POLAND’S SMALL SCALE WINE SCENE IS THRIVING
By Rose Murray Brown MW Published in The Scotsman 17 Jan 2026
If you thought the UK’s wine industry was dynamic, take a look at what is happening in Poland.
In the last seventeen years there has been a dramatic rise in the number of vineyards and wineries developing across Poland. Back in 2009, the country had just 3 wineries and 20 hectares of vineyards; today there are 724 registered wineries and 1,100 hectares.
According to Gosia Pajak, a Polish-born sommelier at Prestonfield in Edinburgh (pictured above): “Few believed back then that domestic production in Poland would be anything more than a hobby for a handful of enthusiasts”, she says. “In fact, the numbers look even more impressive when we look back to 2022; the number of registered wineries has nearly doubled since then from 481 to over 700”.
Almost all are tiny family enterprises often with less than 2 hectares of vineyards, growing their own grapes and making their own wine. Of these only about 200 wineries have enough stock to sell beyond the cellar door, but the Poles drink most of what is made, so only a few wines are exported to the UK. Whilst the dramatic rise in grape growing is similar to the UK, taking advantage of the warming climate, Poland currently differs in that it doesn’t yet have a marketplace for grapes.
The largest winery in Poland is Winnica Turnau (pictured above) with 40 hectares, based in Baniewice in west Pomeranian, north west Poland. Other wineries of note are Winnica Barczentewicz with 12 hectares in Dobre (pictured below), south east Poland where talented Kamil Barczentewicz only began making wine in 2017, Winnica Silesian in Bagieniec in the south west near Czechia who focus on PiWis and Riesling and Winnica Dom Bliskowice south of Warsaw renowned for natural wines.
So what is causing this interest in wine in Poland? Undoubtedly a warming climate allows grapes to ripen, but western-trained Polish-born workers have returned home aiming to replicate the western lifestyle in their home country. Now the demand is there, the trend is moving away from spirits, towards wine.
Surprisingly Poland’s wine history began back in C10. Vineyards flourished in the Middle Ages, particularly in Silesia – and Cistercian monks grew grapes here in C12. Later due to a cooler climate, and communism, viticulture declined and only to be revived again in late C20. Roman Mysliwiec, Polish Bacchus, was a pioneer in southern Poland.
“Vineyards are mainly in the west and south of Poland”, explains Pajak. “My homeland Lubuskie-Lubusz, which borders Germany, has the largest vineyard area with 157 hectares”. Others (Poland has no appellation system yet) include Malopolska-Lesser Poland (132 hectares), Dolnoslaskie-Lower Silesia (129), Lubelskie-Lublin (111), West Pomeranian-Zachodniopomorskie (79) and Podkarpacie-Subcarpathian (76). Soils vary from granite, clay, limestone to sandstone.
Grapes grown reflect ‘cool climate viticulture’, with hardy fungus-resistant PiWi grapes understandably popular, as they are in Scandinavia. Poland’s most planted white PiWi is Solaris, followed by Johanniter, Souvignier Gris, Muscaris, but international grapes Riesling, Seyval Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Gewurztraminer are on the rise. Red PiWis Regent, Rondo and Cabernet Cortis are popular, with classic Pinot Noir catching up fast alongside Zweigelt, Blaufrankisch, Marechal Foch and Dornfelder.
Poland’s viticultural challenges include spring frosts; particularly damaging in 2024 when temperatures alternated from a warm February down to freezing -4 degrees in April. Fungal diseases downy and powdery mildew are problematic, hence the popularity of fungus-resistant PiWis.
The best selection of Polish wines in the UK is currently at Central Wines run by Polish-born sommelier Adam Michocki. Online retailer The Wine Society import from Winnica Barczentewicz and Edinburgh’s Spry Wines have a small Polish selection with a natural slant.
I sampled two dozen Polish whites, reds, roses and orange wines; I didn’t try sparkling and Pet-Nats which are apparently looking impressive. My overall impression of the Polish wines is that this country has potential, but I was surprised they did not share the hallmark high acidity found in English wines, although their delicate fruit concentration is similar. Stylistically I found the Polish wines closest in style to neighbouring Czechia and Slovakia.
Polish whites seem much more successful than the reds so far. I thought Solaris seemed the most balanced and Chardonnay showed promise. The reds are less impressive, the best I tasted were Barczentewicz’s Pinot Noir and Dobre Modre (Blaufrankisch). Other varieties like Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Cortis and Regent will improve as rising temperatures encourages better ripeness.
POLISH WHITE WINE
TURNAU SOLARIS 2024 ***STAR BUY***
£29.80 www.central-wines.myshopify.com
Good balance here, depth of fruit and concentration and a fine finish – made by a German winemaker at Poland’s largest winery Turnau.
SILESIAN SOLARIS 2023
£25 www.central-wines.myshopify.com
Fine acidity, good fruit balance with sweet sour fruit notes – gentle (11% alcohol), delicate, good dry finish – from a promising winery owned by a couple from Poland & Denmark.
L’OPERA HALKA BLEND 2024
£23.90 www.central-wines.myshopify.com
There is an Italian influence (one of the owners is Italian) here in this floral spicy semi-dry (16g/l residual sugar) blend of Chardonnay, Bronner & Muscaris; serve with mild Thai curry.
TURNAU CHARDONNAY 2023
£39.70 www.central-wines.myshopify.com
Chardonnay matured in Polish acacia and oak; smoky notes, good integration of fruit with candied fruit notes to finish.
BARCZENTEWICZ CHARDONNAY BETON 2023 ***STAR BUY***
Sleek elegant Chardonnay fermented and aged in concrete egg with fine balance of acidity and citric fruits, juicy texture, body (13% alcohol); impressive.
BARCZENTEWICZ GEWURZTRAMINER 2023
This does not resemble Alsace or even German Gewurztraminer, but has its own unique floral character, zesty ripeness and fruit purity: 12.5%
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