Ukraine

Ukraine, former Soviet Union state on the Black Sea. Ukraine’s total vineyard area was declining even before the annexation of the vine-growing crimea by russia in early 2014, after which it fell to about 50,000 ha/125,000 acres.

As so often, monks and monasteries were responsible for introducing viticulture to northern Ukraine in the 11th to 12th centuries. Viticulture and wine production waxed and waned since this part of the world suffered numerous raids of nomadic tribes and witnessed long periods of war. The development of capitalism in Ukraine necessitated new profitable branches of agriculture, vine-growing and winemaking included. In 1913, the total vineyard area of Ukraine was 54,000 ha/133,000 acres but due to the effects of the First World War and phylloxera, it had shrunk to 13,000 ha/3,212 acres by 1919.