OREANDA-NEWS  Grape harvest for wine production has started in the southernmost region of Russia – Dagestan, Shamil Aliyev, chief winemaker of Derbent Wine, told RIA Novosti.

"The grape harvest has started in Dagestan. Despite yesterday's bad weather in the region, in particular in Derbent - heavy rain and wind gusts up to 20 m / s, a sharp drop in temperature, after months of heat - the vineyards were not affected, and the quality of the berries remained at a high level," said the winemaker.

According to him, the harvest begins, as a rule, with white varieties, Bianca and Augustine will be the first at the winery. These are early-maturing varieties that reach the level of sweetness and maturity earlier than others - they produce fresh, aromatic wines with a vibrant character.

In the coming weeks, Dagestan winegrowers will start harvesting red varieties. The winery plans to process the entire harvest in the optimal time, until October this year. "We are fully ready for processing and expect a good harvest. The bad weather did not affect the schedule of work and the quality of the grapes. All services and production facilities are operating normally and are ready to start the season," Aliyev said.

Derbent Wine produces products from grapes grown in the Dagestan wine-growing area. The company's vineyards cover an area of more than 1,500 hectares, which makes it possible to use only its own grapes in production and guarantee quality control at all stages. The company produces 10 million bottles of wine products per year. The product portfolio includes lines of sparkling and still wines, which are represented in all regions of Russia.