Abrau-Durso releases its first sparkling wine with protected designation of origin

MOSCOW. Feb 7 (Interfax) - The Abrau-Durso company has released its first wine with protected designation of origin, that is, a wine with a unique set of qualities which are characteristic of a specific area.

The company's press release says that the Cuvee Alexander II wine is the project of winemaking director Georges Blanc. It is named in honor of Emperor Alexander II, whose name has special meaning for Abrau-Durso. It was during his reign and by his special decree that the Abrau-Durso estate was founded in the fall of 1870.

Blanc has been living in Russia and creating sparkling wines for Abrau-Durso for over seven years. Inviting French specialists into this role is the wine house's long-standing tradition, the press release said.

Blanc said that the new wine was created from special Abrau-Durso vintages. "The assemblage includes wines that were stored in our enoteca from 2008 onwards," he said.

The limited edition super-premium Cuvee Alexander II sparkling wine consists of just 7.000 bottles, 6,000 of which are 0.75-liter bottles and 1,000 of which are in the 1.5L magnum format. The new product is already available in the Abrau-Durso chain of branded stores.

Abrau-Durso is one of Russia's leading producers of sparkling wines, and has expanded its portfolio to include still wines, vodka and other drinks. The company sold more than 54.1 million bottles of alcoholic and non-alcoholic products in 2022, which is 18.1% more than in 2021.

The company is owned by the family of business ombudsman Boris Titov.