Wine tour from Odessa to Shabo

The London Wine Fair in May, 2016 had a catalogue which listed countries exhibiting wines and I headed for Ukraine (from where my paternal ancestors emigrated to London, England). I must confess I'd never heard of Shabo nor its wines but I had heard of Odessa and Shabo is a vineyard village in the Odessa province. Shabo is known for its huge vineyard and winery and wine museum.

"Here's our flag with the word Shabo on it," said Olga.

The mural photo of the barrels shows you some idea of the extent of the winery.

In the distance is a picture of the vineyards.

Olga even had a wineglass on the back of her mobile phone.

Wine-making in this area dates back to 1822. Their wines include red, white and rose wines, brandies, one night wines (see their website for an explanation), sparkling wines, wheat or grape vodkas and vermouths. Also bag and box wines.

She told me that Shabo is north of Odessa (the south facing port and resort). You can take a day trip from Odessa to the vineyard and eat lunch in the restaurant opposite. Shabo, she said, has only one restaurant. 

Olga's Tip About Your Trip To Shabo From Odessa

Don't take the train from Odessa to Shabo because a) The train is infrequent and b) The train stops outside the village. But the bus runs more regularly and drops you right outside the vineyard and museum.

I did an internet search and was delighted to find lots of pictures of the Shabo winery and museum. Go to Tripadvsior and you can see several photos of the vineyards, extensive winery and cellars, the  old objects and areas contrasting with the ultra-new displays in the museum and huge modern vats.

If you want to see another winery whilst you are in Shabo, a second small privately owned winery is there if you want to contrast both in one day. The big Shabo winery was founded by the Swiss.

The area has no hotels, so you would have to stay in Odessa, which is no hardship, as it is Ukraine's third largest city. What is there to do in Odessa?

Shabo Winery Visit

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g2693138-d5771287-Reviews-Shabo_Wine_Cultural_Center-Odessa_Oblast.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUlwAoDFq_U

Complete Tours Of Odessa Area

http://edo.od.ua/en/ekskursii-v-odesse/neobichnie-ekskursii-po-odesse/s 

Odessa

Pushkin Museum

Literary Museum

Catacombs and Museum. Catacombs largest in the world, larger than those in Rome. Contrast and complement to any previous tours you have don to catacombs in Rome and Vietnam. (Read riveting accounts on TripAdvisor:- historical stories of WWII, partisans; modern tourists who explore without a guide and get lost and never found, supposedly from one to five a year, and the fact that fears of houses and buildings falling into collapsing caves below prevent building an underground railway network.) Advice includes: go with a guide/ you don't need a guide; must check somebody with a key will open the museum; allow several hours because once underground in dark labyrinth of tunnels with a group you can't leave on your own; wear warm clothes; wear flat shoes; take a torch; not for the nervous or claustrophobic; low ceilings; be aware that the exit at the far end is up a long flight of stairs; if you can't face the catacombs just do the museum at ground level - this visit is a must.

Theatre of Opera and Ballet (with busts of famous authors Pushkin etc)

Jewish Museum

Odessa Hotels

Many hotels, some with outdoor or indoor swimming pools. Prices range from about £50 to about £150. See TripAdvisor and Expedia.

If you google Shabo winery pictures you get a good overall look at the winery and museum from various websites.

Now back in your hotel in Odessa, Ukraine, or worldwide, look at the restaurant menu or the website for wines and spirits from Shabo. They produce wines, sparkling wine, grape vodka, and brandy. Distribution is in Ukraine and to many countries including Russia Finland, China and Israel.

(I keep correcting this page. I type in S h a b o and when the spell checker suggests S h a b a I click on the cross but later the word is still underlined in red and afterwards when I look back it has changed.)

SHABO LLC

10 Dzerzhinsky Str., v. Shabo, 67770, Belgorod-Dnestrovsky District, Odessa region, Ukraine

Ph: +38 (048) 734-07-90

Fax: +38 (048) 734-07-90

E-mail: office@shabo.ua

Web: www.shabo.ua

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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