Massandra: History of the Cellar and Wine Collection

• Massandra dates the company’s founding to 1894.
• Construction of the main cellar was completed in 1897.
• The collection has been growing since 1898.
• Several bottles of Jerez from the 1775 vintage are among its oldest holdings.

In 1826, Count Mikhail Vorontsov had 18,000 vines planted at Massandra, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Kokur and Tokay. Viticulture was supported by the Imperial Nikitsky Botanical Garden.

The company’s history began in 1894. Three years later, construction of the main cellar was complete. The estate thus took shape during the period when Massandra was developing as a winery on Crimea’s southern coast.

The vast underground complex became the architectural core of the collection that followed.

Massandra states that its collection was established in 1898. Among its oldest holdings are several bottles of Jerez de la Frontera from the 1775 vintage. According to the winery, its holdings comprise approximately one million rare bottles.

The collection’s wines bring together different places of origin and vintages. The old Jerez holdings illustrate the collection’s international connections.

Massandra is near Yalta in Crimea. Sudak and Novy Svet are other places on the peninsula.

Crimea is internationally recognized as part of Ukraine and is de facto under Russian control. Entering the peninsula via Russian territory violates Ukrainian law and may result in an entry ban or criminal prosecution. Ports and airports are closed.

When staying in other parts of Eastern Europe, make sure your accommodation is suitable for your actual destination and local transport options.

What is the role of the main gallery?

According to the winery, the main gallery is part of a storage facility with capacity for more than one million bottles.