The castle of the former Minister. The wine business of the family of Alexander Tkachev

The family of the former Minister of agriculture and the Governor of Krasnodar territory Alexander Tkachev in the coming year will be among the leading wine producers in Russia.

This became possible due to the fact that Tkachev lobbied for the adoption of amendments to the laws providing for state support of the wine industry, where he held a high post in the government. At this time his wife was engaged in the creation of large wine companies.

Of Gelendzhik company “Chateau de Tal”, which belongs to Olga Tkachova, the wife of a former Governor of the Krasnodar territory and the Minister of agriculture of Russia, Alexander Tkachev, has recently announced the start of production of its own wine: in 2020 it is planned to produce half a million bottles. This is the result of more than ten years. The company was created at a time when Tkachev was the Governor of the Krasnodar territory. Today the factory of the company of his wife can produce up to five million bottles a year. Now the area of vineyards is 100 acres, and in the coming years it is planned to double. “Chateau de Tal” is also going to make wine from grapes other Russian manufacturers.

– Half a million bottles – it’s a very solid performance. Small wineries of the Krasnodar territory on the average produce about 90 million liters a year, Crimean – even less, – said in a conversation with Radio Liberty, member of the Russian Association of sommelier Erkin Tuzmukhamedov.

In 2018 in Russia there were produced from 59.9 million bottles of wine, that is, in the first year of their own production company of former high-ranking Russian official will be among the leading Russian manufacturers.

The vineyards

Denis Puzyrev, editor of the telegram-channel “Drunken master” says that the family Tkachev good prospects in the wine business:

– Modern farming, lots of land, lots of grapes. They have plenty of old vines, which entered the period of maturity, Tkachev a lot of money, connections and understanding in this industry, he can employ high-class specialists of both Russian and European. In Krasnodar region there are norms for which the wine lists of restaurants must be a large percentage of local wines. From [the company of family Tkachev Agrokompleks] built distribution of goods, included in the same matrix, and the wine will be easy.

Official and winemaker

Family of Alexander Tkachev supervises Agrokompleks, at the moment one of the largest agricultural companies in Russia. In the 90s, Tkachev was a Deputy of the state Duma, from 2001 to 2015 – the Governor of the Krasnodar territory. From 2015 to 2018 Tkachev was the Minister of agriculture of Russia: he belonged to the idea to destroy the seized products of sanctions. Now Tkachev, member of the Board of Directors of “Agro”.

All the while Tkachev was in leadership positions, he was a lobbyist for the Russian wine industry, while his wife Olga built his own wine company.

Among the initiatives of Alexander Tkachev, – the recognition of agricultural product (which gives various possibilities of state support) wine is produced from Russian grapes, amendments to the tax code providing for a tenfold reduction in the excise tax for Russian producers, subsidy program for new vineyards.

Alexander Tkachev in Russia-annexed Crimea, where the oldest wine production. July 8, 2016

– In theory, we have the law on preventing conflict of interest. People regulating a particular industry should not have business interests. At the grassroots level, there are examples of its use, but on a high – not yet, – says Elena Panfilova, founder of the “transparency international”.

The company “Chateau de Tal” Radio Liberty asked to send questions, but at the time of publication of the material the answers have not been received. Alexander Tkachev has refused to comment, citing the employment.

Putin and Medvedev

“Chateau de Tal” planted its own vineyards in 2007 and sold the grapes to other winemakers (suitable for the production of wine is the grapes grown in a few years after planting).

“Chateau de Tal” is translated from French as “the castle on the rock”, the cultivation of grapes and the future of wine production controls the French winemaker Jean-guy Arriva. The winery is styled as a castle, there are rooms for tastings, banquets and tourists. This complex will be part of the national tourist project “the Golden ring of the Bosporan Kingdom”, uniting the historic sites of the Kuban, Rostov region and the Crimea.

“Here, on the highest point of the resort city, on a narrow strip of land between the Black sea and the Markotkh ridge, pine forests, combined with limestone soils created a special microclimate conducive to growing grapes that is. According to experts, complex aroma and taste of this fruit grown in the surrounding area of Gelendzhik, allows winemakers to create a truly outstanding dry premium wines. Agree, far-sighted investor could not take advantage of this natural favor” – describes the portal “Kuban news” area of Gelendzhik, which is “Chateau de Tal”.

The General Director of the enterprise Andrey Skok previously worked in other companies associated with the family business Tkachev, and was also the CEO of the winery, “Rocky”, which was mentioned in the film of Alexei Navalny “you do not Dimon” as associated with Dmitry Medvedev. With tkachevsky vineyards adjoin the winery, associated with Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Kirill.

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