Crimea

Crimea, important wine-producing peninsula off southern ukraine surrounded by the Black Sea. After decades of being controlled by and selling most of its wines in ukraine, it and its 25,000 ha/61,780 acres of vineyards were annexed by russia in 2014.

Grapes were grown here from at least the 4th century bc. Archaeological evidence includes stone fences, remnants of viticultural plots and wineries, and wine amphorae in the Tauric settlement of Uch-Bash near Inkerman (which is as old as the 10th to 7th centuries bc). There have also been wine-related finds in the ancient town of Mirmecium in the east of the Kerch Peninsula. The unearthed tomb of a Scythian chief dated 500 bc was arranged with an amphora of chian wine at its head.