Wine tasting at the Old winery

I said to myself: "Wine, I will not drink,

Blood of vines now I will not shed, "

"You're really decided not to drink?" - Asked me my mind,

And I, 'How me not to drink, when I will not to live!"

Omar Khayyam

Samarkand is surprising not only for its ancient mosques, mausoleums and madrassas. On this blessed land under the scorching rays of the sun grow different varieties of grapes, which by their sweetness surpasses the global counterparts. Just imagine the sweetness of grapes in Europe is on average 14-18%, and grown in the Samarkand region in the middle grades are in the 24-26% of sugar (fructose), sometimes reaching a maximum of 35%. These figures allow for excellent wines.

All this contributed to the fact that back in 1868 opened the first winery in Uzbekistan. Its founder was the Russian businessman, D.M. Filatov, who discovered this sweet grapes, imported and adapted them to class. At that time, in Uzbekistan, there was an established wine production, and before the winemaker was a difficult task to develop new varieties of wines and their distribution. But after four years at the world competitions in Paris and Antwerp, "Samarkand wine of grape gardens of Filatov," were awarded gold and silver medals. For 15 years he has achieved tremendous results - in 1883 at the International exhibition of wines and brandies in Paris, they bred variety "Biishty" (translated as "paradise") received a gold medal. As a consequence, the French winemakers began to travel to Uzbekistan and brought Filatov’s wine from Samarkand to Paris. So even in the nineteenth century began the "golden" and "silver" march through the world of Samarkand wines. Now the winning logo for 9 of vintage wine plant. Users of these roads as a result of wine-makers of the plant's troubled creative work.

In the Soviet period, Filatov had to leave their offspring, as the entrepreneurs had no place in the new state. But, leaving his factory, he had hidden and walled collection of his best wine to preserve it from plunder.

Place of Samarkand winery founder took the Russian scientist,  winemaker and chemist Michael Khovrenko, the first professor of wine in Russia. During his tenure in Samarkand, he has tested and introduced new technology of wine production, has developed a technological scheme of such wines as Gulyakandoz, Shirin, Cabernet liqueur, Aleatico, Uzbekistan and Farhad, systematized the compositions of different varieties of wine, became the creator of the new wines. Being a sophisticated taster, he made an enormous contribution to the development of winemaking in Uzbekistan.

Meanwhile, during the reconstruction works in the 30s of the XX century have been discovered some caches of Filatov. A little later, on the eve of the centennial of the plant, one of the oldest workers opened the space of all caches of Filatov, revealing a huge collection of the best wines of the founder of the plant. Even half a century later, they have not lost their taste and restraint, and bought a bright shade of tart.

Today, the plant continues to work, producing several kinds of wines, cognac and vodka. In addition, there are collections that are placed in special cellars for aging, and some collectible wines put up for auction. Finally, it should be noted that during its existence, the plant received more than 80 international awards for its wines started.

The factory has a museum, which houses the plant collection of the best wines for the whole XX century. And these varieties can not only see but also to try, for a fee, of course. In the museum, this is not a sin to go, good story starts with the plant in 1868. After reading the story that you try to taste, in the tasting room you will have to wait 10 glasses of traditional growing - from wine to a unique soft balsam, which is based on a set of herbs and is produced every 10 years. All that you liked, you can purchase at very reasonable prices.

In the basement of the factory are stored wines from the last century. Here, in the first curly elongated bottles of wine D.Filatov, heavy cut glass bottles of 30-ies of XX century. In which wine, prepared by Michael Khovrenko, elegant contemporary label brands. Each bottle of their strict, specific location, your passport.

Delicate bouquet Gulyakandoz wine, unique in the world, produced from the grape varieties kishmish, with a delicate aroma of roses Aleatico, Cabernet chocolate liqueur tones, redolent of Shirin, Uzbekistan ruby, refreshing in the heat Hosilot, dark golden with the aroma of quince Bouake, light raisin wine Sogdiana and Pearl of Samarkand, soft, amber-golden brandy, burning drinks Zarafshan and Surkhan - all these products are perfect competes with the best wine brands.

Wine - the wings are in love, full of fervor.

Wine - is roses and glitter on the cheeks with a nice ...

Oh, friend, Dawn Daybreak came up.

So let the sparkling wine drinking bowl!

Let this boil drinking bowl, a flash

Lively wine that transforms lives ...

In a small glass, which is in your hands, the Uzbek sun. Hardworking growers of Uzbekistan, the master of wine did everything to make the Uzbek sun in to the glass awakened in man the solar energy of his soul.