Why champagne was produced in the USSR and whether it was of high quality: busting the myths

At first, the USSR government banned the sale of alcoholic beverages. Then, for a certain period of time, they earned good money on it, and then began to ban it again.

Nevertheless, there has always been alcohol in the Soviet Union. Apart from moonshine, which was made in many families, champagne was the favorite drink of the people of that time. FoodOboz found out why it was produced and whether it was of high quality.

Of course, vodka was the most popular alcoholic beverage in the USSR. Therefore, in order to give the situation at least a little bit of nobility, it was decided to launch the production of champagne. In 1937, the Crimean plant Novy Svet was already producing more than 12 thousand bottles of champagne daily. By 1941, it was planned to increase production by 60 times.

The quality of champagne was very questionable, although its popularity never waned. It was a great alternative for women who were tired of "men's" vodka and beer. Usually, good champagne takes one to three years to age. But the aging period for Soviet champagne was only 25 days. By the way, the appearance of champagne on the shelves of Soviet stores strangely coincided with the resumption of Christmas tree setting and New Year celebrations.

Thus, in a very short time, champagne became a real symbol of the New Year. Every citizen of that country preferred to have at least one bottle of champagne on the holiday table. This drink was considered a sign of material wealth and prosperity.