Grapes of wrath: Ukraine's winegrower 'closest to the frontline'

Close up of grapes in Parutyne
Close up of grapes in Parutyne Copyright Euronews
Copyright Euronews
By Euronews with AFP
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Pavlo Magalias has made two equal piles; on the left are remnants of ancient storage jars unearthed in recent years at his vineyard in southern Ukraine; to the right, cluster bombs, dropped since the war broke out.

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Pavlo Magalias is the winemaker closest to Ukraine’s frontline. Work continues as normal in Parutyne. As local residents collect the harvest, shelling can be heard in the not-so-far distance.

For some workers, the uncertainty is all-consuming.

Despite the military activity, winemaker Magalias is optimistic about this year's harvest.

"This is the year. The grapes give a lot this year, they give everything. We have done the chemical analysis, it is all good [...] It might have the smell of gunpowder, but it is going to be good. This year is a great year. One hundred percent."

Wine culture in Ukraine is traditionally concentrated around the Crimea region.

When Russia invaded Crimea in 2014, the region’s wine producers took a heavy blow.

Ukraine lost more than half its bottled wines, mostly semi-sweet and dessert wines. Magalia will be hoping for a different outcome this year.

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