The capital of the Southern Federal District of the Russian Federation, the city of Rostov-on-Don, is known in Russia and abroad for its champagne wine factory. It is one of the leaders in the production of sparkling drinks in the country. Address of the Rostov Combine of Champagne Wines: 19-Liniya Street, 53.
Legend
The fact that these lands since time immemorial has been a place where excellent wines were produced is told in a story related to the ancient Greek gods. From its content it follows that the god Zeus was outraged by the behavior of his son Dionysus (Bacchus), a famous drunkard and reveler. His tricks forced the thunderer to send him to the land, where people had no idea about grapes and wine. This place became the lower reaches of the Don, where only wormwood grew.
However, Dionysus showed a trick, in the folds of clothes he covered the vine. He planted it in the Don land, and she gave a grape harvest, providing the younger Greek god sent to exile with a favorite drink. At the same time, Bacchus transferred his skills to local residents and taught them the art of growing grapes and winemaking.
Real historical roots
These historical chronicles tell us that at the turn of the VI - VII centuries BC. e. Greeks who settled in the lower Don began to grow grapes. They brought the vine from Phenicia, Egypt, the ancient Armenian country of Urartu and from the south of the Caspian Sea.
Peter I gave a new impetus to viticulture and winemaking in the Don lands. In his Azov campaigns, he came to the conclusion that the lands of the Lower Don are suitable for growing grapes and producing wine. To develop this culture here, he wrote out specialists from France who brought with them varieties of vines. His experiment was a success, the plant began, giving good yields.
But the main place where they began to produce aromatic drinks on an industrial scale, the lower reaches of the Don became only under Soviet rule. In the mid-thirties of the XX century, a factory was built in Rostov-on-Don, which produced the first bottle of white sparkling wine in February 1937.
Start
A factory for the production of champagne in Rostov-on-Don began to be built in 1936. The construction was launched by a resolution of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks (b) and an order of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated July 28, 1936, which was called "On Measures for the Production of Soviet Champagne, Table, Dessert Wines." The main purpose of these orders was the intention to begin production of products that could provide substantial support to the budget of the USSR, which needs funds in the context of the impending war.
To start production in France, the corresponding equipment was purchased, designed for a capacity of 500,000 bottles per year. The first tank came off the assembly line in 1937. The next expansion of the enterprise took place in 1938, and the next, in 1939, when the third line was put into operation, the production of champagne reached its design capacity. The plant, located in the Proletarsky district, began to produce almost 3 million bottles of wine per year.
By the end of the thirties of the XX century, six varieties of sparkling wine came from the conveyor of the Rostov enterprise of champagne wines.
An impressive record for the release of the drink was achieved in 1940, when the design capacity was exceeded almost one and a half times. Rostov Champagne Wine Factory has produced more than 4 million 200 thousand bottles.
War years, restoration of production
With the beginning of the Second World War, the plant switched to the production of Molotov cocktails. Before the occupation of the city, the bulk of the equipment was taken to Georgia. But the plant and technological processes suffered significant damage, as well as other enterprises of Rostov-on-Don.
After the city was liberated in February 1943, workers immediately began to rebuild it, despite the fact that the enemy was only 60 km from the city. In December 1944, the plant was restored, and it began to produce products, reaching a capacity of 1 million bottles.
However, Rostov Champagne Wine Plant managed to reach its design indicators only in the autumn of 1948, when production of three million bottles a year was recorded. It was possible to completely restore the raw material base for the enterprise only at the beginning of the fifties of the XX century.
Technological re-equipment, access to the international level
Since that time, the plant's staff began to actively introduce new technological methods in the process of making wine. They were aimed at reducing raw material costs, increasing automation processes. The re-equipment of the technical base was carried out, the equipment of the enterprise was increased, and quality indicators were increased. We began to master new types of products. So in 1958, the company began to produce Donskoy Sparkling Muscat in small batches. In 1960, a new product appeared on store shelves - Don Sparkling Pink.
However, in the early sixties of the XX century, the plant was focused on two types of champagne: “Tsimlyansk sparkling wine”; "Soviet champagne." At the same time, the wine of the enterprise found its way beyond the borders of the USSR, it began to be delivered to Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia and other states.
In 1964, the Rostov Champagne Wine Factory mastered the processes of continuous champagne. The technology developed during this period has proven to be effective. It is also used today in the production of champagne and sparkling wines. It underwent only a small modernization, which was dictated by the achievements of science and technology. Applied advanced methods and new technology have significantly improved technological processes, as well as increased capacity. By 1970, the Rostov factory of champagne wines produced up to 8 million bottles.
Reorganization
In the early spring of 1970, an experimental wine-vodka factory was added to the Rostov plant. The new enterprise acquired its current name - the Rostov Champagne Wine Factory.
Production
Currently, the capacity of the Rostov Combine of Champagne wines has been brought up to 13 million bottles. The company has three production workshops, namely:
- Shop for wine materials. It is designed to store raw materials used in the manufacture of wine. It arrives at the enterprise from various farms. Sources for the production of champagne are traditional varieties, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Aligote, Riesling. Their factory acquires directly from grape producers in the Rostov region, the Stavropol Territory and the Krasnodar Territory. Arranged the flow of wine materials from Europe and the CIS.
- Champagne shop. It contains acratophores designed to provide secondary fermentation, a line of constant champagne. Ripening of wine is carried out by means of a continuous stream in large tanks. They provide a pressure of 5-6 kilograms per square centimeter. This is necessary so that the wine is enriched with carbon dioxide during the fermentation process.
- Casting and finishing shop. It is used for bottling wine and bringing bottles to marketability. It has three lines. At the same time, the equipment allows for the bottling of sparkling wines at a speed of 10,000 bottles per hour.
Achievements, prospects
The Rostov champagne wine factory, in spite of ever-increasing competition, holds the leading position in the industry. At the same time, the consistent quality of its products is noted.
It is also worth noting that more than 120 companies of the Russian Federation identify themselves as partners of the Rostov Champagne Wine Factory.
The products of the enterprise were marked by numerous awards won at international exhibitions, including in China, Turkey, Kazakhstan and other countries. The sparkling wines of the plant are regular winners of the contests for the title of “Best Product of the Don”, winners and laureates of the All-Russian Competition, where the 100 best products of the Russian Federation are determined. The plant is also among the leaders of Rostov-on-Don enterprises.
After a certain break, in 2014, the plant began to actively develop exports. The Rostov champagne wine factory currently has the following trademarks:
- "Rostov";
- "Rostov Aged";
- "Rostov Golden";
- Ataman Platov
- "Rachelle" and others.
Since the fall of 2014, the Rostov Champagne Wine Factory began conducting excursions at the enterprise. Here visitors can familiarize themselves with all the processes of making sparkling wines. During the visit, people receive comprehensive information on the entire line of products of the Rostov Champagne Winery from recognized winemakers. Here you can also carry out tasting of branded products. Those who wish can purchase their favorite products here, in the Rostov Champagne Wine Factory brand store.