Beykush Winery is a family-owned winery in the Black Sea region of Ukraine. It produces quality wines from local and international grapes, using modern technologies and terroirs.
About the Producer
Beykush Winery, Mykolaiv, Black Sea Region
The Beykush Winery Story
Beykush’s small family farm of 11 hectares is located in the village of Chornomorka in the Mykolaiv region, only 100 meters from the Black Sea coast of Ukraine. The vineyards are on the Beykush peninsula, on the extreme southeastern edge of Ukraine, influenced by the Berezan estuary on one side and the Beykush Bay on the other.
RUSSIAN INVASION
From the earliest days of the Russian invasion in February, 2022 Russian forces set their eyes on the region where Beykush’s vineyards are located because it is also home to a strategic naval base. The region was shelled regularly in the early days of the invasion so they would just work in the vineyards and winery when they could. Their tasting room has been closed since the start of the invasion and access to their warehouse was cut off for several months, which prevented shipments. The Beykush team has shown tremendous determination, not allowing the challenges of the war to prevent them from making wine with great attention to every detail.
WINES
The initial lineup of wines, all from the 2022 vintage, the first produced since the 2022 Russian invasion, includes the winery’s flagship white wine, Artania White, a bright and delicious tank fermented blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Rkatsiteli, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Timorasso. It also includes the Rkatsiteli Amphora, which spent one month macerating on the skins in 400 liter clay amphoras. The third wine in the lineup, is the extremely rare Telti Kuruk, which originated in Turkey and today is only found in Ukraine and only in two vineyards.
The Vineyard
VINEYARD AND TEAM
The vineyard was established in 2012 after several years of in-depth soil analysis. The farm's founder Eugene Shneyderis and his team produced their first vintage in 2014. Beykush has quickly become one of the country's most well-known and respected producers, winning a gold medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2022. Mr. Shneyderis is an accomplished telecom entrepreneur and has brought a spirit of experimentation and innovation to Beykush. Svitlana Tsybak is the General Manager of Beykush Winery and the co-founder and president of Ukraine’s craft wine producers association, that started in 2021.
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
Geologically, the land where the vineyards are located is a part of the flat watershed plateau between the Bugsky and Berezansky estuaries of the Southern Steppe. The vineyards are situated on a mixture of red clay and loam that provides great natural drainage. The vineyards are surrounded from three sides by water which moderates the climate. Wind significantly reduces the risk of developing fungal diseases.
CLIMATE
Sun warms the vineyards an average 225 days a year. Despite this, the proximity of water and constant wind don’t allow the air or the soil to get too warm due to high elevations. Average precipitation levels are 400 mm, which is less than the minimum required for healthy vines, but the vineyards get the rest of the moisture they need from abundant morning dew provided by the proximity of the two estuaries. Large diurnal temperature swings are ideal for development of aromas and acidity.
FARMING PRACTICES
Beykush employs principles of sustainable and organic viticulture to reduce the harmful effects of herbicides and synthetic fertilizers. Instead, the vineyards are weeded by hand and the soils are only fertilized with organic substances such as cow dung.
GRAPE VARIETIES
Beykush’s signature variety is Telti Kuruk and they are the only producer of this rare grape in their region. The other Beykush white varieties include: Rkatsiteli, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, and Timorasso. The red varieties include: Saperavi, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir. The plant material for the Rkatsiteli and Saperavi vines came from Georgia and the other plant material came from France, Italy, and Spain. Beykush was the first winery in Ukraine to introduce Timorasso, Albariño, and Tempranillo, which have proven to be ideally suited to the soils and the climate of the peninsula.
The Wines
A unique combination of ancient winemaking techniques with modern technology
Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Rkatsiteli, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Timorasso
2022 Artania White Blend
On the palate, tastes range from fragrant apples to flowers and honeydew melons. A refreshing wine that evokes the feelings of being by the sea.
Rkatsiteli
2022 Rkatsiteli Amphora
Macerated on the skins in clay amphoras. Rkatsiteli fits so harmoniously in this region that even the aroma of the wine conveys the summer steppe heat with dry grasses between fields of sunflowers. Taste: honey, nuts, ripe quince, yellow plums, apricot, dried apricots.
Telti-Kuruk
2022 Telti-Kuruk
Originally from Turkey, this varietal is now exclusively found in two Ukrainian vineyards. On the palate, bold lemongrass and white peaches hide behind white mulberry and quince.
