Posted: 18.06.2024
Ukrainian Wines in London! Chateau Chizay presented Zakarpattia wines at the professional exhibition London Wine Fair
Together with colleagues—Ukrainian winemakers and enthusiasts of the development of Ukrainian winemaking within the framework of the Wines of Ukraine initiative—we are working for a common cause. From May 20-22, at the Olympia London exhibition center, we introduced the best Ukrainian wines to industry professionals: importers, retailers, experts, sommeliers, journalists…
London Wine Fair is the largest thematic event in the UK and one of the significant wine exhibitions in the world.
We welcomed visitors, communicated with them, and introduced them to wines from Zakarpattia, our classics, and, of course, the newest additions, including the latest releases of Zakarpattia Brandy’s. Guests particularly noted the following items from our assortment:
Carpathian Sekt Blaufrankisch – a rosé sparkling brut with a delicate berry and floral bouquet, very suitable for spring and summer. Notably, this wine was highlighted by the host of the Ukrainian wine tasting, British Master of Wine Richard Bampfield.
Our “star” Late Harvest also drew interest – a sweet wine of a special type made from botrytized Furmint grapes.
Oleksandra Polishchuk, Vice President of Development at the company, shares:
“Another wine that garnered special attention from visitors was the dry orange Furmint Orange. This wine, which the team had dreamed of creating for several years, finally came to fruition last year and was a success – the amber wine from Chateau Chizay found its admirers and received great reviews. It is especially gratifying that this is the first orange wine made from the Furmint variety in Ukraine.
What did people note? The wine was appreciated for its bright aroma, balanced taste, and lightness, which is atypical for the traditional concept of Orange wines. It is ideal as an alternative option for orange wine enthusiasts and also for those who are just beginning to explore trendy Orange wines, thanks to its lightness and the absence of strong tannins. As our guests said, it is an ‘easy drinking orange wine.’
The Brandy’s of Ukraine from Chateau Chizay also generated great interest. This is the newest product in the assortment: Zakarpattia Brandy with 5 stars and Zakarpattia Brandy ‘Mala Hora’ with 7 stars, which includes even 17-year-old spirits in the blend.
A significant event at the exhibition was the lecture and tasting of wines from wineries that are environmentally conscious. It was organized by the international initiative Porto Protocol, which brings together wine companies with such a vision. We are proud to have been part of this organization since 2020 and are sincerely grateful that our wine was chosen for this prestigious event.
Hugo Gutman, the founder of Chateau Chizay, notes that participating in international wine industry events is very important for the company.
‘We aim to develop in line with global trends. In fact, we are doing this. Therefore, it is essential to stay up-to-date. Participating in these events is both a self-check, as we receive feedback from top specialists, and a learning and inspiration opportunity.
Furthermore, every time it is a platform where we can present Ukraine. Not only as a country going through extraordinarily challenging times but also as a nation that is resilient, that, despite everything, lives, develops, creates world-class products, and represents them with dignity.
On behalf of Chateau Chizay, I thank the energetic and dedicated team of Wines of Ukraine, London Wine Fair, and everyone who supports the participation of Ukrainian producers in this forum! To everyone who supports Ukraine!’ – says Hugo Gutman.
* The participation of Wines of Ukraine in the London Wine Fair was supported by the international cooperation program ReACT4UA (Application and Implementation of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine in Trade), funded by the German government. The strategic implementer of the program is the German federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The program aims to support the economic stability, recovery, and growth of Ukraine, creating better conditions for the development of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially considering the accession to the EU.
