This Polish wine seminar, presented by Adam Michocki at the Cool Climate Wine Summit in Copenhagen in January 2025, highlighted the dynamic evolution of Poland’s wine industry. Adam, who runs Central Wines, an agency focused on importing wines from Central Europe to the UK, engaged with notable Polish winegrower Kamil Barczentweicz during the event.
Poland possesses a rich winemaking heritage dating back to the 12th century, when Cistercian monks were known to produce wine. However, the contemporary winegrowing scene in Poland is relatively new, having emerged over the past 25 years. This surge has seen the inception of around 500 wineries, with a remarkable increase in the last 5-10 years, now covering over 1000 hectares of vineyards.
Most Polish wineries are small and family-owned. Unlike the UK wine industry, where many wineries acquire grapes from other growers, in Poland, each winery cultivates its own grapes. In fact, Poland is the second-largest country in zone A for cool climate wine production, boasting around 500-600 wineries. The cultivation is primarily concentrated in the southern and western regions, which are the driest and warmest.
Poland’s vineyards are predominantly planted with hybrids, although there has been a noticeable trend towards vinifera varieties. Pinot Noir is increasingly popular, but it occupies only about 100 hectares, making it the second-most planted variety after Riesling. Other prominent red varieties include Regent and Rondo, with Rondo gradually being phased out.
Some standout wines highlighted include:
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Dom Janton Blanc de Blancs NV: With 6 hectares of vines, this medium-sized producer focuses on sparkling wines. Their traditional-method Seyval Blanc is noted for its aromatic freshness and pleasant texture, receiving a score of 88/100.
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Winnica Sztolcman Pet-Nat 2023: This 100% Solaris wine exhibits powerful fruit intensity with a hint of sweetness, also scoring 88/100.
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Winnica Turnau Chardonnay 2022: Produced in the NW part of Poland, this wine presents a blend of melon, pineapple, and citrus flavors, receiving a score of 90/100.
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Winnica Niewmczanska Blanc de Noirs Pinot Noir NV: This wine features good acidity and fruity expression, scoring 89/100.
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Winnica Silesian Roter Riesling 2022: Known for its aromatic complexities and good structure, this wine earned a commendable score of 92/100.
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Kamil Barczentweicz Dobre Modre Blaufränkisch 2022: Located near Lublin, this wine showcases elegant fruit expression and remarkable focus, achieving a high rating of 95/100.
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Moderna Pinot Noir 2022: Made from French clones and emphasizing purity, this Pinot Noir received a score of 92/100.
These examples reflect the burgeoning potential of Polish wines, underpinned by unique regional characteristics and a growing emphasis on quality vinifera varieties.