced notes of freshness and fruitiness and perfectly expressed varietal characteristics.

Gastronomic pairings: goes well with fish appetisers, seafood risotto, white meat dishes, poultry.

SHABO Grand Reserve Telti-Kuruk 2021

White dry aged wine.

Producer: SHABO Family Winery

Grape variety: Telti-Kuruk 

Alcohol content: 12,0 %

Fermentation in oak barriques with temperature control. Ageing on the lees in oak barriques for 10 months. International experts from SARL Derenoncourt (Bordeaux) perform quality control at all stages of production of SHABO Grande Reserve wines. The potential for ageing in a bottle is 5-7 years.

Colour: bright, pale straw.

Nose: fresh and mineral, with light floral tones of white acacia and notes of white fruits. Quince and elegant tones of ageing.

Palate: fresh, mineral. Ageing has given this wine a distinct body. The finish is lengthy and memorable, with light mineral notes.

Overall impression: an elegant, well-balanced, harmonious wine with excellent ageing potential and a vivid demonstration of unique varietal and terroir characteristics.

Gastronomic pairings: SHABO Telti-Kuruk Grande Reserve goes well with various foods, and this fact has been repeatedly confirmed by Ukrainian and foreign chefs, including several Michelin chefs. Baked snails, risotto and cream-based pastas, as well as seafood dishes and soft white cheeses will be the best matches for this wine.

BIG WINES BIG ART limited edition. Ivan Marchuk 2020

Red dry aged wine.

Producer: Big Wines (Ukraine) for VINOS DE LA LUZ

Grape variety: Odesa Black

Alcohol content: 14%.

The label is illustrated with the painting of the famous Ukrainian artist Ivan Marchuk. 

Aged in oak for 12 months.

Colour: deep ruby.

Nose: notes of blackberries, black mulberries, white and black pepper, chocolate-covered plums, violets. 

Palate: rich, moderate acidity, moderate soft tannins, lasting finish. 

Overall impression: balanced, harmonious wine. Excellent work of the winemaker with this complex variety.

Gastronomic pairings: goes best with meat: baked or fried red meat dishes, duck confit, game and grilled veal.

Villa Tinta Odesa Black VIP 2019 

Red dry aged wine.

Producer: Villa Tinta / Winehall Oksamytne

Grape variety: Odesa Black

Alcohol content: 12.9%.

Aged in oak (new French barrels) for 6 to 12 months.

Colour: dark, intense ruby.

Nose: rich, spicy, with tones of mulberry, ripe dark berries, dried fruits and smoky notes.

Palate: deep, lively tannins, vivid acidity, pleasant and lasting fruity and creamy finish.

Overall impression: a bright wine with terroir character and elegant notes of ageing.

Food pairings: grilled veal, game, meat roast with vegetables and spicy herbs.

Grand Admiral Proudly Ukrainian 2018

Vintage dry red wine

Producer: 46 Parallel Wine Group

Grape varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

Alcohol: 13,9 %

The special release of the company’s premium wine, presented in August 2021 on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence, a limited edition of 530 bottles only. Aged for 24 months in French oak barriques by Seguin Moreau “medium” and “medium+” roasting, followed by ageing in bottle. 

Colour: deep ruby

Nose: an unsurpassed bouquet with notes of cherries, plums, black berries, chocolate and wood.

Palate: a full-bodied wine with silky tannins, complex structure and a long aftertaste with hints of berries and vanilla.

Overall impression: refined, elegant, complex wine. Ready for consumption, but has the ageing potential of 5-7 years. 

Gastronomic pairings: ideal with meat, pasta, complex salads, and a variety of cheeses.

Stakhovsky Wines Merlot “ACE” 2019 

Red dry aged varietal wine.

Producer: Stakhovsky Wines

Grape variety: Merlot

Alcohol content: 13,8%

Limited edition. Aged for 16 months in French oak. Potential for ageing in the bottle 6+ years.

Colour: ruby-purple.

Nose: tones of chocolate, blackberry, fig and crushed poppy seeds with light notes of vanilla.

Palate: full-bodied, rich, well-rounded tannins, balanced acidity, lengthy and pleasant finish.

Overall impression: an elegant, harmonious wine with the best varietal and terroir characteristics and excellent potential for complex development in the bottle.

Gastronomic pairings: duck or goose dishes, various pates, meat stews and cured meats.

• 46 Parallel Wine Group
• Beykush Winery
• Family Winery SHABO
• ProWein
• Stakhovsky Wines
• Villa Tinta
• Vinos de La Luz