Russian wine available in Europe for first time, thanks to Belgian importer

For the first time, Russian wine is available in Belgium. Wine importer Start2taste in West Flanders is the first to manage to import the product not just to Belgium but to all of Europe.

The first 6,000 bottles have arrived in Waregem and include 32 different white, red and sparkling wines from five domains in the Black Sea region. Wine in Russia was previously considered of poor quality, and it was also sweetened. It was drunk almost exclusively inside the country.

But since 2000, the industry has professionalised and new winemakers began to produce using more European methods. Keeping the local Krasnostop Zolotovsky grape, they also planted European varieties, such as sauvignon blanc, merlot and cabernet sauvignon.

According to Dimitri Bonte of Start2taste, it was a huge undertaking to get the wines to Europe. He was the first in Europe who put in the time, effort and expense to make it happen.

The wines are now exclusively available on the importer’s website but could make it into restaurants and shops eventually. Prices run from €8.50 to €140 per bottle.