SHABO‘s modern production complex is located right next to our vineyards, which allows freshly harvested grapes to be delivered for processing as fast as possible. The equipment of the complex is one of the best in Europe. Combining traditional and modern winemaking technologies, we create wines that demonstrate the best features of the Shabo terroir and its fine grapes.
Hand-picked grape bunches are delivered to the primary processing facilities by refrigerators only 15-30 minutes after harvesting, depending on how far the plot is from the winery. The total area of this complex is almost 1,500 square meters. Here the grapes undergo delicate manual sorting. Processing and pressing is automated on modern Bucher XPlus equipment under the careful control of our specialists.
Up to 20,000 tons of grapes can be processed here during the season. Red and white grape varieties require different approaches. For the production of white wines, destemming without crushing the grapes is used, as well as delicate pressing that helps to avoid grinding of the seeds and skins. The "red method" of production involves separation of ridges while crushing the grapes.
Here we produce premium wines of Controlled Designation of Origin (CDO), which is an analogue of the French Appellation d'origine contrôlée. SHABO is the first and, for now, the only winery in Ukraine that has the right to use this classification. New generation equipment and the skills of SHABO winemakers guarantee an exclusive approach to the production of finest wines.
Our freshly harvested grapes undergo several rounds of sorting, during which the best ones are selected. After that, the berries of red grape varieties are sent for fermentation on the skins in Taransaud oak barrels equipped with temperature control systems. Uncrushed bunches of white grapes, on the other hand, are delicately pressed in Bucher XPlus presses, and then ferment in oak barriques also equipped with temperature control.
For many years, SHABO has been the country's leader in the production of high-quality premium brandy. Since 2013, the company has been producing an original version of Grape Vodka. The modern complex covering the area of more than 20,000 square meters provides a full cycle of production of spirits made from grapes. To produce our spirits, we grow and process our own grapes for high-quality wine material, distill grape alcohol, age and, later on, bottle our best spirits — SHABO Brandy and SHABO Grape Vodka
Distillation is one of the most important stages in the production of grape spirits. SHABO’s continuously operating distillation equipment can process up to 20 million liters of wine materials and produce almost 3 million liters of high-quality brandy spirits boasting delicate aromas and unique organoleptic profiles. The aging and storage department for brandy spirits is equipped according to European standards. SHABO brandy spirits are aged and stored in oak barrels. aging takes at least three years, or more, depending on the spirit category.
Back in the 19th century Swiss immigrants who settled in Shabo started producing traditional sparkling wines here. Nowadays sparkling wines produced by SHABO demonstrate the unique features of our terroir, revealed by the skillful winemakers, who use classic technologies and revive the old winemaking traditions of the Swiss settlers. SHABO sparkling wines have won a lot of medals from reputable international wine tasting competitions.
SHABO House of Sparkling Wines is a unique production complex boasting the most up-to-date technological equipment and original architecture, referring to the history of this area. The House of Sparkling Wines is located in a picturesque spot in the midst of our vineyards, covering almost 3 hectares. Modern equipment ensures impeccable quality at all stages of production of sparkling wines from the classic Champagne grape varieties grown in Shabo vineyards. We create our sparkling wines both by Methode Champenoise and Methode Charmat
Тhe production of classic (aged) sparkling wines with secondary bottle fermentation takes from 9 months to 13 years. As for the Charmat sparkling wines, they ferment in large reservoirs (tanks), each one with the capacity of 24 thousand bottles, taking from 3 to 6 months. All production processes of SHABO sparkling wines undergo the technological control by the oenologists of the Institut Oenologique de Champagne (France)
SHABO has one of the largest wine cellars in Ukraine. Its total area is almost 5 thousand square meters. It has three levels: zero, five and nine meters underground. The storage capacity of oak barrels and modern stainless steel tanks is, in total, over 9.5 million liters.
SHABO has more than 1,050 French oak barrels, which have been carefully selected for each specific type of wine considering the volume, quality and region of origin of the wood, as well as vertical stainless steel tanks with a built-in temperature control system to keep the wines before bottling.
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We monitor the quality of the winemaking process on every stage, from winegrowing to bottling, just the way they do in the best European wineries.
Our chemical and technical control laboratory performs meticulously accurate and complex research. The most up-to-date laboratory equipment makes it possible to apply the highest standards of Ukraine, European regulations and the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV)
SHABO produces around 15 million bottles per year, in total more than 240 wines and strong alcohol products created exclusively from the best selected grapes. Our production facilities include 7 bottling lines. Modern European equipment allows us to fully preserve the tastes and aromas typical of the unique local terroir in each bottle of SHABO wines
We produce some of our wines using the Kakhetian technology, which dates back to more than 8 thousand years. This winemaking method Is probably the oldest in the world. It has no analogues and is included in the list of UNESCO‘s intangible cultural heritage.
According to this ancient Kakhetian technology, fermentation and aging on the must are made in a special clay amphorae, also called "qvevri". The wines produced from white grape varieties by the Kakhetian method acquire a bright-amber color. On the palate, one can sense a pleasant astringency and light tannins. The wine is saturated with antioxidants and vitamins contained in the solid particles of grapes.
Qvevri amphorae are very special, and, upon ordering, one has to wait for a couple years until they are made. As a rule, they are created by several family dynasties of Georgia, which pass their technological secrets and skills from one generation to another. One of these artisan dynasties, the Kbilashvili family, produced 15 qvevri for SHABO. These authentic amphorae with a capacity of 1400 and 2000 liters traveled all the way from Georgia to Ukraine and were installed in SHABO Wine House, buried under the ground. The process of maceration and aging on the must in these qvevri amphorae takes 5 months.
