Best Crimean wines to be presented at EEF 2025

The region’s iconic wineries will share their successes at the VinoGrad thematic platform at the 10th anniversary Eastern Economic Forum. The exhibition will once again be a centre of attraction for all EEF 2025 participants interested in Russian winemaking. This year, VinoGrad will provide an opportunity to get acquainted with the leading producers in their regions.

Moe Vino holding will present the mainstays of Crimean winemaking. Massandra and Novy Svet brands, which are part of the holding’s portfolio, will offer a unique collection of classic Crimean wines: still, fortified, and sparkling. Founded by Lev Golitsyn, these enterprises are now experiencing a true renaissance. VinoGrad will also feature wines from the equally famous Inkerman estate, which is also part of the company.

Valery Zakharin’s winery was founded in 1994, and its first vineyards were planted in 2002 in the Alminskaya Valley. The owner of the enterprise, Valery Zakharin, is a pioneer in promoting indigenous Crimean grape varieties. Back in 2016, on his vineyard near the village of Bakkal-Su, a unique collection of 75 autochthonous varieties was planted in collaboration with the Magarach Research Institute.

The popular Crimean producer Zolotaya Balka makes sparkling wines from grapes grown in its own vineyards, using both the acratophoric method and the classic method of secondary fermentation in the bottle. The valley from which the winery takes its name is located below Balaklava. The large difference in altitude (from 70 to 250 metres above sea level) and the variety of soil types in the vineyards allow the production of wines with a wide range of characteristics. Large-scale investments in production at all stages ensure consistent quality.

The Loco Cimbali micro-terroir winery is a high-profile project by Zolotaya Balka, dedicated to the premium still wines of the Balaklava Valley. The face of the project is Oleg Repin, probably the most recognizable Crimean winemaker.

Alma Valley is one of Crimea’s flagship wineries, with vineyards located in the Bakhchisaray district in the Alma River valley, which gave the project its name. Today, the company grows more than 15 international grape varieties, which are processed using state-of-the-art equipment at a winery designed according to the gravity principle. Its extensive range includes both everyday wines and aged wines that regularly win awards at major Russian wine competitions.

In addition to its educational function, the VinoGrad platform at the Eastern Economic Forum also aims to draw attention to a key event for the wine industry, organized by the Roscongress Foundation. The Russian Wine Forum will be held on 12–13 November 2025. The organizers include the Federal Union of Grape Growers and Winemakers of Russia Association, while the strategic scientific partner is the Kurchatov Institute National Research Centre. The Forum will serve as a platform for discussing trends, technologies, and prospects for the development of Russian winemaking.

The 10th Eastern Economic Forum will be held on 3–6 September at the Far Eastern Federal University campus. This year’s main theme is “The Far East: Cooperation for Peace and Prosperity”. The EEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.