Crimean still wine output falls 24.7% and sparkling 38% in January-August 2026

Still wine production in Crimea fell 24.7% year on year in January-August 2026 to 3.44 million decalitres, and sparkling wine output dropped 38% to 379,290 decalitres, according to data from Rosalkogoltabakcontrol (RATK) reported by Kommersant. The decline in one of Russia's key winemaking regions was significantly deeper than the national average.

Crimea underperforms a shrinking national market

Russian still wine production fell 14.8% to 20.46 million decalitres over the first eight months of 2026, while sparkling was down 14.6% to 8.88 million decalitres. Neighbouring Krasnodar Krai held up considerably better: still wine output there declined 9.3% to 9.17 million decalitres and sparkling 6.4% to 5.34 million decalitres.

Crimea accounted for 19.9% of all still wine and 10.2% of all sparkling wine produced in Russia in January-August, RATK data show, which makes the peninsula's underperformance material for national supply. Sevastopol, reported separately, was more stable: sparkling bottling there fell 10% to 521,850 decalitres, while still wine edged up 0.9% to 633,520 decalitres from a comparatively small base.

Kommersant describes the sharp drop in Russian winemaking as one of the defining trends of the alcohol market in 2026. Industry participants attribute it to bottling halts at several large producers and weaker retail sales under pressure from rising prices and a narrower assortment.

Logistics: bottles, corks and freight costs

Crimean producers cannot always bottle and ship on schedule. Alexander Stavtsev, head of WineRetail, said delivery times have stretched out, with bottles and corks arriving late and forcing wineries to move their plans. Sergey Mishenkin, founder of the Crimean winery Mancopia, said shortages of glass left many companies simply unable to bottle finished wine for shipment to warehouses.

Freight economics have deteriorated sharply. A source in the wine market told Kommersant that transport now operates under heightened risk, that some companies refuse to travel to the peninsula at all, and that delivery into the region costs on average twice as much as the cargo of bottles itself. According to Mishenkin, that has pushed packaging costs up by 30-40%.

The impact is uneven across the supply chain. Alexander Lipilin, executive director of the wine trading company Fort, said one Crimean winery delayed a delivery by two to three weeks this year because of logistics problems. The Ladoga group, by contrast, reported that shipments from Crimea have been running steadily since the end of last year.

Power cuts, fuel and the 2025 white grape harvest

Electricity supply has compounded the logistics constraints. Power cuts in Crimea became routine from July, Stavtsev said, and wineries frequently lack fuel. Kommersant lists shortages of gasoline, raw material and potential customers among the additional pressures on local producers.

Grape supply is a separate bottleneck. Drought cut the 2025 white grape harvest and left insufficient Chardonnay, so producers began making sparkling wine from Cabernet Sauvignon and other classic red varieties, an approach previously considered unjustifiably expensive. Stavtsev said last year's fruit is now practically exhausted, while the 2026 crop is only starting to reach the market, and some producers had to suspend output altogether because of the shortage.

Demand and outlook

Sales have weakened alongside supply. A fall in tourist arrivals in Crimea this year has cut the number of potential consumers, since travellers normally account for a significant volume of wine drunk on the peninsula.

Stavtsev expects the contraction to be temporary, pointing to strong demand for Crimean wine in the retail segment below 800 roubles per bottle. Mishenkin said the 2026 grape harvest in Crimea is good.