The sommelier's note
« On a well-born grower wine, I look for tension and saline freshness rather than sheer power, that signature is what speaks to the most demanding Russian sommelier. »
Nicolas · AknoTrade sommelier
Wines · Spirits · Champagnes
The wine Russia is calling for
Exceptional houses, brought to a market that knows and respects the craft of wine.
What we represent
Independent houses, exceptional terroirs
- Growers & family estates : exceptional cuvées, from grower Champagne to confidential terroirs.
- Premium spirits : cognac, armagnac, gin, eaux-de-vie from independent houses.
- Europe & New World : France first, then Italy, Spain and the New World.
A glimpse of the portfolio
A few profiles represented
Champagne · Grower
Marne Valley · brut nature
Bordeaux · Classified growth
Médoc · cellar wines
Northern Rhône · Family estate
Syrah · biodynamics
Mendoza · High-altitude estate
Malbec · high-altitude vines (Argentina)
Cognac · Independent house
single cask · long ageing
Anonymized examples, house identities stay confidential until introduction.
The market opportunity
High demand, little competition at the top
Russia was the world's third-largest Champagne consumer before 2022, and its wine consumption still grew in 2024 (+2.4%), against a global market at a historic low. Above all, the exit of the big Western groups left the most profitable premium positions vacant: champagnes, classified growths, fine spirits. Demand remains intact and clearly high-end, 65% of imported wines sell above 3,000 ₽. A house that organizes well enters a market with strong demand, little competition at the top, and a willingness to pay for quality.
The market in figures
Real demand, dated figures
+2.4%
wine consumption, 2024
one of the few major world markets growing, while the world falls -3.3%.
65%
of imported wines > 3,000 ₽
Russian demand is clearly premium, not a race to the bottom.
≈ $9.5B
wine market, 2024
estimate, projected ~+6%/yr, a vast, solvent market.
Sources: OIV, Wine Intelligence/Vinovistara, IMARC, 2024-2025.
Wine in Russia
A market awakening to wine
Russia is now developing its own vineyards, over 105,000 hectares (Krasnodar, Crimea, Rostov), with a federal expansion plan running to 2030, and Russian wine already reaches nearly 25% of the retail market. This growing wine culture widens demand. Yet the high end and European prestige remain a category apart, sought-after, where a reliable, well-structured offer is still missing.
Sources: TAdviser, Wine Intelligence, trade press, 2024-2025.
AknoWine
From vine to cellar
Spirits
Distilleries, cognac, armagnac, gin
On the ground
Present where relationships are built
Franco-Russian Chamber of Commerce salon, importer meetings, tastings: we carry your houses on the market, under your banner, never ours. On-the-ground presence is what turns a memo into a sale.
Working with us
Your house on the market, risk-free
Selection & memo
We vet your house and build a confidential commercial memo, range, positioning, scenarios, in FR · EN · RU.
Presence under your banner
Trade shows, importer meetings, tastings: we carry your name on the market, never ours.
Commission on results
10% added to the EXW price, paid only on completed sales. No entry cost, no volume commitment.
Ready to open the market?
Premium producer or Russian distributor: let's talk about your project. Reply within 48 business hours.