Despite a steady rise in domestic wine production and growing consumer interest, not all Russian wines make it to supermarket shelves.
A complex mix of production volume, price positioning, and brand strategy continues to determine which wineries find space in major retail chains—and which remain confined to niche distribution channels such as wine boutiques, HoReCa, or direct sales.
Retail Chains Dominate, But Access Is Limited
According to Vladimir Kosenko, Head of Premium Wine Portfolio Development at Luding Group, up to 90% of Russian wine sales occur through retail, with 40% coming from national retail chains, about 10% from regional chains, and the rest from specialty liquor stores (around 40%). The HoReCa sector (hotels, restaurants, cafés) accounts for approximately 10% of total sales.
However, the variety of Russian wines available in large retail networks remains modest. A survey of major chains such as Perekrestok, Lenta, Metro, and O’Key found wines from an average of 34 Russian producers on their shelves. Yet, data from SPARK indicates there are around 300 wineries in Russia.
Alexander Stavtsev, Vice President of the Association of Retail Market Experts, notes that the real figure is lower. Many “producers” are technically sub-units of larger companies operating under one brand, and 80–90 of them are small farms producing very limited volumes.
Only a Fraction Meet Retail Standards
For retailers and distributors, both production scale and quality remain key barriers.
“Out of 300 wineries, no more than 50 meet our price-quality criteria,” says Anatoly Korneev, Co-founder and Vice President of Simple Group, which supplies up to 40% of wines to HoReCa.
Production capacity largely dictates market entry. Andrey Stukalov, Managing Director of krasnostop.ru, explains that wineries producing 50,000 bottles or more annually typically target retail, while those below 20,000 bottles tend to focus on restaurants and wine shops. Daria Sologub, Purchasing Director at Fort, confirms that smaller wineries often find retail “unattractive” due to the volume demands of large chains.
Small Producers Choose Direct Sales
Some micro-wineries, such as Massaraksh in the Rostov region, produce only 1,500 bottles per year, selling exclusively through small wine shops via direct contracts. Co-owner Vladimir Nefedov notes that entering retail chains would bring no benefit at that scale.
Similarly, Konstantin Dzitoev’s family winery near Vladikavkaz produces about 55,000 bottles annually, sold entirely through wine shops and restaurants in cities such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Sochi, and Rostov. Most sales are direct shipments, with limited distributor involvement. “We don’t have the volume for retail,” Dzitoev says.
Why HoReCa Works Best for Small Wineries
The HoReCa sector remains a crucial platform for small and premium producers. Here, expert opinion—sommeliers, wine critics, and guides—plays a decisive role in introducing consumers to Russian wines.
“End consumers don’t always understand or accept the flavor profile of Russian wines compared to imported ones,” says Sologub, “so expert endorsement is key.” Restaurants also increasingly offer Russian wines by the glass, enabling customers to explore domestic options firsthand—a trend that benefits boutique wineries.
Direct Sales and Wine Fairs Fill the Gaps
According to Stavtsev, many farmers bypass traditional retail and HoReCa altogether, opting instead for direct sales at wineries or fairs. These events, now widespread across Russia, allow small producers to sell significant volumes without intermediaries. Current laws also permit farms to sell wine directly from warehouses, eliminating the need for retail infrastructure.
Premium Producers Avoid Retail Discounts
Another segment largely absent from retail is premium wineries. As Kosenko explains, discount-based pricing models in large chains often harm brand perception. “Within six months in retail, a brand becomes associated with promotional prices,” he warns.
Anatoly Korneev of Simple Group illustrates the pricing gap:
- Wines sold at Simple Wine retail for 1,200–3,900 RUB (≈ 12–40 EUR) per bottle.
- In contrast, O’KEY chain data shows most Russian wines sell for 400–700 RUB (≈ 4–7 EUR), while imported wines average 800–1,400 RUB (≈ 8–15 EUR).
Given this disparity, premium producers often choose exclusive partnerships with wine retailers or HoReCa. For instance, Galitsky & Galitsky winery from Krasnodar, which produces about 60,000 bottles annually, sells exclusively through Simple Group to wine shops and restaurants. “While we produce a limited amount of wine, we prefer it to be sold through dialogue—by cavists and sommeliers,” the winery told RBC Vino.
Flexible Volumes in Wine Shops and HoReCa
Boutiques and restaurants also offer flexibility in purchase volumes. “There’s no lower limit,” says Korneev. “We can start with as few as 120–180 bottles if the wine deserves it.” This allows small producers to maintain exclusivity while securing stable sales.
Despite modest production scales, most small wineries report no difficulty selling their entire output. “Within the current system, wineries that realistically assess their market position face no barriers to sales,” says Stukalov.
Retailers Now Compete for Domestic Wines
Interestingly, retailers are now more eager to work with producers than vice versa, according to Stavtsev. “All Russian wine currently produced is being sold. That’s an extreme situation for retailers,” he notes.
Tatyana Yastrebova, Head of Wine and Tobacco Procurement at METRO Russia, confirms this growing interest. METRO now offers wines from 44 domestic wineries, with quality, consumer relevance, and price positioning as key selection criteria.
Meanwhile, demand continues to rise. Fort reports a 5% year-on-year increase in Russian wine sales in 2025, driven by rising import prices. “We’re currently facing a shortage of high-quality Russian wine,” Korneev admits.
Outlook: Quality and Capacity Will Define the Future
Russia’s wine market is experiencing a paradoxical moment: all production is being sold, yet expansion into large-scale retail remains difficult. For now, the HoReCa sector and boutique retail continue to provide the best opportunities for domestic wineries to maintain brand integrity, connect directly with consumers, and control pricing.
As the quality of Russian wine improves and vineyard acreage expands, the question is not whether Russian wine will reach supermarket shelves—but when producers decide they are ready to compete there on their own terms.
Source: RBC Vino