The share of wines of protected designation of origin on the Russian market is growing. Such wines must adhere to strict quality requirements and can only be produced within the boundaries of a certain grape-growing and wine-growing zone.
As per the Wine Guide of Russia project, 63 wineries across 5 key wine-producing regions in the country are producing wines with protected designation of origin status.
In 2023, the Krasnodar Territory was the top producer of wines with protected designation of origin, responsible for 73% of all still wines (3.41 million dal) and 63% of all sparkling wines (3.35 million dal) in the country. Dagestan ranks second with 23%, which is equivalent to 1.21 million dal.
The Crimea peninsula, including the federal city of Sevastopol, is the second-largest producer of still wines, accounting for 22% (1.04 million dal).
The leader in the production of fortified wines with protected designation of origin historically is Crimea, accounting for 76.5% (612 thousand dal) in 2023.
The popularization of Russian winemaking has been greatly influenced by the establishment of the geographical indications system and production of wines with protected designation of origin status. By using region-specific brands with regulated quality, winemakers from well-known regions can work together to increase their visibility in the country’s wine market.