Zero Expectations and the “Mutants” in My Glass

Although outside the “wine belt” – meaning well above the 50th parallel latitude, Poland apparently produced wine even before the Middle Ages.
Today, it seems wine is produced in nearly all administrative regions (called voivodeships), with around 400–500 vineyards. Thanks to global warming, Poland is becoming increasingly attractive both domestically and for exports and investments (e.g., China).

Wine at the Edge of the Impossible

Before choosing the hotel where I’d stay in Zielona Góra, I was convinced I’d be visiting the northernmost wine region in Europe… but I was wrong. Poland is one of the coolest and most atypical wine regions, but not the northernmost. Norway holds the record with a vineyard at 59°40′ latitude. Surprisingly, the area around Szczecin, in northern Poland, has become famous in recent years for its wines… get ready: reds … and out of curiosity, I tried a truly special Cabernet Sauvignon from Winnica Turnau, with notes of pepper and dark chocolate. I’m still processing this… how is it possible to produce such good wines? I’m thinking about temperature, soil, slope, terracing…

I also noticed a dominance of hybrid grapes, more versatile and resistant to lower temperatures and diseases, such as Solaris, Muscaris, Aurora, Regent etc. (names that remind me of Dany’s dragons from Game of Thrones ), but also international varieties like Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Gris.

I had heard of Solaris before – it’s common in English vineyards, where the temperature conditions are somewhat similar – but I’m leaving with even more info about “mutants” like Sauvignon Gris (I’m taking a bottle home to test) Winnica Ingrid Solaris.

A Blend of German Heritage and Soviet Grey

The city itself feels very “Balkan,” with “Russian Renaissance”-style architecture… the Soviet imprint still dominates, but the historic center is quite charming and well-organized.

Of course, I did some online digging and found out the city’s name comes from the hill it’s built on and translates to Green Hill / Green Mountain / Grünberg.
Shockingly, it has nearly 140,000 inhabitants, although it didn’t feel that way. It’s part of the Lubusz Voivodeship, which was originally part of Prussia, then annexed by the German Reich until 1945. After WWII, Germany lost a lot of territory, and the region was incorporated into Poland.
Although now part of Poland, the German influence and heritage are still visible and palpable. Much of the Polish winemakers’ know-how comes from the Rhine region, Würzburg, Mosel… even the labels (most of them) show the Polish name followed by the German translation.

The Hotel.

I chose very spontaneously, while on the road Hotel Ruben which seemed on Booking to be the best option in terms of location, price, breakfast included, and amenities like parking. Everything matched the description, I can’t complain, but it didn’t stand out in any particular way either.

I stroll through the city hoping to find “The Palm House” still open, along with the famous hill that gave the city its name. Right in the heart of the city, a small hill appears, planted with grapevines, and at the top I spot the “Botanic” restaurant.
I walk in out of curiosity and am immediately hit by a wave of humidity and warmth (typical of a greenhouse), but I imagine it must be quite an experience to dine among vines and exotic plants, especially in the colder season.
The view from the hill… is Soviet once again. You see communist-style apartment blocks, two gas stations, and a parking lot. This is where I find the wine bar where I tasted the first two glasses of wine mentioned earlier in the story.

Skrzynka Wina and DJ Bobo Rhythms

So far, the landscape has been rather bleak, but I’m not giving up. I figure there must be a good reason why Zielona Góra is called the wine city of Poland, so I look for a better-rated wine bar, more precisely: Skrzynka Wina Winebar.
In the early days of my solo travels, I used to feel quite timid about going to restaurants or bars alone (maybe I’ll write another article about solo (woman) travelling experiences), but over time I got used to it and now I barely notice the puzzled looks from others.
At the tables, a few groups and a very cheerful bartender who greets me in Polish. I explain in English that I’d like to try a local wine, ideally a Polish brut sparkling… unfortunately, he didn’t have any, but he recommended a Muscaris. (add Vivino rating)
The atmosphere was lively, but very local… maybe too local . I enjoyed my wine to the beats of Eurodance… DJ Bobo… and I’m pretty sure the bartender was playing his favorite school playlist.
I crowned this “unusual” experience with a pizza and many mixed feelings about Zielona Góra, but I was deeply impressed by Poland overall. Everything I’ve visited so far , stunning and picturesque cities like Kraków, Poznań, and Warsaw, exceeded all expectations, with so much to offer, excellent infrastructure, logical urban planning, and everything very well organized. I was impressed.

The “Holy Trinity” of Polish Viticulture

I leave Zielona Góra and try to visit one of the vineyards in the Lubuskie region, whose wines I had tasted a few days earlier: Winnica Marcinowice Pinot Blanc.

And only then did I understand, and everything came together… I had the “holy trinity,” namely:

• Water: the Oder River (or Odra in Polish), which also flows through Germany, helps the vineyards receive a boost of warmth.
• Sun: the area is quite sunny and, more recently, with global warming, temperatures have risen significantly, causing famous wine regions to fade and reduce production, while previously “unfavored” areas are becoming the new stars of viticulture.
• Soil: sandy, very well-drained

Overall, although I didn’t have a vineyard tour, winery visits, sommelier interactions, or vineyard stays, the experience was very interesting and I left with the idea that I’d return to explore more, but next time I’d choose to stay at a vineyard to better understand Polish wines.