KSV House of Wine #27
Wine Tourism: Discover Craft Wines of KSV House of Wine
KSV House of Wine is a craft winery located in Uman, Ukraine. The name of the winery “KSV” is the initials of its creator and owner, Serhii Volodymyrovych Kovalenko. “KSV House of Wine” located in the central part of Ukraine, in the ancient city of Uman; the city is famous for Sofiyivka Park, a dendrological park, which is a world-class masterpiece, as well as incredibly beautiful light and music fountains glorifying Uman, which is sometimes called “little Israel”, because it is also a center of the Hasidic pilgrimage. This is a city of Cossack glory with its mysterious dungeons. In addition, this is a city, where craft natural wines are produced from grapes grown in the Uman land, the quality of which is not inferior to foreign ones. The project was created with the support of the Association of Cavists of Ukraine, the Sommelier School “Master-Class” and Drinks+ Media Group. Author and coordinator of the project is Serhii Kovalenko – vine grower and winemaker.
From the Military Service to Wine
Serhii Volodymyrovych came to winemaking after 28 years of service in the Armed Forces. The goal was to produce, in his own winery, such red wines, which would not be inferior to their foreign high-quality peers. In 2011, Serhiy Kovalenko planted vines on his own summer cottage garden plot, and in 2015, “KSV” House of Wine was founded. In 2021, a new building for the winery began being constructed followed by its equipping with new technologies. But a treacherous russian attack prevented these plans from being realized.
Wine Range of the Winery
Cultivation of grapes, production of wines, author’s design of labels, bottle sealing wax, and subsequent branding – take most of the time, but that is perfectly fine, since the main credo of Serhii Kovalenko: “If you want to do something well, do it yourself!” Despite the fact that the winery is equipped with Italian equipment, the master made with his own hands a press with an oak basket and some other devices.
Serhii Volodymyrovych grows exclusively red varieties: Zweigelt, Eumolpia, Cabernet Carol, Cabernet Cortis, Livadia black, Marquette, Gurzuf Rosé, Jupiter, with special attention paid to levels of crop load. The seedlings were carefully selected, taking into account the local terroir and size of the plot.
To date, neither the vineyards nor the winery have been damaged by shelling. Unfortunately, his health let him down. The winemaker is currently battling cancer, but despite this, with the support and help of his family and friends, he continues to work in the vineyard and produce wine.
The winemaker dedicated the wines of the 2022 war harvest to his blossoming land, his hometown, and the people who helped him survive these difficult times.
Umanske dry red wine (a blend of Merlot and Cabernet) and a love story dedicated to his wife (she is a cellist by profession and also served in the Armed Forces for 21 years) have already been bottled. In honor of his daughter and eldest grandson, Mykhailo, Serhii Volodymyrovych created Michel wine, and Leo wine was dedicated to his youngest grandson, named Lev.
Despite his serious illness and the ongoing war, Serhii Volodymyrovych plans to work and move forward! He dreams that the business he started in 2015 will be continued and the KSV Wine House in Uman will always be there – producing excellent wines and welcoming guests who will admire the breathtaking views and taste unique drinks.
In 2022, russian planes were flying over the vineyards, and explosions were heard nearby. From the first moments of the aggression, Serhii Kovalenko realized that a real war had come to his native land. Due to his age and health condition, he was no longer able to join the ranks, so, having recovered from the first shock, Serhii Volodymyrovych decided to continue doing his peaceful work.
Serhii Kovalenko’s wines have won a number of awards. He has returned from each of the all-Ukrainian tasting competitions he has taken part in in Kyiv, Odesa and Vinnytsia, from the Tairov Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking and the Master Class Sommelier School, with awards. In addition to Love Story, the best dry rose wine in Ukraine was Merlot, and for several years Cabernet was named one of the best. At the Odesa Wine Week competition, the red dry wine Grand Vale 2019 from KSV House of Wine received a silver medal.
