Mykolaiv

Mykolaiv lies in Ukraine's southern Black Sea winegrowing area, alongside Odesa and Kherson. It has hot, dry steppe conditions, both continental and maritime influences, and fertile black soils. Drought is a recurring concern. Southern Ukraine produces dry table wines and sparkling wines. Aligoté, Cabernet Sauvignon, Saperavi and Rkatsiteli are widely planted across the south, alongside regional grapes such as Odesa Black, Telti-Kuruk and Sukholymansky White. Winegrowing along the Black Sea coast reaches back 2,500 years through Greek settlements, although cultivated grapes were present earlier. The Soviet anti-alcohol campaign of 1985 uprooted many vines. Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 caused severe disruption to wine production.