UKRAINIAN ARTWINERY DEMI-SEC ROSÉ SPARKLING WINE is now available at selected LCBO Vintages stores in Ontario. This is an exceptional Charmat method, double-fermented bubbly from the courageous and resilient makers of Krimsekt, who were displaced from their winery and relocated to Odesa, when Bakhmut was destroyed and occupied. It is an innovative blend of Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, crisp and just off dry. Perfect for summer. Support Ukraine and use something amazing to toast to VICTORY! Click on the pic or link below to find out where you can buy it. https://www.lcbo.com/.../victory-demi-sec-rose-sparkling...

WHERE TO BUY

The best way to find stores with stock is to do a product search on lcbo.com. 

To find where to buy the new rose, click the link below:

ROSÉ https://www.lcbo.com/en/victory-demi-sec-rose-sparkling-42016

There are still a couple of bottles of the red and white out there. It may involve a drive, but you could get lucky. Click these links to find what’s left:

WHITE https://www.lcbo.com/en/artemivske-victory-white-brut-sparkling-40769

RED https://www.lcbo.com/en/artemivske-victory-red-semi-sweet-sparkling-40768

CONTACT INFORMATION

Both co-founders (CEO and CXO) can be made available for interview, video or comment.  There may be an opportunity to interview the Ukrainian winemaker/exporter by video or audio, depending on connectivity, situation and timing.  For video and photos, attractive Ukrainian-themed venues can be arranged with tastings.

For more information, requests and photos, please contact:

John Vellinga, CXO. jvellinga@zirkova.com +1 905 601 1649

THE STORY OF ARTWINERY

Click below for the CBC TV story of Artwinery (or scroll down and read on)

https://www.facebook.com/krimsekt/videos/883753219831272

Imagine this…

Your home and the city you live in have been completely destroyed: every building, store, your chidrens’ school and the hospital are ruins. Your family, friends and neighbours are fighting the invaders – and many have been killed or injured. The historic place where you worked and made your career has been destroyed and you are forced to flee. You are now a refugee, with nowhere to live and no work to provide a living.

What do you do?

If you are the people of the Artwinery winery, you muster up the courage you can, move to Odesa, find a place to live - and start over. But even here, the city has been damaged, air raid sirens sound several times a day and there is a risk you could lose everything - again.

The makers of Krimsekt sparkling wines left their ruined homes and business in Bakhmut, relocated their wine-making team and started again – by working with a partner winery in Odesa. They created new bubblies, different from the ones they used to make, but superb in a totally new way. They audaciously named them the Artwinery VICTORY series – and are now at the LCBO.

This is a story of courage and extraordinary resilience.

For almost three years, Russia has waged a brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. In 2023, the world watched in horror as the city of Bakhmut in Ukraine was reduced to rubble by advancing waves of mercenary invaders. The death and destruction are on a scale not seen since World War II. Bakhmut was just one of the many Ukrainian towns and cities that have been annihilated by Putin’s Russia. The city was known for the amazing Artwinery winery, makers of the renowned Krimsekt.

For over two decades, Katherine Vellinga had been importing these wines to Canada. Vellinga is better known as the CEO of Zirkova, a Canadian company which produces ultra-premium vodka in Ukraine. She explains, “Krimsekt was a labour of love. Our main business is obviously Zirkova vodka, but we fell in love with Krimsekt when we lived in Ukraine 25 years ago. Last year, we were able to arrange a special shipment of the last of the Krimsekt bottles evacuated from Bakhmut. It sold out at the LCBO within weeks.”

She adds, “We thought that was the heart-breaking end to this story. But never under-estimate Ukrainians!”

Katherine and John Vellinga, her husband and business partner, have been to Ukraine several times since the start of the full-scale invasion and war to work on initiatives to help the country and to ensure the survival of their own business. On John’s trip to Ukraine in March 2024, he traveled through Moldova to Odesa where he met with the displaced, yet brave winemaker and Artwinery employees. “I heard of what they were doing and had to go see it for myself. At the time, there were constant air strikes on Odesa, so it was concerning, but I have the utmost admiration for these amazing people and wanted to support them in any way that I could,” John says.

John with the winemaker and Artwinery Victory people in Odesa, Ukraine in 2024                                                  

“The VICTORY series of bubblies are different from Krimsekt, but the good news is that they are fantastic – and may be a bit more accessible and familiar to most people,” he explains. “They are crowd-pleasers and at $19.95, a good price.”

Just as with Krimsekt, the Artwinery VICTORY sparkling wines were first available at the LCBO as both a white and a red, this past holiday season.  This time, the white was a BRUT made from Chardonnay, Riesling and Aligoté grapes.  The red semi-sweet was once again a blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Saperavi grapes.  

But for more good news, the LCBO has a rosé version that just showed up.  This rose is a crisp and nuanced blend of Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon – the rinds from which it gets it light pink colour.

Says John, “this is the first time that the LCBO has ordered outside of the holiday season, when people buy a lot of bubby. They have been very helpful and supportive to Ukraine during this extremely difficult time.”

Katherine adds, “It is a great way to support Ukraine.  There are so few Ukrainian products here, besides Zirkova vodka.   By enjoying this amazing bubby, you can help Ukraine, while toasting to its victory!”