The winery`s long history started as back as 1894, when a decision was made, with a view to improve wine quality, to build one common cellar – the Central Cellar of the Apanage Department (dealing with provision for the Tsar`s family) – to store there for aging table and dessert wines from all the Crimean estates. The decision was taken under a guidance of Count Leo Golitsyn, who in 1892 was invited for the position of chief wine-maker of the Apanage Estates of the Crimea and Caucasus. The construction commenced id 1894 and in the late 1897 the monumental structure, more resembling an old castle, than a production facility, was completed.
That was the beginning of the Massandra`s glorious history, which is still going on. During its exceeding a century history many celebrities, including the first person of various states, visited the winery. And during this period the Association Central Cellar has received over 800 wines varieties, totaling in number about 1 (one) million bottles. As the largest and most unique world`s wine collection, with amazing exhibits and history, in 1998 the Massnadra wine collection was entered into the Guiness Book of Records. The pride of the wine collection is a “long-liver” – the 1775 Sherry de la Frontera, considered to be the oldest item in the collection, which, despite its very old age, has not lost the quality wine characteristics.
Massandra wines, enjoying their popularity for quite a long time, appreciated by their true value by numerous international awards, are currently known to many. But the process of wine production, of creation of new original varietes of this noble beverage very often still remains inknown. Such was the situation before, when the winery and its “heart” – the Massandra Central Cellar – were closed for visitors. Today, Massandra cellars are open to guests from all around the world.
And to help guests of the Crimea get familiar with the Massandra history, in 2001 q wine-testing complex “Massandra`s Museum of Wine-Making” was open. Here visitors are offered a number of excursions and tasting sessions, ranging from a walk around the winery to VIP excursions and extra-quality wines tasting in specialized tasting rooms.
The guests of the tasting room will be offered 9 vintage wine varieties, which can comprise of one to eight extra-quality (collection) wine varieties of different vintage, depending on the tasting type. Experienced guides will familiarize you with the winery history, relate interesting details of the winery life, show you unique items, and professional tasters introduce you to the history, creation of wines, which you can taste, or buy in a specialized shop available in the Massandra Wine-Tasting Complex.
Sergey Tsarapora private guide
