The history of Russian winemaking spans over 300 years. Now, domestic producers have every chance to become industry leaders due to a number of factors: - high interest from the state and private investors; - favorable geographical location of the southern regions; - the development of the wine business in less traditional locations, leading to greater market diversity. The winemaking industry in Russia is on the rise. At the end of April, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation published statistics confirming this. According to the department, from January to March of this year, domestic producers released about 16.5 million decalitres of wine products. In the still wine segment, volumes exceeded last year's by a quarter for the same period; sparkling wines increased by 42.7%. Demand is also growing. In the first quarter of 2024, wine product sales in the country increased by 6.6% compared to January-March 2023. The boom in the industry is largely stimulated by market conditions. However, to consolidate success in the coming years, it is necessary not only to seize the moment and quickly implement best practices but also to pay immense attention to the problems of competition in the alcohol market, balancing comprehensive support for the domestic segment, the business interests of producers and distributors, and the interests of consumers. How prepared Russian winemakers are for this and what awaits them in the next five years will be discussed at the "VinoGrad" platform within the framework of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Russians are shifting to affordable sparkling wines. The first quarter of 2024 showed a 43.6% increase in demand compared to the same period last year, as reported by "Kommersant" in May. Thus, today's consumers face the task of choosing a good drink in the affordable segment. We discussed whether this is possible and how to do it with Vladislav Markin, the best sommelier in Russia in 2013. What should buyers pay attention to first when looking at bottles on the store shelf? In fact, there are no clear criteria. In any country, there are minimum production requirements. These include permitted production zones, grape varieties, aging methods, etc. But there can be no quality marks on the label. Essentially, consumers can only rely on their own taste. Or they need to look specifically at each country and each price segment. What are the signs that transportation and/or storage conditions of sparkling wine were poor? The first sign is the presence of tartrates in the sparkling wine. They can appear as flakes or gelatinous sediment in the bottle. Their appearance may be related to a sharp temperature change and will affect the organoleptic properties - the aroma and taste. Secondly, the bottles can be quite transparent, not made of green or dark glass. If the wine was stored improperly and oxidized in the sun, it can be identified by a yellowing or amber tint at the bottom of the bottle. I've heard that now it's enough to scan the excise stamp right on the spot to check the quality of the drink. Does this really work? No, this won't check the quality. The excise stamp can always be replaced; such counterfeits exist. By scanning it, you can only determine if it matches the declared label or not, nothing more. However, distributors who bring wines must submit several samples for certification, quality checks, and all characteristics. So the presence of an excise stamp indicates that the distributor has passed the batch through Roskachestvo. Cork - screw cap or traditional? Does it affect quality? The cork affects not the quality but the cost of the bottle and the lifespan of the wine. Screw caps are mainly used for wines that need to be consumed within two to three years of the harvest year, that's all. Is it true that price determines quality? It's one of the factors to consider when choosing a drink. More expensive options will always be of higher quality, more thoughtful, but they do not guarantee that you will like them more. Taste is an individual and relative concept, and you can always find a more affordable wine at a reasonable price that will taste good to you.