Sweet Zhuzhyka will be offered in Uzhgorod

 More than two and a half hundred of varieties of wine will be tasted from April 28 to May 2 at the festival in ‘Sonyachnyi napіy’ in Uzhgorod. This year, 37 winemakers from almost all districts agreed to take part in the event.
Preparations have been taking place long before the festival – this month record 257 samples of wine (last year – 195) were collected, their quality was checked by three special tasting committees – white, red and dessert. Even one of the most well-known sommeliers was invited from Kiev to evaluate Transcarpathian wine.
This year, both the quality and the palette of the drink have increased said Alexander Kovac, co-organizer of the festival, chairman of the Union of private growers and winemakers of Transcarpathia. Out of all those willing to take part in the ‘Sonyachnyi napiy’ Mukachevo (17 winemakers) and Berehovo (13) districts are leading.
By the results of the committee inspection, 15 wines received gold medals, 26 – silver, 44 – bronze. Two samples were rejected.
Among the winners there are no hybrid varieties, only European or blended. The number of ‘hybrids’ at the festival has fallen sharply, which, according to Alexander Kovacs, indicates a significant increase in wine quality.
Out of the 15 ‘golden’ Transcarpathian wines there are only three dessert ones and one semi-sweet wine, the rest are dry. At the festival also 50 rare types will be presented, including seremsky green or bakator. There will be an opportunity to try author blends – ‘Black Prince’ or ‘White Princess’, ‘Sun in the Glass,’ ‘Queen of Spades,’ ‘Space’ or even ‘Sweet Zhuzhyka’.
If visitors to the festival suspect a winemaker of dishonesty and if someone is in doubt about the quality of the drink, it is worth it to ask the number of a product and to compare it with the sample. The organizers convince: this is not going to be a terror of winemakers, but everyone can be checked.