As is known, Russian viticulture, as well aswinemaking, originated in the Crimea. It happened at the end of the 19th century thanks to the efforts of the famous Russian patron Lev Golitsyn. In 1894, the first wine cellar was laid in Massandra.
The plant of Massandra wines is a domestic enterprise, which did not affect the historical vicissitudes and even the war. The plant today looks like the opening day.
Crimean Massandra is a place with a uniquemicroclimate. Here it is warm and humid just as much as the vine needs. A wine material needs low stable temperatures. To do this, in the rocks laid a huge wine cellar. Galleries cut down by hand. Today they are striking in their size: 150 m in length and 5 m in height. The work was colossal: in the cellars for more than a century, even in the heat of about + 15̊ C.
Modern production obedience Massandra - open for tourists, world-famous enterprise.
The most visited part of FSUE "Massandra" -tasting room. Here, over a glass of amazingly delicious wine, the guides tell about the difficult history of the creation of the plant and basement, grape bushes brought from abroad and carefully planted in the valleys, the first wine and samples, the emperor's laudatory speeches and that five years had not passed as the wines of Crimea have pressed many European manufacturers, including French ones.
Tourists from many countries of the world are attracted by the Crimeanurban village Massandra. Excursion to the famous factory leaves no one indifferent. It starts from the yard of the plant. It has two buildings: an old factory and a new one. Then the tour moves to the Museum of Wine. A unique exposition is stored in its halls. It allows you to trace the history of the plant and the production of wine from deep antiquity to the present. Most of the exposition is devoted to the construction of a wine cellar.
In the basement of the factory buildings aregalleries for the noble aging of wine and tasting complex. It consists of four rooms. The first one for 72 guests is made in the Greek style. The second for 35 people is called Maderic. The third hall is Sherry, and the fourth - VIP (can accommodate only 20 guests). Always happily welcomes his guests FSUE "Massandra".
The tasting room, decorated in Greek style, takes in the era of ancient Greece. On the walls there are frescoes depicting Greeks enjoying wine and playing musicians.
The Madeira Hall is the deck of a medieval ship,which transported the barrels of Madera to Java island across the Atlantic. There, they lay down on the hot sand under the scorching sun, which made it taste spicy.
Late 19th century - mid 20th is a periodthe formation of winemaking in the village of Massandra. Tasting room today can visit anyone. There are a lot of photos of the Crimea and Massandra vineyards, as well as grape brushes on the walls. This is a tribute to the hard work of planting the first vines brought from Europe.
Developed several tourist routes onfactory "Massandra". Small tour lasts 45-50 minutes. Guests get acquainted with the exposition of the museum, then go to the middle basement. They inspect the shop, which kept vintage wines. The big tour lasts almost an hour. It begins as a small excursion, and ends with a visit to the Tsar's cellar. In it, guests are shown the pride of Massandra - a gallery of collection wines.
There are tours, compiled by individual orders, ending with the mandatory tasting of nine types of vintage wines. The sample offers the best samples from port wines and dry wines to muscats.
In the production association "Massandra" tasting room operates according to a certain schedule. VIP tours are held only in the tasting complex and are stipulated in advance.
Tasting after the tour starts with"Saperavi". This red dry wine is served as an aperitif. Then the men are treated to "Sherry." After four years of noble aging, he leaves notes of hot walnut and grated almonds on the tongue. Female guests are served "Madera". Due to the taste of vanilla sugar and dried fruit, this wine was once used as a perfume.
Then the guests are treated to red port Massandra, a certified Massandra pinot-gri and other branded wines.
Taste the famous MassandraDrinks are available not only in Massandra. For over 30 years, a modern tasting room "Massandra" in Alupka has been opened. it is located in the former cellars for storing wine, laid down by Count Vorontsov.
Here, samples of ten branded drinks are offered to the guests: dry wines, fortified (famous ports of the Crimea), brandy-type wines, liqueur and dessert wines.
In the tasting room besides the guide whotells a lot of interesting facts about the production and the drinks themselves, there is always a taster with a lot of experience. He will tell you how to properly hold a glass and take the first sip, learn to evaluate the taste and aftertaste of wine. The tasting room is located in Alupka, Palace Highway 26.
