Samarkand Wine Route
Alexander the Great praised the 'sweet wines of Sogdiana' when he conquered Samarkand in 329 BC. Wine production continued through Islamic rule in hidden cellars. Today, Khovrenko Winery (founded 1868) carries on this ancient tradition against the backdrop of Registan Square.
Map
Loading map...
Stops
- 1🗺️
Khovrenko Winery
Founded in 1868, one of Central Asia's oldest continuously operating wineries. Russian merchant Dmitry Filatov established the winery using indigenous Uzbek grapes and European techniques. The underground cellars contain barrels over 150 years old.
tour $ - 2🍷
Bagizagan Wine Collective
Small collective of family winemakers in the historic wine-growing village of Bagizagan, 20km from Samarkand. They cultivate terraced vineyards using ancient irrigation channels (karez) dating to the Sogdian period.
tasting $ - 3🗺️
Registan Square Wine Market
Historic wine merchant stalls in the shadow of the iconic Registan madrasas. Local vendors sell bottles from Uzbek wineries, including rare vintages and traditional fruit wines. A living connection to the Silk Road's wine trade.
tour $ - 4🗺️
Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis Wine Garden
Hidden wine garden near the sacred Shah-i-Zinda complex where Zoroastrian families maintained secret wine-making traditions during Islamic rule. Now a small museum and tasting room showcasing pre-Islamic wine culture.
tour $$ - 5🗺️
Urgut Wine Villages Tour
Day tour through mountain villages 50km from Samarkand where families grow indigenous grapes on terraced hillsides. Includes visits to 3-4 small producers and a traditional Uzbek plov lunch paired with local wines.
tour $$ - 6🗺️
Samarkand Wine Factory Tour
Large-scale Soviet-era winery modernized in recent years. Produces 5 million bottles annually, including the popular "Sogdiana" brand. Tour includes production facilities, bottling line, and tasting of their full range.
tour $ - 7🗺️
Khovrenko Winery Historic Cellar
Founded 1868, this legendary winery hides a secret cellar discovered in 1968 containing 1,500 preserved antique bottles. Tour the historic vaults and taste wines made from ancient Sogdian methods.
tour $ - 8🗺️
Samarkand Wine Factory Heritage Tour
Soviet-era industrial wine facility transformed into working museum. Witness massive oak casks, historic bottling lines, and taste fortified wines made in the Kagor tradition.
tour $ - 9🍷
Hovrenko Wine Museum
Museum dedicated to Professor Mikhail Hovrenko, pioneering viticulturist who catalogued 300+ indigenous Uzbek grape varieties. Tasting library features wines from across Uzbekistan.
education $ - 10🗺️
Bagizagan Organic Winery
Family winery with 100+ years of history, now producing certified organic wines. Walk through century-old vineyards and taste wines made without chemicals, as the ancients did.
tour $$ - 11⛰️
Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis Wine Walk
Guided walk from ancient necropolis through historic wine districts. Visit small family producers making wine in backyard cellars, ending at Khovrenko for sunset tasting.
adventure $