For the first time in its nineteen-year history, a national stand of Lithuanian winemakers is being formed at the international wine exhibition "Wine Days", which will take place on 10-11 May at the Litexpo in Vilnius, Lithuania, the organisers of the exhibition inform. Although wine growers are currently worried about the return of frosts, the exhibition will offer grape wine from Kaunas, Šakiai and Rokiškis districts that many Lithuanians have never tasted before, mead from Kėdainiai, Rokiškis and Šiauliai districts, mulberry wine from Vilnius district, and other fruit and berry wines. In the eyes of the winemakers, the national stand is a strong sign that winemaking in Lithuania is a rapidly growing economic and cultural field.
"We want to present the widest possible variety of our country's beverages at the exhibition," says head of exhibition Ernesta Palubinskienė. "This year, the list of well-known producers, such as Voruta, Alita, Bosca, will be supplemented by Geri metai, Ilzenbergas dvaras, Vyno kerai, Šušvės midus and Saulės midus. The Lithuanian winemakers' stand will not only offer the opportunity to taste beverages, but also to get acquainted with Lithuanian oak barrels, and the company Vitis will present viticulture and vineyard equipment.
Over 100 hectares of wine grape varieties have been planted in Lithuania in recent years
According to Ramūnas Pilvelis, President of the Lithuanian Vine Growers Association and owner of Vitis, over 100 hectares of wine grape varieties have been planted in Lithuania in recent years. The largest vineyards are between 2.5 and 4 hectares in size and are already starting to produce.
"Andrius Diliautas, winemaker at Ilzenbergs dvaros, says that over 6,000 American grape varieties of 'St. Pepin', 'Adalmiina', 'Frontenac blanc', 'La Crescent', 'Marquette', 'Frontenac' seedlings. Each of the seedlings can produce an average of two bottles of wine per adult.
However, it is not only American varieties that are successful in Lithuania. Artūras and Asta Ramaškevičiai of the winery 'Vyno kerai' in Šakiai and Kaunas region grow only European and Lithuanian varieties such as 'Solaris', 'Varduva' and 'Juodupė'.
Spring frosts worry local winemakers
Although American grape varieties are better able to withstand winter frosts, all grape varieties are very susceptible to spring frosts. This year, spring is almost three weeks away, so temperatures below 0 °C this week could damage grape buds that have already opened and worry winemakers.
Last year's temperatures of -6 °C were not helped by the water sprinklers often used in Lithuania, which, when activated during frost, raise the temperature in the vineyard by a few degrees, while the buds, leaves and emerging flowers are protected from the cold by an icy coating.
Mead producers are not threatened by frost
"Spring frosts are not a threat to bees," says Erikas Augustinavičius, President of the Lithuanian Winemakers' Association and owner of Šušvės midaus. - The bees successfully regulate the temperature in the hive. But if it is windy, rainy and cold, it is difficult for them to fly."
When the gardens, the blinds and the maple trees started to bloom, the bees already started to produce honey. Beekeepers jokingly call it "violet honey".
An early spring is good, according to mead maker. The earlier a bee moults and receives pollen, the better. "Šušvės midaus' mead is aged for 2 to 5 years, so the oldest honey on display at the Vyno dienos will be from the 2019 harvest.
Beekeeper E. Augustinavičius recalls that during that time, only 2022 was a rainy year and the bees produced less mead. "Šušvės midus makes the sweetest mead, roughly of the 'anthracite' type. They therefore need more honey. Another participant in the Vyno dienos, Roma Mačienė, owner of Saulės midaus, likes to add cherry, rosehip, rosehip and quince juice to her less sweet mead.
A winemaker from Vilnius district with an unusual mulberry wine
The national stand will also offer the opportunity to taste a rare type of mulberry wine that is rarely seen in the world. Giedrius Kaukas, who is travelling to the exhibition from the winery "Geri metai" (Good Years) in the Vilnius region, has been growing 1 500 rowan trees and 800 snowdrops near Sužioniai for six years, and has recently planted 800 elderberry trees.
In northern climates, the trees flower late. Even last year's frosts did not harm them. The production of the winery, which is in its second year on the market, will increase several times in the future, as 10-20 kg of berries can be harvested from an adult rowan. Therefore, like other Lithuanian winemakers, he hopes to introduce his sloe wine to restaurants, bars and shops and to educate the consumers who visit the exhibition. "When people hear that it's a wine made from rose hips, they are sceptical. So it's very interesting to see people's reactions when they first taste a rosehip wine at the show. Myths and preconceptions are shattered before their eyes," said the winemaker.
"We hope that the national stand of winemakers and mead makers will attract a lot of attention from visitors, encourage them to learn more about the diversity of their country's beverages and be proud of the achievements of Lithuanian winemakers. It is not for nothing that this year's first Lithuanian wine tourism map will be on display at the exhibition, with all the wineries of our country marked, which can be visited during summer trips around the country," Ernesta Palubinskienė sums up and reminds that the exhibition will take place on 10-11 May at Litexpo.
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