Sevastopol champagne: review, description, reviews

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

When a solemn event is ahead, how can you do without sparkling accompaniment? Everyone has long known that the most festive drink is champagne. Not a single happy event can do without it. The main thing is to find your fizzy drink among the provided selection. The wineries of the hero-city of Sevastopol are recognized as the best of the best and time-tested producers.

History of the winery

Today, there is a rich assortment on the champagne market. And it is worth giving preference to proven wineries. If we talk about reliable producers of the drink, then one of the best can be called the Sevastopol winery, whose history began back in 1936, when Stalin signed a decree on the development of champagne production and viticulture in Massandra.

The construction of the plant began in all the quarries of Sevastopol, and already in 1938 the first bottles of champagne were laid, and in 1940 the production of bottles reached the jubilee 500,000, while 2 million consumer containers were stored at the same time.

The Sevastopol plant also participated in the Second World War: the plant's mine workings were used as a shelter for those who were wounded and not only, and the drink was delivered to the heroic defenders to support the fighting forces. The soldiers quenched their thirst and disinfected the wounds, and the containers were used for the famous "Molotov cocktail". Unfortunately, during the defense of Sevastopol, all underground workshops were damaged - they were blown up.

Only in 1961 were they able to recreate new underground adits for the plant, at the same time they resumed production of the most upscale, brave sparkling drink of the Crimean peninsula.

It is worth noting that throughout its history, Sevastopol champagne has never been mass-produced. Here, the refined technology and exquisite taste of the drink played a role, which allowed it to become a favorite in the elite circles of the government and parties of the Soviet Union.

Crimean champagne production

Speaking of champagne, it is worth noting the production technology. Despite the fact that the discovery of a fizzy drink goes back to France in the 17th century, where the monk Perignon discovered the famous method of preparation, the roots of Russian champagne go back to the Crimea. In 1799, the first bottles of Russian fizzy drink were poured on the estate of Academician Pallas.

Champagne production is a very painstaking and complex process. Sparkling wine requires very careful preparation from several stages.

The pre-stage basis is the harvest. Everything depends on it: the better the raw material, thea brighter and richer taste will be obtained in the final product. Of course, the Crimeans can boast of their natural conditions and therefore prefer to grow their own grapes for the production of their champagne. The climate allows them to harvest the best crops, which go to both automated and elite, manual production.

So, the first stage is assemblage. It consists in the selection, sorting and combination of grape varieties similar to each other. Here, at the same time, the very first purification of wine takes place. The assemblage is made in bottles of different capacities, into which the drink is poured using rubber sleeves and pumps.

Next comes the stage called "blend" - different varieties of wine are mixed: Pedro, Aligote and others. After a short period of time, the second gluing of the wine with sturgeon fish glue is carried out. This is necessary in order to achieve a clarification of the drink.

And after the last stage takes place - circulation - direct bottling of wine.

Before bottling the wine, a certain amount of yeast and liqueur is poured. After that, the bottles are mechanically corked with a cork and tightened from above with a strong bracket. Then all finished bottles are stacked in a horizontal position for a period of fermentation, which lasts one and a half to two months. Thanks to this process, carbon dioxide and alcohol are formed, which give a sparkling game to the future champagne. During the entire fermentation period, the bottles are shifted, shaking the sediment, and as a result, they are placed for aging.

And only in the third year of aging (usually lasts from 2 to 5 years) they carry out remuage - gradually turn each bottle upside down in an inclined position on special music stands. In this position, the bottles periodically rotate. This must be done in order for the sediment to drop onto the cork from the walls of the container, while the movement must necessarily be helical.

The last process is disgorging - dropping sediment. To do this, the bottle in a vertical position is sent to freeze the neck in s alt water with a temperature of about -18 degrees. After freezing, when uncorking the container, an ice plug flies out at a speed along with sediment. After the procedure, a liqueur-dosing machine awaits the bottle, where the fate of champagne will be finally decided: brut, dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet. And then they cork the bottle with a new cork, twisting it tightly with wire.

Of course, this is how the main process of making champagne goes, and we will never know the individual subtleties that each manufacturer has inherited in strict confidence. And this is even better, as these hidden nuances give each champagne a unique taste.

Types of Sevastopol sparkling wine

Champagne is produced in two colors: white and pink. When making a pink drink, red grapes are used: Pinot Moire or Pinot Meunier. Chardonnay grapes are used for white champagne. Of course, these three varieties are the basis for production. There are many more varieties of grapes, thanks to themmake a unique blend.

For over 70 years, the Sevastopol Champagne Factory has been the undisputed leader in sales. Today, the winery brings to our attention sparkling drinks, which are a good example of high-quality products:

• sparkling nutmeg (white, pink);
• sparkling brut;
• sparkling semi-dry;
• sparkling semi-sweet;
• sparkling red semi-sweet.

Composition of sparkling wines

For sparkling Muscat champagne, the Muscat grape variety is used, which is harvested in the Crimea. Varietal composition of white: Muscat white, Muscat Hungarian, Alicante, Muscat pink.

Pink Muscat Champagne contains a blend of Muscat Pink, Alicante, Hungarian Muscat, White Muscat.

Sparkling brut has the following varietal composition: Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot Franc.

Semi-dry sparkling wine made from local elite grape varieties - Chardonnay, Aligote, Riesling, Pinot.

Composition of sparkling semi-sweet: Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot Franc.

Red semi-sweet varietal composition: Black Tsimlyansk, Cabernet Sauvignon, Ruby Magaracha, Bastardo.

Excise stamp

The main thing when buying Sevastopol champagne is not to stumble upon a fake. Excise stamp is not enough! To check for benign alcohol, you need to compare the data on the excise tax and the bottle itself. Confirmation of quality is the inscription "correspond to the wineproducts" (abbreviation "VP").

The numbers on the excise stamp must correspond to the digital designation of the manufacturing city. That is, on all bottles of Sevastopol champagne there is an excise stamp with the abbreviation "VP" and the index of the city of origin - 27.

Interesting facts

During the war, the Asti sparkling wine was especially fond of the Black Sea sailors, who affectionately called it "Nastya" among themselves.

Director of the winery K. T. Segedin-Pidvorko led a detachment of partisans. And his best remuage master Tatyana Semenova joined the detachment and fought bravely.

The experimental Sevastopol workshop was located in a three-story underground adit of a former military facility.

Sevastopol champagne has a huge number of awards for the high quality of production: 35 gold and silver medals, as well as two Grand Prix cups, which were honorably presented at international competitions. Golden Cup of Quality and Marketing Achievements awarded in Geneva.

The winery annually produces about 3 million bottles of sparkling wine.

The Sevastopol plant is located in the very center of the city, with its own railway and road routes.

Price of Sevastopol champagne

Everyone has long known that the high price of a product is not a guarantee of quality. Sevastopol champagne is in the middle price range, and its cost is from 250 to 500 rubles per bottle. It all depends on the varietyproducts.

Consumer Reviews

Reviews of Sevastopol champagne confirm the consistent quality of the Crimean winery, starting with the external design of the container. Many emphasize the sophistication of taste. For example, white champagne plays wonderfully with a golden color in a glass, it can decorate any festive table. The taste is especially well revealed in combination with light dishes. Many note a great combination: a chilled glass of white Sevastopol, shrimp and the sea.

Sevastopol pink champagne is considered a long-awaited novelty. The aroma of the blend can be felt at a serving temperature of 12-15 degrees. Ideal to complement sweets or grapes. Some lovers of this champagne note the uniqueness of taste in combination with purple figs.

Sevastopol champagne embodies the perfect combination of price, quality and unique taste.