Ukrainian winemakers cultivate grapes near frontline, defying war
Despite the ongoing Russian invasion, Ukrainian winemakers in the Mykolaiv region continue to tend their vineyards, with some even expanding production, viewing winemaking as an act of faith in the future.
Winemaking as an act of defiance
In the Mykolaiv region, close to the frontline, Mykhailo Molchanov and his family continue to tend their organic vineyard, Steppe Wines. An unexploded Russian rocket lies between rows of Chardonnay vines; they choose to leave it rather than risk damaging the vines. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, the Molchanovs moved to their winery on the banks of the Southern Buh river.
During the early days of March, they found themselves between the two armies' lines, watching rockets fly overhead. Fortunately, Mykolaiv was successfully defended, and their wine cellar served as a bomb shelter – though they lost their 2017 Cabernet. Despite the war, the family has expanded their vineyard acreage and plans to increase production from the current 10,000 bottles to 30,000–50,000 bottles annually within the next decade.
Supporting fellow winemakers
The Molchanovs run a hub for local winemakers who have lost their vineyards. Olha Kashchenko from Kherson, who stayed in the city to care for her elderly mother, has been unable to access her land since 2023 as it lies in the red zone. She plans to buy grapes and use the Molchanovs' facility to produce wine.
Industry decline and new ventures
Svitlana Tsybak, president of the Ukrainian Association of Craft Winemakers, says Ukraine's vineyard area has dropped from 68,000 hectares in 2014 to 15,000 hectares after the annexation of Crimea and the war. Many large growers have switched to sunflowers and wheat, but 82 craft wineries have been established since 2022.
Beykush winery: working under threat
Beykush winery, located on a narrow cape near Ochakiv, is frequently targeted by Russian attacks. Its underground tasting rooms serve as refuge. Winemakers Olha Romashko and Oleksandr Pashkovsky planted malbec grapes in November 2022, ordered two years before. Despite constant danger, they continue their work, knowing that winemaking follows a cycle that cannot be interrupted.
Winemaking is an expression of hope. As the winemakers put it: "To make wine is to believe in the future."
