Top 100 wines of Russia - Page 9

Discovering the wine region of Russia

Russia is the largest country in the world, covering over 17 million square kilometers (6. 5 million square miles). It also spans 143 degrees of longitude (27-170°E) and 41 degrees of latitude (41-82°N). Only the southernmost lands of the country are capable of supporting quality viticulture.

Many Russian vineyards are located near the borders with Georgia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Dagestan, Russia's southernmost republic, and its close neighbour, Krasnodar Krai, are the main wine regions. They border the Caspian and Black Seas respectively - an important factor in their climatic suitability for viticulture. Without the moderating influence of these inland seas, the very continental Climate would be too extreme for successful viticulture.

Russian winters are generally very cold, so much so that many vineyards pile soil around their vines to protect them from terminal frosts. Summers are sunny and Warm, which sometimes makes irrigation necessary. The Caspian and Black Seas also mitigate the threat of drought, although a significant proportion of Dagestan is semi-desert. The most common Grape varieties in Russian vineyards are Rkatsiteli, which accounts for more than one in three vines, and a range of European varieties.