Tradirions. Sun in the Beaker of Wine. Traditions of wine-making in Uzbekistan

The old story
You can hear the most detailed history of this complex in the museum. This museum was founded by H.Yusupov who had not related whatsoever to wine production,but was its big admirer and patriot. To the pity of the factory's employees the tourists pass this museum by. It is very small but it has many interesting things bottles of various shapes,samples of labels from 1909, newspaper cuttings from 1917, a whole showcase with the awards of the factory and pictures of the winemakers. So please don't offend the hosts, devote 10 minutes to this museum. The quality of the wines was marked in 1887 by Alexander III with a special medal For zeal and art.

The factory, which was created by Dmitriy Filatov during the years of the Soviet Revolution (at the beginning of the XIX century), had been left without an owner. D.Filatov escaped in an unknown direction having preliminary hid a unique collection of wines and cognacs. He immured it in the basement of the factory. The further life of D.Filatov is unknown. The young republic of Uzbekistan experienced difficulties in the formation of the economy,but was able to provide the means for reconstructing of the factory. The factory survived two reconstructions in the 30s and in 1956.

During the reconstruction an old workman advised to tap the walls for revealing emptiness. This way the entrance to the basement where 3 thousand bottles were kept covered in a thick layer of soot and penicillin mould. The wines were laid in 1908. The real fame of the factory began in 1927 when a Russian scientist, winemaker and chemist Mikhail Khovrenko became its director. He developed the technological schemes of check wines such as Gulia-Kandoz, Shirin, Liqueur Kaberne, Aleatiko and others.

A small door led to the cellar where the found collection was located. The coolness, dampness and twilight put mystical thoughts in our minds. When we saw the table and chairs (simple oak stumps), the image of a gloomy castle was formed. We tried the Gulia-Kandoz, Aleatiko and Uzbekistan wines. I like Aleatiko, l am its admirer for a few years already. However the wines from Samarkand strongly differ from the wines produced in Tashkent with their race and taste. By the way, the tourist groups are not brought to this cellar this is not allowed.

There is a tasting room for 30 people for guests. In the tasting room the tourists are offered 10 sorts of wines on a wooden tray. Here a pyramid is built made of bottles with the samples of all wines and cognacs of the factory.

We visited the workshops for producing cognac. There are 5 workshops of this kind in the factory. The barrels from 230 liters to 5280 liters in volume spread an indescribable aroma. One just has to see, taste and inhalel Visit the factory named after professor M.Khovrenko in Samarkand and feel the heavenly delight!