Where to Go on a Tour in Ukraine: Trubetskoy Chateau, Kherson Region

Do you want to learn how to taste wine properly? Do you want to immerse yourself in a historical, engaging atmosphere? Then it is worth going on a tour of Prince Trubetskoi's château! It is not only a unique historical site, but also a place where you can learn a lot of interesting and useful information, relax and have a good time.

Brief historical background

Prince Trubetskoi, together with Prince Lev Golitsyn, the chief winemaker and champagne specialist of the 19th century, founded a winery in Kherson. In 1896, the first vineyards were planted, and in 1900 Trubetskoi built the château, where wine was made 4 years later and received its first award. In Prince Trubetskoi's view, all conditions were in place here for growing the best grape varieties: the necessary acidity and mineral content of the soil and a sufficiently warm microclimate. The château's vineyards are now located on the slopes near Kakhovka. Here they grow many grape varieties, mainly Merlot, Cabernet, Riesling, Aligote and Chardonnay.

Photo from the website vina-trubetskogo.com.ua

Trubetskoi Castle is an important tourist destination not only for Ukrainians, but also for foreign visitors who know about the high quality of the wines made here, which have repeatedly won prestigious awards:

• In 1900 — the Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in Paris;
• In 1902 they received the first prize of Alexander III;
• In 1903 — the prize for the best table wine from the vineyards from Emperor Alexander III for the exemplary cultivation of the vineyards.

Trubetskoi château wines have consistently received awards. The most successful and highest-quality among them were: “Pearl of the Steppe”, “Naddniprianske” and “Velvet of Ukraine” — they received 33 silver and gold awards at international exhibitions and tastings.

Interesting facts about Trubetskoi château

At the beginning of the 21st century, Trubetskoi château was reconstructed. During renovation work in the basement rooms, the wine “Kozatske”, bottled in 1914, was found. And although there is an opinion that wine does not keep for more than 35-50 years, the unique-shaped bottles of wine that were found were decided to be preserved and passed on to the next generation.

Photo from the website vina-trubetskogo.com.ua

 Despite the various historical events that took place in Ukraine, the château did not stop working and producing new varieties of wine. Unlike most producers, it prioritizes quality over quantity. Therefore, Trubetskoi winery's main goal is to create the best wines, even if not in large volumes.

Trubetskoi château has 8 cellars, where more than 7 thousand rare wines are stored. Guests can taste some of them, take a master class in tasting, which will teach them to distinguish good wines from bad ones, to sense their flavor, and to tell varieties and quality apart. As a souvenir, you can buy a bottle of wine for yourself and your friends.

For those who are tired from the road, or want to spend a wonderful evening in a relaxed atmosphere with a fine view of the Dnipro, it is worth staying at the château hotel. There are 10 rooms with open terraces, from which there is a fine view — the ideal option for tasting the most delicious wines while basking in the rays of the evening sunset.

What is interesting nearby the château?

700 meters from Trubetskoi château stands Vitovt's Tower, a historical monument of the 14th century. In the 19th century, it was used as a water tower, but with the appearance of the Kakhovka Reservoir, it turned into an ancient historical monument.

2 km from the winery is the Trubetskoi estate. Although it has not survived to our day in good condition, the layout of the first floor gives an idea of the size of the palace, the division of the rooms and the architectural style of the building.

About 50 years ago, steppe waterfalls were found near the Trubetskoi estate. One version of their appearance is the emergence of the Kakhovka Reservoir, whose waters seeped through a layer of limestone soil.

After crossing to the other bank of the Dnipro, you can see the landmarks of Nova Kakhovka, look at the majestic “Tachanka” monument in Kakhovka, and end the trip in the steppe reserve Askania-Nova.