Wine "Agdam". Brief history of use

"Agdamych", "Zaduryan", "Bukharych", "Krepllyach", "How Dame" - what kind of affectionate and ironic nicknames were not invented to designate this drink in the Soviet Union. And it is not accidental: the wine "Agdam" was one of the most popular cheap fortified wines in the USSR, and after - and in the post-Soviet space. For example, at the May Day demonstration, during the best years of "stagnation", there were, of course, speeches and slogans, but still the main sense of these holidays (especially for the stronger sex) was unity with Nature. And what can be a celebration without a drink, an invigorating spirit and amusing people's minds?

Love of the whole people

Why not beer, vodka, cognac, namely fortified wine "Agdam" (see the photo above) and a whole range of other similar drinks? Undoubtedly, in this matter it is better to understand the historians of winemaking. But our opinion a big role in the huge popularity of "Agdam" among the population was played by its cheapness, availability and efficiency. Firstly, it was possible to buy it from scratch, collecting - literally - a trifle on the pockets. Secondly, it was implemented even in the remotest corners of our homeland. And thirdly, a sufficient strength of the drink (19%!) Made it possible to quickly and effectively achieve intoxication. The Soviet people respected him very much, and even statistical data can attest to this. In the USSR, more than 200,000,000 decalitres of cheap fortified wines were produced every year, while the rest of the varieties (dry, vintage, champagne) accounted for 150 million. The simplest variant of use was called "for three": the wine "Agdam" was taken with money, and Drank somewhere in the gateway or in any unpopulated courtyard, around the corner.

A bit of history

Here is the main question: "In what" light "head did the idea of making wine in the Asian republics of the Union mature?" But the religion strictly forbids Muslims to drink any alcoholic beverages. A logical conclusion: in Azerbaijan (and also among Uzbeks with Turkmens) there were no traditions of distilling from the beginning. No, of course, viticulture was developed, but nothing, except for raisins and actually bunches of grapes there did not produce. Everything changed after the October Revolution. The new chiefs with the Mausers replaced the former leaders who worshiped religion. The liberated inhabitants of the East could now freely use alcohol, because they had been shown that there was no God, and Allah now forbids anything. So it became in Azerbaijan to distill the must of grapes for wine, alcohol.

Cognac factory

And in the city of Agdam, the AzSSR even before the war built a factory for the production of cognac. We can say that it is from this moment that the history of the most famous and popular "mutter" in the USSR begins. Of course, winemaking should always be based on traditions, suffered by generations. But the new-born winemakers could not boast of them.

Wine "Agdam" (Azerbaijan)

In an uneasy situation, they found a brilliant way: produce alcohol strictly according to written instructions. All operations were initially performed almost by stopwatch, according to technology, approved from above, at the most "party" level. Raw material? With this especially do not fool yourself. At the factory all the grapes that were present in the district went into action. And the alcohol, added for fixing, had a different origin. The result: in the bouquet and aftertaste there were always traditional fusel shades. After use in the oral cavity, there remained a slight viscosity, reminiscent of ostomy.

As you can see in the photo, wine "Agdam" (red table wine and white), like other beverages of this category, was poured into "fire extinguishers" of 0.7 liters. And almost from one sip it silenced the intellectual potential of any potential consumer. The people said: good at the brain beats! The country simply adored the wine "Agdam". 19% of the fortress is not a joke. And the price is acceptable: 2.02 (two rubles, two kopecks - the real magic of the numbers). For effective high-speed intoxication - just right. An example can be seen on the photo above.

"Agdam" is red wine. Or white?

A simple label explained to the user that there is a case with white (or - red) port! Wine "Agdam", of course, by conventional standards, was not such (that rare case when a nationwide drink acquires a personal name, despite of what it was produced of). As already mentioned, any grapes were used (and the beverage itself acquired pinkish shades), for attachment - mainly grain alcohol. So in the traditional sense of the term port wine, you can not call it. The Azerbaijani brand was the golden mean for many: it is not very disgusting to taste and very affordable (2.02). And if an empty bottle was then taken, then 1.85!

Who "Agdam" drank today, those girls will be nice ...

Yes, do not laugh, at many young men of the Union the first kiss happened to this drink on lips. About the whole poems were composed, pohlesche of Hayam's verses. And in the country there were many anecdotes about this wine. For example, that in the Union of drugs was allowed only "Agdam". You can buy it in any grocery. But the government specifically added flavorings to it, they made it impossible to take "on the chest" more than 3, a maximum of 5 "lights". Therefore, the overdose in the USSR was completely absent.

Alas, this peculiar "shmurdyak" has sunk into history. It ceased to issue with the onset of conflicts in Karabakh. A notorious cognac factory was destroyed during the shootings in the 90's of last century. "Agdam", which can now be found in stores - not the one! And it reminds, for example, a matryoshka, a counterfeit, made in China: it seems like everything is in place, but something is missing.