Women Defining the New Era of Ukrainian Wine
Women Defining the New Era of Ukrainian Wine
When we talk about resilience in the wine world, we usually mean vines that survive frost, drought, or disease. In Ukraine, however, the word has taken on a deeper meaning. Winemaking here is not only agriculture — it is an act of cultural and economic resilience.
At the center of this new chapter are two remarkable women: Svitlana Tsybak of Beykush Winery and Alla Plachkovaof Kolonist Winery. Through vision, determination, and deep belief in Ukrainian terroir, they are helping redefine the country’s wine identity.
Svitlana Tsybak: The Architect of Survival
At Beykush Winery, located on the Black Sea coast in the Mykolaiv region, Svitlana Tsybak has become one of the leading figures of Ukraine’s craft wine movement. As President of the Ukrainian Association of Craft Winemakers, she has played a key role in supporting small independent producers and promoting Ukrainian wine abroad.
During the 2022 invasion, her logistics expertise helped wineries pivot toward export markets when domestic supply chains collapsed. The same year, Beykush achieved international recognition when its orange wine Arbina, made from Rkatsiteli, won Gold at the Decanter World Wine Awards.
Svitlana is also a strong advocate for indigenous grapes, particularly Telti-Kuruk, helping position it as a potential flagship white variety for Ukraine.
Alla Plachkova: The Guardian of Bessarabian Identity
In the historic region of Danubian Bessarabia, Alla Plachkova leads Kolonist Winery, a project dedicated to reviving the region’s rich winemaking heritage. Together with her husband Ivan Plachkov, she established the winery in the village of Krynychne in the Odesa region.
Her work has helped elevate indigenous Ukrainian varieties into the premium category, particularly Odesa Black and Sukholymanskyi White. Under her leadership, Kolonist wines have become ambassadors of Ukrainian terroir, frequently presented at international wine fairs and official events.
For Alla, wine is more than a product — it is the story of the Bessarabian steppe, its culture, and its people.
Together, Svitlana Tsybak and Alla Plachkova represent a new generation of Ukrainian winemaking — one defined by resilience, identity, and an unwavering belief in the potential of Ukrainian wine on the world stage.