Raising a Glass to Ukraine: a bold presentation at ProWein 2025
Author: Victoria Makarova
On the final day of ProWein 2025 — the world’s largest international wine and spirits exhibition — a tasting and educational event served as a fitting conclusion to the ProWein Business Forum’s masterclass series. Wine Travel Awards, Vinos de La Luz, and Ukrainian winemakers (WTA nominees) showcased Ukraine’s wine regions and indigenous grape varieties, offering tastings of wines made from three iconic Ukrainian grapes: Telti Kuruk, Sukholymansky, and Odesa Black.
This event, organized by Drinks+ Media Group and Wine Travel Awards, was made possible with the support of the international winemaking company Vinos de La Luz and its founder, Dr. Ricardo Núñez. As a long-standing patron, investor, and partner of Drinks+, Dr. Núñez has continuously supported the development of the Ukrainian wine industry for many years.
The presentation and tasting titled “Paradoxes of Ukraine: Winemaking and Tourism in Wartime” brought together approximately 50 guests, including new faces and long-time friends of Drinks+ and Ukrainian wine enthusiasts. Dr. Ricardo Núñez shared the success story of BIG WINES, a winery that is part of Vinos de La Luz, emphasizing his commitment to sustaining investments and business growth despite the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine.
BIG WINES winery is located near Kyiv, their own vineyards are located in Odesa region. The winery produces both aged and young red and white wines — still and sparkling — focusing on indigenous and local grape varieties such as Odesa Black and Telti Kuruk. Recently, BIG WINES acquired 46 Parallel Wine Group, a successful producer of fine wines from classic international varieties, also based in Odesa region and renowned for its sparkling wines crafted using the traditional method.
Originally, BIG WINES planned to focus solely on producing high-quality wines. However, recognizing the growing demand for wine tourism, the owners decided to expand their vision. This led to a strategic shift in the project to include welcoming spaces for winery visits, tastings, and events, enhancing the overall guest experience.
Natalia Burlachenko, CEO of BIG WINES, provided insights into the history of Ukrainian winemaking, its wine regions, and grape varieties, focusing on the three showcased varieties. Further on, Natalia presented wines from 46 Parallel Wine Group and BIG WINES.
The tasting also featured nominees of the Wine Travel Awards — Beykush Winery from Mykolaiv region, as well as Villa Tinta and Kolonist Wineries from the Danube Bessarabia. Beykush, Kolonist, and Villa Tinta are true gems of wine tourism in southern Ukraine. Notably, Villa Tinta and Kolonist are part of the Ukrainian Bessarabia’s Wine and Taste Route, which previously won the Wine Travel Awards in the Region of the Year category.
Despite the challenges of war, Beykush, Kolonist, and Villa Tinta continue to welcome visitors, albeit in limited numbers and by prior arrangement only. During the ProWein tasting, Alla Plachkova, co-owner of Kolonist, and Kostiantyn Tintulov, co-owner of Villa Tinta, gave a vibrant presentation of their wines and shared insights into the challenges Ukrainian winemakers face during wartime.
The tasting lineup included the following wines:
- Welcome Drink: Grand Admiral Brut Nature 2018 from 46 Parallel Wine Group (Gold Medal, MUNDUS VINI Spring Tasting 2025). This elegant sparkling wine, crafted using the traditional method and aged on lees for 49 months, set a sophisticated tone for the event.
- Telti Kuruk 2023 (Beykush Winery): A fresh and vibrant wine from Mykolaiv region, featuring aromas of citrus, fresh herbs, quince, and acacia, with a light mineral finish and crisp acidity.
- Telti Kuruk 2023 (BIG WINES): Aged in oak for six months, this version offered a delicate floral-honey bouquet with notes of white fruits, dried herbs, and stone fruit, balanced by refreshing acidity.
- Kolonist Sukholymansky 2024: A distinctive example of this unique local grape, showcasing aromas of fresh apples, wild herbs, sweet pears, and exotic fruits. This full-bodied wine featured a noticeable acidity and a mineral-driven finish.
The red wine segment included:
- Villa Tinta Premium Collection Odesa Black 2022 (Gold Medal, MUNDUS VINI Spring Tasting 2025): Made from Ukraine’s flagship Odesa Black grape and aged in stainless steel, this wine boasted intense color, lively tannins, and aromas of dark fruits, blackberries, blueberries, mint, black pepper, and spices, with a hint of plum jam.
- Big Art Odesa Black Ivan Marchuk Limited Edition 2022 (Grand Gold and Best of Show Ukraine, MUNDUS VINI Spring Tasting 2025): Aged in oak for 12 months, this complex and elegant wine featured rich aromas of blackberries, blueberries, black pepper, chocolate, and violets, delivering both intensity and finesse.
The presentation’s dynamic atmosphere and the outstanding quality of the wines left a lasting impression on the attendees. Many guests stayed afterward to engage with the winemakers and share their compliments and feedback. Natalia Burlachenko commented: “Events of this scale provide an excellent opportunity for Ukrainian winemaking to make a statement on a major international business and networking platform, which ProWein has been for many years. Our goal is to highlight the unique character of Ukrainian wines and to demonstrate that even in these challenging times, our winemakers continue to craft wines of exceptional quality. BIG WINES, 46 Parallel Wine Group and Vinos de la Luz are dedicated to promoting Ukrainian winemaking both nationally and internationally, and we will continue doing our best to support our colleagues and to develop the brand of Ukrainian wine”.
This event marks another milestone in promoting Ukrainian winemaking and positioning Ukraine as a serious contender on the international wine scene. Drinks+ Media Group extends its gratitude to Vinos de La Luz for their partnership and support in organizing this event and to ProWein for their impeccable coordination and professionalism.
With pride in Ukrainian winemakers, the Drinks+ team remains committed to fostering the global reputation of Ukraine as a producer of exceptional wines.
See you at the next big international wine event!
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