Vine landscapes in Crimea: evolution, problems, prospects

Abstract

The conditions and factors of development of the vine landscapes in Crimea and their evolution are considered for the ancient, medieval, imperial, Soviet (first and second halves of the 20th century), and post-Soviet periods. The characteristics of the vineyard landscape zones (South Coast, Foothills and Steppe) are presented. Having reached their maximum areas in the period 1955-1970, the area of the vineyards in Crimea decreased steadily until 2017. The main causes of degradation were the spread of phylloxera, the campaign against alcoholism in 1985, the deterioration of sales after the collapse of the USSR, and the ineffective system of cultivation technology. The current ways of reviving grape landscapes – the introduction of innovative methods of farming, greening and cluster forms of viticulture and winemaking – are addressed.

Development of wine tourism in the city of Sevastopol

“…In the study area, the landscapes most favorable for viticulture should include mountaincoastal sub-Mediterranean, mountain, and foothill forest, plain steppe and plain-coastal steppe landscapes, due to the complex combination of components (soils, moisture, solar exposure, wind rose, geological basis, microclimate, and others) within each of the above landscapes [1].…”

Anthropogenic Transformation of the River Basins of the Northwestern Slope of the Crimean Mountains (The Crimean Peninsula)

“…On the Crimean Peninsula, issues of anthropogenic transformation of landscapes and the individual areas comprising them have been actively investigated since the second half of the twentieth century. Noting that the natural environment of Crimea is actively exposed to economic impacts, authors have conducted mainly qualitative analyses of these impacts during this period [40,41]. However, the most active period of intensive research began in the late 1990s.…”