Estonian Wine Day in Põltsamaa
Text Timo Raussi Photos Raivo Laanes, Maria Kilk and Teele Kaeramaa
For many years, Põltsamaa’s best-known export product was its strong mustard. Even before production was outsourced to Latvia, the same food factory belonging to the Orkla Group discontinued another product in 2023 that had brought recognition to the region for more than a century. This decision did not, however, create a storm in a wine glass, as the apple wine Põltsamaa Kuldne had long since disappeared from the shopping lists of Estonians accustomed to travelling and dining around the world.
Nevertheless, Põltsamaa has retained its unofficial title as Estonia’s wine capital. For this reason, one of the events celebrating the town’s recent centenary programme will be Wine Day on Saturday, 1 August, held in the courtyard of Põltsamaa Castle.
The event will feature 14 wine and sparkling wine producers from across Estonia presenting their drinks. Some visitors may already be familiar with producers such as Valgejõe Veinivilla or Allikukivi Wine Manor near Pärnu, which specialises in artisan wines. Far fewer people may have tasted wines from producers such as RajuVein in Alutaguse, Ida-Viru County, or Rüüp, which produces berry wines in the village of Ihamaru in Põlva County.
In addition to tastings, which are paid for with €2 tasting vouchers, the day’s programme includes a variety of informative talks, including sessions on pairing wines with food. Visitors can vote for the best wine of the day, while three artists provide the musical entertainment. The programme ranges from cello performances by the controversial public figure Silvia Ilves to pop music by Getter Jaani and Karl-Erik Taukar. The evening concludes with a light and video show celebrating Põltsamaa’s 100 years of town rights.
The full Wine Day programme and tickets can be found here, while descriptions of the participating wineries are available in Estonian here. For information in English about Estonian wineries, see Visit Estonia’s dedicated wine article, which also includes a map.
Even if you are not visiting Põltsamaa or Estonia during Wine Day, the impressive Põltsamaa Castle, originally completed in 1272 and reopened in its renovated form in summer 2023, is well worth a visit. Information about the castle’s museums, art galleries, craft shops, church, viewing tower and the elegant Oberpahlen restaurant with its wine cellar can be found here.
To learn more about this and similar topicsEstonian Drinks events music Oberpahlen Põltsamaa Põltsamaa Castle Wine Day wine tasting
