Chardonnay Wine Tasting Hall, Uzhhorod

The Chardonnay hall (Shardone) is considered Uzhhorod's first wine tasting room. It occupies an old wine cellar in the pedestrian heart of the historic centre, not far from Uzhhorod Castle, and is now linked to the family craft winery of Oleksandr Kovach, one of Zakarpattia's best-known winemakers. It is an easy way to get to know Transcarpathian wine without leaving the city.

A cellar full of legends

Locals say that the town's nobility once gathered in this cellar to talk with foreign envoys over a glass of wine, and that underground passages linked it to the castle owned by the Drugeth counts. Whether that is true is hard to say, but the old vaults set the mood for a leisurely tasting. In 2007 the cellar was revived by enthusiasts from the Association of Private Winegrowers and Winemakers of Zakarpattia, and it has hosted a tasting room ever since. Local press has mentioned a 19th-century grape press and a collection of wine-themed postcards and stamps among its exhibits.

Winemaker Oleksandr Kovach

Oleksandr Kovach has been making wine for more than three decades, using European equipment and European grape varieties; his wines have repeatedly won awards at festivals in Ukraine and abroad. He heads the Association of Private Winegrowers and Winemakers of Zakarpattia and founded two Uzhhorod wine festivals, "Soniachnyi Napii" (Sunny Drink) and "Zakarpatske Beaujolais". The winery is known for experiments: traditional-method sparkling wine, distillates, ice wine, wine liqueurs, ciders and even wine ice cream.

Wine tasting in Uzhhorod

The hall seats up to 60 people, so it suits couples as well as tour groups. A tasting usually includes several wines and a cheese plate, with a talk about grape varieties, ageing and the character of Transcarpathian winemaking. The winery's range runs from Chardonnay to "Zoloto Karpat" (Carpathian Gold):

• whites from European grape varieties;
• rosés, including the popular "Rozalin";
• reds aged in oak barrels;
• sparkling and special wines — ice wine and reserve collections.

Wine is available to take away. The tasting line-up and price vary, so check by phone in advance, especially if you are coming as a group.

Wines of Zakarpattia

Zakarpattia is the oldest and best-known wine region in western Ukraine. The volcanic slopes between Uzhhorod, Serednie, Mukachevo, Berehove and Vynohradiv have long produced light, aromatic whites, and the region's tasting halls and family cellars form a genuine wine route. The Chardonnay hall is a handy first stop: you can get a feel for local varieties here before heading out to winemakers in the villages.

Practical information

• Address: 18-B Avhustyna Voloshyna St, Uzhhorod (pedestrian tourist zone).
• Hours: per the winery website, daily 10:00–21:00; book group tastings ahead.
• Phone: +380 63 352 37 73, +380 50 223 83 92.
• Website: wine-kovach.com.

How to get there

Voloshyna Street is part of Uzhhorod's pedestrian old town, not far from the castle hill. It is a 20–25-minute walk or a short taxi ride from the railway station; drivers are better off leaving the car in one of the paid car parks near the centre and walking.

Website and social media: wine-kovach.com

Photos: zaktour.gov.ua; res2.weblium.site.