ANCIENT TIMES
Shabo is one of the oldest terroirs in Europe. In this region winemaking was practiced since the times of the ancient Greeks. More than 2.500 years ago, they founded the settlement of Tira (later the city of Akkerman) at the Black Sea coast, and planted vineyards here.
OTTOMAN PERIOD
In the 16th century, the "Ottoman period" began in this region. The settlement was named "Asha-Abag", which translates from Turkish as "lower vineyards". This name was chosen for a reason: the vineyards are located below the city of Akerman (currently, Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky). Different varieties of grapes were grown here.
One of them, Telti-Kuruk (means “fox's tail" in Turkish) is still growing in Shabo, and is considered to be indigenous. SHABO has created a special program to preserve this variety as a unique natural heritage. Telti-Kuruk doesn’t grow as indigenous anywhere else in the world.
SWISS IMMIGRANTS
The beginning of the high culture of viticulture and winemaking in this region is connected with the Swiss immigrants.
They founded a wine-making settlement here in 1822. After covering a distance of 2.5 thousand kilometers, the Swiss from the distant canton of Vaux arrived on the shore of the Dniester estuary, to Ash-Abag. Due to the peculiarities of their pronunciation, the name of the settlement was changed into Shabag, and, later on, Shabo.
The founder of the winemaking colony, Louis Tardent, wrote: "If you want to see paradise on earth, you won't find a better place." Due to the unique characteristics of the terroir and the hard work of the Swiss immigrants, this area gradually turned into a real wine-growing region.
The Swiss settlers established European winemaking standards in this land. So in 1847, the wine of Shabo wines received the first gold medal at an international wine tasting competition. This was the beginning of a special award-winning tradition for the wines of the unique Ukrainian terroir.
SOVIET PERIOD
During the Soviet times, Shabo was one of the largest “winemaking enterprises” (nobody was using the word “winery” at that time) in the Soviet Union. The vineyards of Shabo were a stronghold for scientific research. Grapes of various varieties were grown here and wine materials for still and sparkling wines were produced, as well as some famous vintage wines.
During the period of Gorbachev's "anti-alcohol campaign", which has eliminated the greater part of Ukrainian vineyards, local residents managed to preserve the vineyards and the infrastructure of the enterprise. Despite that, during the post-Soviet years the winemaking of Shabo region was facing decline.
THE NEW ERA OF WINE PRODUCTION
In 2003 SHABO, a new winemaking complex with a full production cycle, was founded here.
Professional approach to viticulture and winemaking, high-class and up-to-date technological equipment, collaboration with international experts of SARL Derenoncourt, as well skills and experience of vine growers and winemakers of SHABO help them to create special wines which demonstrate the best features of this unique terroir.
SHABO is the leader of the Ukrainian premium wines and brandy production. The company's products have won more than 500 prestigious international awards. Due to the efforts of SHABO, Ukrainian wines are becoming more popular all over the world. SHABO wines are sold all over Ukraine, as well as in 20 countries: USA, Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, Switzerland, France, Italy, Denmark, Czech Republic, Georgia, Israel, Belgium, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Estonia, Japan, and China.
