Abrau-Dyurso
Encyclopedia
Abrau-Dyurso or Abrau-Durso is a village (selo) under the jurisdiction of the city of Novorossiysk
, Krasnodar Krai
, Russia
. It is located on the shore of Lake Abrau
, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) west of Novorossiysk. It should not be confused with the khutor
of Dyurso, which is located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to the south, where the Dyurso River enters the Black Sea
, and which is sometimes incorrectly considered to be a part of Abrau-Dyurso. Population: Abrau-Dyurso is the center of Russia's most important wine-growing region.
The settlement was founded on November 25, 1870 as a royal winery which was to provide wine for the Tsar
's household. These plans were brought to fruition twenty-one years later, when Prince Leo Galitzine, renowned for his Crimean vineyards of Massandra
and Novy Svet
, was appointed Surveyor of Imperial Vineyards at Abrau-Dyurso. It was he who brought to Russia a team of skilled winemakers from France. By 1897, Abrau-Dyurso boasted champagne cellars containing in excess of 13,000 bottles.
The Russian Revolution of 1917
brought an end to Abrau-Dyurso's prosperity, if only for a short time. The French specialists fled Russia, but their work was continued by their Russian apprentices. Throughout the Soviet period, Abrau-Dyurso was reputed for its sparkling wine, which was marketed under the name of Sovetskoye Shampanskoye
("Soviet Champagne"), or "champagne for the people". As of 2005, the local winery produced 5,800,000 bottles of champagne. There is a museum of sparkling wines on its grounds.
In August 2002, the local earth dam located upstream of the Dyurso River collapsed, washing away some of the grape fields in the Dyurso Valley. Currently Abrau-Dyurso does not grow its own wine grapes, but imports them from other locations.
Novorossiysk
Novorossiysk is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. It is the country's main port on the Black Sea and the leading Russian port for importing grain. It is one of the few cities honored with the title of the Hero City. Population: -History:...
, Krasnodar Krai
Krasnodar Krai
-External links:* **...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. It is located on the shore of Lake Abrau
Lake Abrau
Abrau is a karst lake in Russia, the largest in Krasnodar Krai. It lies at 84 meters above sea level, among the foothills of the Forecaucasus, about 14 kilometers from the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk...
, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) west of Novorossiysk. It should not be confused with the khutor
Khutor
Khutor or khutir is usually taken to refer to a single-homestead rural settlement of Eastern Europe.In Cossack-settled lands that encompassed today's Ukraine, Kuban, and the lower Don river basin the word khutor was used to describe new settlements which had detached themselves from stanitsas...
of Dyurso, which is located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to the south, where the Dyurso River enters the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
, and which is sometimes incorrectly considered to be a part of Abrau-Dyurso. Population: Abrau-Dyurso is the center of Russia's most important wine-growing region.
The settlement was founded on November 25, 1870 as a royal winery which was to provide wine for the Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
's household. These plans were brought to fruition twenty-one years later, when Prince Leo Galitzine, renowned for his Crimean vineyards of Massandra
Massandra
Massandra is a townlet in the Yalta region of Crimea. Occupying the spot of an ancient Greek settlement, Massandra was acquired by Counts Potocki in 1783....
and Novy Svet
Novy Svet
Novy Svet is a sparkling wine from Novıy Svet area in Crimea.-Production:Novy Svet sparkling wines are made by the traditional champagne method, hand riddled by one person and bottle fermented for three years...
, was appointed Surveyor of Imperial Vineyards at Abrau-Dyurso. It was he who brought to Russia a team of skilled winemakers from France. By 1897, Abrau-Dyurso boasted champagne cellars containing in excess of 13,000 bottles.
The Russian Revolution of 1917
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
brought an end to Abrau-Dyurso's prosperity, if only for a short time. The French specialists fled Russia, but their work was continued by their Russian apprentices. Throughout the Soviet period, Abrau-Dyurso was reputed for its sparkling wine, which was marketed under the name of Sovetskoye Shampanskoye
Sovetskoye Shampanskoye
Sovetskoye Shampanskoye is a generic brand of sparkling wine produced in the Soviet Union and successor states. It was produced for many years as a state-run initiative...
("Soviet Champagne"), or "champagne for the people". As of 2005, the local winery produced 5,800,000 bottles of champagne. There is a museum of sparkling wines on its grounds.
In August 2002, the local earth dam located upstream of the Dyurso River collapsed, washing away some of the grape fields in the Dyurso Valley. Currently Abrau-Dyurso does not grow its own wine grapes, but imports them from other locations.