Prince Lev Sergeyevich Golitsyn was born in 1845 in the town of Stara-Ves in the Lublin province. He became the founder of the manufacture of wine in the Crimea, as well as the production of sparkling wines on an industrial scale in Abrau-Durso. His biography, the history of winemaking and interesting facts will be discussed in this article.
Biography
Lev Sergeyevich Golitsyn came from a princely family, he was born in 1845 in the Radzivilov castle, which is currently located in Belarus. Golitsyn received an excellent home education, knew several foreign languages, studied literature and music, and was also passionate about history.
Noticing his son's love for history, Golitsyn Sr. sent him to study at the University of Paris (Sorbonne) in France. In 1862, he graduated with a bachelor's degree and returned back to Russia.
From December 1864 to March 1866, Lev Sergeyevich Golitsyn served at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He began his career as a clerical officer in the Asian Department, and continued with a college registrar. He worked for another year in the Main Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The period from 1867 to 1882
From 1867 to 1871, Golitsyn became a student of the Department of Roman Law at Moscow University. During training, he organizes discussions and seminars on the topic of the history and problems of law, repeatedly giving presentations and reports. In 1869, Lev Sergeyevich published a book devoted to the history of Roman law, and a year later he was awarded the university’s gold medal for a new essay.
After graduation, he remains at the university and prepares for a professorship. From 1873 to 1874, Lev Sergeyevich Golitsyn improved his education at the universities of Leipzig and Gottingen. After that, he went to France, where he studied the technology of making grape wines.
In 1870, he participated in archaeological expeditions in the Vladimir province, opening several sites of a Stone Age man on the banks of the Oka River. In 1876, he was elected leader of the Murom nobility, but he left this position of his own free will.
The beginning of winemaking
Initially, in a small farm near Feodosia, Lev Sergeyevich planted vines of the Murvedere and Saperavi varieties, and after harvesting begins the production of wine. The resulting wine begins to be of interest first in the Crimea, and later in Moscow.
In 1878, he acquired the tract "Paradise" from Prince Herheulidzev, which he would later call the estate "New World". The area of ​​the entire estate is about 230 hectares, located in the Crimea, on the Sokol mountain, near the city of Sudak.
On an area of ​​more than 20 hectares, Lev Sergeyevich creates a nursery, where he begins the cultivation of about five hundred grape varieties. He also planted 30 hectares of vineyards near Feodosia, 40 hectares near the village of Tokluk (present-day Bogatovka), and the same amount in the Caucasian village of Alabashly.
Industrial production
Entrepreneur Lev Sergeyevich Golitsyn in the early 90s of the XIX century establishes the industrial production of grape, effervescent and champagne wines of the highest quality. To store a large volume of products by his order, the creation of multi-tiered cellars, grandiose in design and execution, begins, most of which are punched in the rocky mountains of Karaul-Oba and Koba-Kaya. In basement No. 4, which has a special status, Lev Sergeyevich Golitsyn collected a unique collection of wines of more than 50 thousand copies, which was released in the XVIII-XIX centuries.
It should be noted that the complex layout of the cellars pursued specific goals, namely: providing the best exposure to various types of wines. In each basement, a certain temperature and humidity was maintained for aging white, red, dessert, strong and champagne wines.
An interesting fact: there is a legend that one of the hidden Golitsyn cellars in the rock, where the most valuable and rare wines are stored, has not yet been discovered.
Golitsyn wines
The calculation of Lev Sergeyevich Golitsyn turned out to be correct, due to the fact that the production wine galleries and cellars for storage were near the sea, it was possible to ensure the best aging of wines. The temperature in the range from 8 to 12.5 ° C is kept here all year round. As a result of painstaking long-term work, we managed to select the five best grape varieties that became the ideal basis for sparkling wines, these are red: Mourvedre and Pinot Fran and white: Riesling, Chardonnay and Aligote. Currently, Crimean winemakers use these grapes to create white sparkling wine.
The very first batch of champagne, which was released in 1882 by the winemaker Golitsyn, gained great fame not only in Russia but also abroad. Such a wide geography of the popularity of his drinks is explained by the fact that he not only followed the knowledge gained during his studies in Champagne, but also brought some innovations.
Product Recognition
Champagne under the brands "Paradise" and "New World" was Golitsyn's debut in the production of sparkling wines. In 1896, he produced a drink under the brand name "Novosvetskoye", which is served during the coronation of Nicholas II in 1896. It was appreciated by the guests of the ceremony, after which this wine is renamed into the brand “Coronation”. Four years later, in 1900, at the World Wine Exhibition in France, this champagne receives the Grand Prix.
Despite this, the affairs of Golitsyn are not going the best way to save themselves from bankruptcy, in 1912 he transferred part of his reserves to the emperor. Lev Sergeyevich Golitsyn almost became bankrupt due to the fact that he spent large sums on replenishing the collection of rare wines, as well as on acquiring the best examples of equipment for winemaking.
Abrau-Durso
The Abrau-Durso factory began its history in 1870, when Emperor Alexander II ordered the production of sparkling wine in his estate in the Krasnodar Territory, near the Durso River and Lake Abrau. Gradually, champagne began to be made here, but its quality left much to be desired.
The rise in production and the popularity of the products of the Abrau-Durso plant began after Golitsyn was appointed manager in 1891. Three years later, Lev Sergeyevich was building a basement for the production and storage of champagne for 10 thousand buckets of wine, and by 1897 five such cellars had already been built.
To improve the taste of sparkling wine, Golitsyn invites specialists from France to the factory. In 1896, the first joint batch of wine was produced, and two years later champagne appeared under the brand name "Abrau". It is produced in a batch of 25 thousand bottles, and because of its excellent taste characteristics, it is supplied only to the imperial court and aristocrats.
In the future, production expanded, and the brand of champagne “Abrau-Durso” could be appreciated not only by the elite, but by people of lower classes, and wine sales to Europe also began.
"New World"
Manor "New World", bought by Golitsyn, was significantly transformed and rebuilt. Lev Sergeyevich erected two large-scale buildings here. One was created for living - in the style of a medieval castle, with massive battlements. The entire construction complex is made in the form of a square, which in each corner has a tower. In another building, Golitsyn was engaged in the production and improvement of wines.
However, the “New World” is known not only for the fact that wine was produced there under the guidance of Golitsyn. In the estate acquired by the prince, a large territory is occupied by relict forests. Here grow:
- Juniper tree.
- Endemic Stankevich pine.
- Trees of blunt pistachios.
- Feather grass.
Some trees are 200 to 250 years old, and many plants are listed in the Red Book. Also, 18 species of endemic plants grow here, which, accordingly, are not found anywhere else in the world.
On the estate there are two beautiful Golitsyn grottoes - on Cape Flat and Through, as well as on Cape Cave. Since 1974, the "New World" has been recognized as a wildlife sanctuary and taken under state protection.
Prince's family
The family of Lev Sergeyevich Golitsyn was noble blood, like his common-law wife Nadezhda Herheulidze. A meeting with her radically changed his life, if it had not been for her, it is possible that Lev Sergeyevich would never have been engaged in winemaking, but would have devoted himself to jurisprudence at Moscow University.
Acquainted with the princess, he inflamed feelings for her, she reciprocated, but her marriage put an end to this union. The marriage of the princess was unsuccessful and weighed on her. Having changed the moral standards of that time, the lovers went abroad and began to live together in a civil marriage. After living in Europe, they return to Russia to the estate of the father of Nadezhda Herheulidze "Paradise", which in the future will be bought by Lev Sergeyevich Golitsyn.
However, this unofficial alliance with Princess Herheulidze was short-lived, after five years they broke up. They had to divide their daughters among themselves, Nadezhda and Sophia were given the surname of the Golitsins, but without the right to be called princesses. Prince Golitsyn had no more children. After the experience, the prince devotes himself to the production of wine on his estate.
Contribution to Crimea
If you ask yourself what Lev Sergeyevich Golitsyn did for the Crimea, then, first of all, the “New World” can be noted. This estate is unique not only because of its architectural beauty, but also due to its rare nature. There are no more places on earth to combine mild climate, sea and relic flora.
Also, one cannot fail to mention the enormous contribution that Golitsyn made to the development of winemaking in Russia, it is thanks to him that it even exists. His many years of work and experience in the manufacture of sparkling, red and white wines and currently benefit winemakers.
Its cellars for storing wines, which are cut out in the rock, not only help to maintain and withstand the drink. Thanks to them, it is easier for modern winemakers to understand how to create such a wine that will be popular among all connoisseurs of the drink.
Lev Sergeyevich Golitsyn, of course, was an outstanding and unique personality, which hardly anyone can fully talk about in such a short article.