Stakhovsky Wines is a Ukrainian winery founded by tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky in 2015. The winery is located in the Zakarpattia region, and produces red, white, and sparkling wines from local and international grapes
About the Producer
Stakhovsky Wines: by Sergiy Stakhovsky, Zakarpattia
The Stakhovsky Wines Story
Stakhovsky Wines is a small family winery founded in 2015 by Ukrainian tennis legend, Sergiy Stakhovsky, when he rented a 20 hectare vineyard in Zakarpattia, one of Ukraine’s most famous wine regions.
WINE DISCOVERY VIA TENNIS
As an elite tennis player, he was convinced that alcohol had no place in sporting life. All that changed when he was invited to play for the Bordeaux team, Villa Primrose and compete for the French Team Championship. In 2011, he had the privilege of visiting some of the top Chateaus in Bordeaux and I was simply blown away by their artistry, their dedication, and their skill. He began to learn about winemaking during these real behind-the-scenes looks. These experiences were foundational and led him to where he is today. He was inspired by the passionate people he met and his love for the art of wine-making grew.
Through the club, he met a lot of interesting people. The key person in his “wine origin story” was Alexis Atteret. Alexis’s grandfather was an excellent tennis player and the founder of CVBG, one of the biggest wine traders in Bordeaux. Alexis dedicated his life to photography and graphic design and is the person behind all the Stakhovsky Wines labels.
Sergiy decided to engage in winemaking at the end of 2015. In Ukraine, you cannot own agricultural land; it can only be rented. From the beginning, Sergiy’s goal has been to produce the highest quality wines. In 2015 he began renovating the vineyards through replanting vines and caring for the soils with sustainable farming practices. It took his team three years of intensive work to get the vineyard into balance. During this time they did not harvest any grapes because the quality wasn’t good enough. 2018 was their first harvest and their patience was rewarded with wines of great balance and elegance, showing what the vineyard was capable of. 2018 was followed by a great harvest in 2019 but 2020 was an extraordinarily challenging vintage and he decided to declassify the entire vintage. Quality was very high in 2021 and 2022.
TENNIS CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Number one tennis player in Ukraine. 4 ATP Singles titles (Zagreb, St. Petersburg, New Haven, s-Hertogenbosch), 4 ATP Doubles titles (Moscow, Halle, Dubai, Newport). In 2012 participated in the Olympics in London.
On June 26, 2013 had one of the biggest upsets in the history of tennis, defeating Roger Federer in the second round of Wimbledon 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, 7-6, ending Federer’s streak of 36 straight Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances.
The Vineyard
Stakhovsky’s vineyards are near Muzhievo village in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains in the Zakarpattia Region, bordering Hungary and Slovakia. The first vineyards were planted here more than 2,000 years ago, before the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Geyza Veresh has been the winemaker of Stakhovsky Wines since the inaugural vintage in 2018 and has more than 25 years of experience producing wine.
GRAPE VARIETIES
The vineyard is planted to Traminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Saperavi, and Zweigelt with plans to add Furmint and Pinot Noir.
GEOLOGY AND SOILS
The soils are limestone and loam with some volcanic clay. The vineyard’s elevation is from 100m to 200m, which provides great drainage.
FARMING PRACTICES AND CLIMATE
The vineyard is sustainably farmed and protected from cold air by the Carpathian Mountains and is situated on the Pannonian Plain which brings warm air from the west. It has a Southwest orientation, a slope of 12 degrees and plenty of sun (average of 3,400 C/year), combined with 650mm of average annual rainfall, ensuring consistency and balance in the wines.
The Wines
Made with grapes grown in the volcanic soil of Western Ukraine
Cabernet Sauvignon
2019 ACE Cabernet Sauvignon
A dry red wine with an aroma of black currant and ripe cherries. Taste for light flavors of black currant, black cherry, spices, earth and mineral notes on the palate.
Orange Traminer
2022 Traminer "OW"
A soft, orange wine with aromas of Bulgarian rose, white flowers, and fruit marmalade. On the palate you'll find a slight hint of honey, dried fruit and acidity.
