Ukraine is confidently shaping its own wine culture: new generations of winemakers are experimenting with local grape varieties, producing sparkling wines using both classical and modern techniques, and proving that our wines can compete with European ones. The best way to experience this progress is by attending wine festivals and tastings, which bring together winemakers, cheesemakers, and thousands of gastronomy enthusiasts in one place.
We’ve gathered the key events worth adding to your calendar this year and in 2026.
This is one of the country’s most popular gastronomic festivals, which has been developing wine culture and promoting Ukrainian wines since 2014. And you still have time to attend it. In October, visitors will find a wine market featuring 30 Ukrainian new-wave wineries. You can taste wines from Podillia, Kyiv region, Zakarpattia, Galicia, and Bessarabia — from classics (Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc) to unique local varieties (Odeskyi Chornyi, Sukholymanskyi Bilyi).
There’s also a large cheese market offering dozens of options from the best Ukrainian cheesemakers. In addition to tastings, there are lectures at the “School of Cheese and Wine,” masterclasses, wine glass painting, and even wine painting sessions. At the food court, you can enjoy ribs, pizza, or modern interpretations of Ukrainian dishes to pair with your drinks.
The Ukrainian Wine Festival is an event that showcases how rapidly the wine industry is developing in the country. Every year, it gathers winemakers from different regions in Lviv and proves that Ukrainian wine stands out for its quality and diversity.
The festival program includes a large fair of wines and farm products, tastings with professional sommeliers, a food court with gastronomic pairings, and the Wine Art Space — a creative area with installations, photo zones, and wine paintings.
Last year, the festival was integrated with the “Best Ukrainian Wine” competition. Visitors had the opportunity to taste the winning wines in the categories of white, red, rosé, orange, and sparkling wines.
The next Ukrainian Wine Festival will take place in 2026.
SUPERNATURAL WINE FESTIVAL is one of the most atmospheric events in the world of natural wine in Ukraine. It has already been held five times, and each event turns into a grand tasting with a special vibe.
The festival format is simple yet unique: over 200 types of natural wine from around the world, a personal tasting glass with a ribbon (so you can freely walk around and sample), and the opportunity to try absolutely everything. Winemakers from Austria, Hungary, Georgia, Italy, France, Ukraine, and other countries participate, and there are lectures and meetups with those who are making natural wine part of the global trend.
The festival always combines gastronomic excitement with a charitable aspect: a percentage of ticket sales is traditionally donated to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and additional donations are collected on-site.
Be Wine International Wine Show is a large-scale wine event that has been uniting Ukrainian and international producers, importers, sommeliers, HoReCa representatives, and wine culture enthusiasts since 2021. In May 2025, the festival welcomed guests at the Parkovy Exhibition and Convention Center and once again confirmed that Ukraine’s wine scene can stand alongside international events.
Over two days, visitors had the opportunity to taste more than 200 types of wine at nearly 100 tastings, visit four tasting halls (including Speed Tasting and Professional Tasting rooms), and spend time in the Wine Zone and Food & Lounge Zone. For professionals, it was a chance to find new partners and better understand the profile of the modern wine consumer.
The scale of Be Wine is confirmed by the numbers: since 2021, over 9,000 guests have attended the events, with 500 types of wine and spirits presented, 80 professional and 300 quick tastings held, and over 200 talks and 38 lectures delivered by leading industry speakers.
The festival also has an important charitable component: in 2025, part of the ticket sales revenue and 100% of the proceeds from interactive experiences were donated by the organizers to support the Superhumans Center.
At the end of the year, Uzhhorod transforms into the center of wine culture — this is where the Zakarpattia Beaujolais Festival takes place, dedicated to the young wine of the new harvest.
The Beaujolais tradition came to Zakarpattia from France, where winemakers were the first to celebrate the youngest wine. Its uniqueness lies in the method of carbonic maceration: the grape clusters are not pressed but left whole for fermentation. As a result, the wine retains its lightness, delicacy, and aroma, which vary slightly each year depending on the harvest.
In Uzhhorod, festival guests can taste the fruits of the best Zakarpattia winemakers’ labor. The festive atmosphere is enriched with raffles and lotteries, a souvenir fair, and traditional Hutsul cuisine. There is also storytelling about the region’s winemaking history and its modern revival.
Interestingly, in 2011, the festival was held in the old wine cellar “Sovyne Hnizdo” (Owl’s Nest) in Uzhhorod. So each Zakarpattia Beaujolais event has its own unique story and mood.
This year, Lviv is preparing for the anniversary, fifteenth Cheese and Wine Festival — an event that has become a true symbol of the autumn city. Since 2010, the festival has annually gathered thousands of guests and introduced them to the culture of winemaking and cheesemaking.
In Lviv, the tradition of wine tasting has deep roots. Several centuries ago, beverages were imported into the historical city from Spain, Italy, and Crete, and vineyards were even cultivated on the slopes of the High Castle. Today, the festival continues these traditions in a modern format.
Visitors can expect a large fair featuring a hundred winemakers and cheesemakers, tasting zones, lectures by sommeliers, the special “Wine and Poetry” format, a music stage, and open-air film screenings.
The festival is also known for its unique attractions: the creation of “wine portraits,” a public grape-stomping performance, and even a “wine post,” which allows guests to send an art postcard from the festival to anywhere in the world. You can also enjoy craft mulled wine or the legendary drink “Medovyi Vklyak,” which comes with its own ritual of consumption.
As tradition goes, the festival combines gastronomy and good causes — during the event, donations are collected to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Instead of exhausting travels and rushing around — it’s all about immersing yourself deeply in the local atmosphere and culture. Slow travel today is not just a trendy concept but a real necessity for Ukrainians. A necessity to stop, take a breath, and finally exhale. In the article “Slow Travel in Ukraine: 6 Authentic Places for a Leisurely Weekend Getaway”, we’ve gathered six unique destinations perfect for mindful and unhurried rest.
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