Samarkand winery

"All I've heard about the amenities of Samarkand - it is true, an exception is the only thing - the city is much more beautiful then I ever could imagine" - these were the words of Alexander the Great about this city - the patriarchy of the cities of the world.

"The Rome of the Orient" - Samarkand, has been impressing people with its amenities for already 25 centuries. However, Samarkand - it's not only one of the oldest cities in the world, but also the modern city of Uzbekistan where many efforts have been made to develop industry, education and science. The capital of Zarafshan valley has many monuments and one of them is also the Winery named after M.A. Khovrenko and we would like to tell you more about current production of this Winery in Samarkand.

It happened long time ago. The militant Arab horsemen suddenly appeared on the scene of the blossoming earth of ancient Sogdiana. The enemies, who destroyed everything on their way, approached the walls of wonderful city Maraqand (Samarkand). The Sogdianian earth was shivering and suffering under the hoofs of Arabian racehorses.

The townsfolk resisted but their strength weren't equal. The Arab horde destroyed the peaceful life of Samarkand - blossoming gardens, villages burned to ashes; they killed the inhabitants and took the youths to the slavery and ladies to the harems.

During these horrible times, on the long-suffering land of Sogdiana, near Samarkand the miracle occurred: magic vine with the mysterious berries had grown. The grape was named "Taifi" that means "tribe", "gender". Since that time till nowadays these pink juicy grapes give longevity, vivacity and strength to people. And suburbs of Samarkand became known as a native land of wonderful grapes. "Taifi" is one of many kinds of grapes that is being used for Winery in Samarkand, which centenary had been celebrated lately.

In Samarkand Winery named after M.A. Khovrenko where people do creative work, new types of wine are being produced constantly, and high attention is paid to every aspect.

A century ago, in 1968, a Russian merchant Dmitriy Filatov founded small enterprise for wine production in Samarkand. Many things in that Winery were not perfect - even no cultural variety of vineyard available, however, in 4 years, during participation in the world contests in Paris and Antverpen "Samarkand wine of Filatov's gardens" was awarded with golden and silver medals. So, from the last century the "golden" and "silver" world procession of Samarkand wines had started.

But the real fame came to the Winery from the moment when Russian scientist, wine-maker and chemist Michael Khovrenko arrived in Uzbekistan in 1927. He elaborated technological schemes of such vintage wine like "Gulyakandoz", "Shirin", "Liquor Kaberne", "Aleatiko", "Uzbekistan" and "Farkhod" that were firstly produced in Samarkand Winery. Golden and silver medals awarded - is the best advertisement for them.

If you ask - what these wines taste like? The reply will be found in the Winery "library". This cellar is 100 years old. Narrow stairs take you along the shelves, on which - as the books - one to one, the bottles of wine covered with thick coat of soot and penicillin mold are placed. There are hundreds of them and in every bottle you will find the sun!

In figured long-shape bottles here are the first wines of D. Filatov, heavy cut bottles of the thirties, in which wine of M. Khovrenko is being kept, as well as more elegant labels of modern wine. Every bottle has its own fixed place and a passport. The Main "library-man" will inform you precisely about the production year, the type of wine and the taste of each wine.

Nowadays the following kinds of grapes are being used in Winery:
"Bayan-Shirey", "Rkatsiteli", "Risling", "Saperavi", "Morastel", "Muskat", "Aleatiko" and "Kaberne". Such kinds as "Pinot black", "May black", "Asyl-kara", "Khindogny", "Mtsvani", "Kuldjinski", "Soyaki", "Bakhtiori" and "Bishty" are under elaboration for future production.

In a glass that you hold in your hand - you have Uzbek sun. Hardworking winegrowers of Uzbekistan, the masters of Winery, do everything possible to make this sun awake the solar energy of every one's soul!