Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT1023
2009-08-13 12:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMEN WINES WON INTERNATIONAL PRIZES
how-toVZCZCXRO1323 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #1023/01 2251229 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 131229Z AUG 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3285 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 5533 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 3253 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3118 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 3776 RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHRC/USDA WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001023
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EB
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURE COUNSELOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN WINES WON INTERNATIONAL PRIZES
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001023
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EB
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURE COUNSELOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN WINES WON INTERNATIONAL PRIZES
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for Internet
distribution.
2. (U) SUMMARY: Turkmenistan's state-owned wine
industry dates back to the 1920s. It produces
predominantly a sweet red wine, most of which is exported
to Russia. The government's news agency reported
recently that Turkmenistan's winemakers gained
prestigious prizes at the recent International Wine
Competition in Yalta. According to the report,
these prizes supplemented the previous one hundred
international prizes gained by Turkmenistan's winemakers
over the past sixteen years. The prize-winning wines
are not available for purchase on the local market.
END SUMMARY.
3. (U) On August 5, the Turkmen Government news agency
reported that Turkmenistan's winemakers gained two grand
prizes and seven gold medals at the recent International
Wine Competition in Yalta. The event was sponsored by
the Paris-based International Organization of Vine and
Wine (an intergovernmental organization that deals with
technical and scientific aspects of viticulture and
winemaking) and organized by the Ukrainian National
Institute of Vine and Wine and the Union of CIS
viticulturists and winemakers. It gathered 65 wineries
and companies from 17 countries. Turkmen cognac, "The
Great Revival" of the Ashgabat wine factory and white
vintage dessert wine, "Yasman Salyk" of Geoktepe wine
factory won the competition's grand prizes. Dessert
wines of Ashgabat, Geoktepe, Abadan and Iolotan wine
factories gained gold medals. The news report claimed
that Turkmen winemakers had won over one hundred
international prizes over the past sixteen years.
4. (U) Turkmenistan's Food Industry Association
supervises the wine industry by issuing licenses for wine
factories and controlling the quality of their products.
Turkmenistan produces Marsala and Madeira wines. There
are eight state-owned wine factories in the country. The
oldest of them, the Ashgabat wine factory, was founded in
1922. The news article reported that the Ashgabat wine
factory presented the first-ever locally-made dry red
wine at the Yalta Competition. However, the locally-made
dry wine is not yet available on the local market.
5. (U) According to the Food Industry Association,
Turkmenistan has 28,000 hectares of vineyards. Farmers
grow grapes on state-owned vineyards on a contract basis.
They sell grapes to the state-owned wine factories at a
government-fixed price of 1,000,000 manat per ton
(approximately USD 70).
6. (SBU) An Embassy contact familiar with the local wine
industry said that Turkmen wine is primarily exported to
Russia. Russian companies buy it because it is cheap.
In general, the quality of Turkmen wine is not as good as
the Turkmen news agency claimed in its report because of
outdated technology and old equipment at Turkmen
wineries. According to our contact, the wines that were
exhibited at the Yalta Competition were produced under
special conditions and in limited amounts. They are not
available for sale to the public.
7. (SBU) COMMENT: Turkmen wine is not popular among
locals because of its extreme sweetness. At a recent
agricultural exhibition, a display of Turkmen wines and
cognac included a couple bottles of the award-winning dry
red wine "Oguzkent." When one of the exhibitors
attempted to open the bottle in order to offer samples,
ASHGABAT 00001023 002 OF 002
half the cork crumbled, ending the attempt. Still, if
Turkmen winemakers would focus on producing a palatable
table wine, they could find considerable demand in the
currently untapped local market. END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EB
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURE COUNSELOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN WINES WON INTERNATIONAL PRIZES
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for Internet
distribution.
2. (U) SUMMARY: Turkmenistan's state-owned wine
industry dates back to the 1920s. It produces
predominantly a sweet red wine, most of which is exported
to Russia. The government's news agency reported
recently that Turkmenistan's winemakers gained
prestigious prizes at the recent International Wine
Competition in Yalta. According to the report,
these prizes supplemented the previous one hundred
international prizes gained by Turkmenistan's winemakers
over the past sixteen years. The prize-winning wines
are not available for purchase on the local market.
END SUMMARY.
3. (U) On August 5, the Turkmen Government news agency
reported that Turkmenistan's winemakers gained two grand
prizes and seven gold medals at the recent International
Wine Competition in Yalta. The event was sponsored by
the Paris-based International Organization of Vine and
Wine (an intergovernmental organization that deals with
technical and scientific aspects of viticulture and
winemaking) and organized by the Ukrainian National
Institute of Vine and Wine and the Union of CIS
viticulturists and winemakers. It gathered 65 wineries
and companies from 17 countries. Turkmen cognac, "The
Great Revival" of the Ashgabat wine factory and white
vintage dessert wine, "Yasman Salyk" of Geoktepe wine
factory won the competition's grand prizes. Dessert
wines of Ashgabat, Geoktepe, Abadan and Iolotan wine
factories gained gold medals. The news report claimed
that Turkmen winemakers had won over one hundred
international prizes over the past sixteen years.
4. (U) Turkmenistan's Food Industry Association
supervises the wine industry by issuing licenses for wine
factories and controlling the quality of their products.
Turkmenistan produces Marsala and Madeira wines. There
are eight state-owned wine factories in the country. The
oldest of them, the Ashgabat wine factory, was founded in
1922. The news article reported that the Ashgabat wine
factory presented the first-ever locally-made dry red
wine at the Yalta Competition. However, the locally-made
dry wine is not yet available on the local market.
5. (U) According to the Food Industry Association,
Turkmenistan has 28,000 hectares of vineyards. Farmers
grow grapes on state-owned vineyards on a contract basis.
They sell grapes to the state-owned wine factories at a
government-fixed price of 1,000,000 manat per ton
(approximately USD 70).
6. (SBU) An Embassy contact familiar with the local wine
industry said that Turkmen wine is primarily exported to
Russia. Russian companies buy it because it is cheap.
In general, the quality of Turkmen wine is not as good as
the Turkmen news agency claimed in its report because of
outdated technology and old equipment at Turkmen
wineries. According to our contact, the wines that were
exhibited at the Yalta Competition were produced under
special conditions and in limited amounts. They are not
available for sale to the public.
7. (SBU) COMMENT: Turkmen wine is not popular among
locals because of its extreme sweetness. At a recent
agricultural exhibition, a display of Turkmen wines and
cognac included a couple bottles of the award-winning dry
red wine "Oguzkent." When one of the exhibitors
attempted to open the bottle in order to offer samples,
ASHGABAT 00001023 002 OF 002
half the cork crumbled, ending the attempt. Still, if
Turkmen winemakers would focus on producing a palatable
table wine, they could find considerable demand in the
currently untapped local market. END COMMENT.
MILES