Posted: 27.06.2022
Which Chateau Chizay wines do foreigners like the most? Let`s talk about our exports
In order to gain popularity in Ukraine, it is necessary to win recognition abroad. This often happens with leading domestic manufacturers. Chateau Chizay winery has a similar path. Being in fierce competition with imports in the native country, the Winery gains the love of wine connoisseurs abroad. To which countries do we supply wines? What Ukrainian wines do foreigners choose? How do we develop the export of the best Ukrainian wine by Chateau Chizay? Which countries do we dream of being represented? We tell about
Chateau Chizay is a company with a 25-year history. Since its foundation, the winery has been working not only on the domestic market of Ukraine, but also for export.
If in the beginning we started with the post-Soviet countries, today we have a portfolio that includes the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, Israel, Denmark, Poland, Hungary, Nigeria, Australia, Lithuania. We are negotiating with other countries of the European Union, Latin America and China.
In 2006, the winery planted vineyards in Transcarpathia, these are the best historical microterrains with a total area of 272 hectares. Having planted its own vineyards, the Company has chosen a strategy to create the highest quality wines.
Igor Radomyselskyi, vice-president of Chateau Chizay wine company, who also oversees exports, says:
“At some point, quantitative indicators of production have ceased to be a priority. Gradually, we switched to making wine only from our own grapes. And when you have a full cycle in viticulture and winemaking – you participate in the whole process from the vine to the bottle – this is a completely different story of quality development. In 2017, we released for the first time a line of premium quality dry wines aged in oak barrels, which also now belong to popular export positions.
In 2018, Chateau Chizay reaped the best harvest in its history, and this season’s wines “exploded”, conquering professionals and connoisseurs, and interest in our products has also grown abroad. At the same time, the Company underwent a rebranding, which confirmed the direction of producing high quality wines that have their own character and can represent Ukraine at a decent level on the wine map of the world.
Most often, our export partners choose dry wines of European classics – Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer. We also often send abroad our favorite and unique Chersegi and Rose Pinot Noir, which received the Wine & Spirits Ukraine award as the best rose wine made in Ukraine.”
Almost all shipments include “Rose of the Carpathians” (dessert wine made from Traminer Pink variety according to a 1959 recipe). In addition, Ice Wine, which is made from Rhine Riesling variety, is not enough to meet all the demand. There is a special demand for wines from the Fruit Collection – Pinot Grigio with lime and mint is gaining momentum abroad and is the fastest to sell. Cuvée also gained affection of the of foreigners (aged red dry wine made from three world types of grapes).
Chateau Chizay’s export history shows that a new stage has begun in the world: Ukraine`s wines are of great interest. If the first deliveries abroad began in the segment of “comfort food” to be sold in national stores of Ukrainian products for the diaspora, today our wines are mostly to be found in wine shops, boutiques and restaurants.
Igor observes: “Foreigners are generally fancy in discovering Ukraine as a large and promising country with a special history, including a centuries-old history of winemaking. And why not discover Ukraine also through wine?
There is a great interest in kosher wine, because wines of this line and this level in our price category is scarce in the world. Last year, the entire line of kosher wines was certified in the UK by the Vegan Society and received the status of Vegan-friendly wines, and, by the way, these are the first vegan wines in Ukraine, which we are proud of.
Cooperation with Japan is worth talking about separately. It is a developed country where the cult of quality prevails, and the Japanese like to taste something new and interesting. Even the preparation for the trial batch of wine was very interesting: the Japanese partners asked for much more information than anyone before, including materials on soils, methods of pruning vines, microclimate, etc. They pay attention to all the details, and it is clear that they are looking for the most interesting strong and honest partners.
We have done a lot of work with the documentation to start the partnership with Japan, and we can be proud that we have already made several deliveries and are expanding our cooperation. Recently, Mr. Yuki Ishii, owner and managing director of the company, which, it should be noted, supplies wines to Japan only from Ukraine, visited Transcarpathia with his team, and the guests were delighted with our nature, and especially loved Transcarpathian cuisine. By the way, the hospitality of Chateau Chizay, the charm of our region is also an advantage in export work – partners like to come to us, especially given the proximity to borders, and during the visit fall in love with Transcarpathia.
We hope the story will continue. We are working to ensure that Chateau Chizay wines represent Transcarpathian and Ukrainian winemaking in more and more interesting countries around the world.”
