
2024
Region
Ukraine › Chernihiv Oblast
Type
red · still
Grapes
Pinot Noir
Alcohol
13%
Volume
750 mL
Ok, a bit impressed - didn't expect this to be this good. Not brilliant, but arguably one of the best Pinot Noirs from Ukraine. Cherries, a little bit of shrimps-with-lemon (I know that sounds crazy, but it freaking works, nothing funky here), pencil lead, rosemary, thyme. Good acidity, good volume, quite juicy, a touch of bitterness, properly delicious. The score may be affected by the surprise, but as a Ukrainian Pinot Noir from Bessarabia fruit, this is a real achievement.
100% Pinot Noir, six months in Ukrainian rock-oak (skelyastyi dub) barrel, no additives or colourants, only a small antioxidant SO2 dose. Hand-numbered as bottle 0134 of 1,945; bottled 7 October 2025; 13%.
Vinoman is the northernmost licensed winery in Ukraine - Borys Slaboshevskyi's project in Zhavynka village on the Desna River, Chernihiv Oblast (about 1 ha owned plus around 3 ha leased on sandy soils, cool northern climate atypical for Ukrainian viticulture). The estate page for the 2024 release states that this Pinot Noir was assembled from two southern Bessarabian parcels in Odesa Oblast - i.e. Black Sea steppe fruit, finished and bottled at the Chernihiv urban winery. The producer also bottles a separate Pinot Noir Chernihiv terroir from estate fruit; this isn't that one.