As the Russian war in Ukraine enters its fifth year of the current stage today (don’t ever forget that it’s been active since 2014), there are going to be the annual parade of articles talking about the situation now and four years ago, back in 2022.
The only good thing to happen around this unfortunate anniversary is that various accounts on social media (especially Darth Putin) mock those who, back in 2022, were unequivocal in how stupid everyone was about how there wasn’t going to be an invasion. Unsurprisingly, many of them have come out as full-blown Russia sympathizers or at the very least, right-wing mouthpieces who keep claiming Ukrainian collapse only to be proven wrong, every day.
As Paul Krugman recently pointed out, if you compare maps of Russian-occupied Ukraine today and a year ago, you will see very little difference. And this despite Russia seeing massive casualties and yet, vowing to continue. If you want to read solid coverage that’s far more right than wrong about this war and, consistently stating that Ukraine can actually, win, read Phillips O’Brien.
The reason I took this detour on what is a wine-centric site is that back in 2022, I fully admit that I feared the worst when the Russians rolled in to Ukraine. It was hard not to as we’d all been fed the line about how fearsome their armed forces were when in fact their tanks were getting stuck in fields and their troops were being taken out by single soldiers with shoulder-launched rockets.
Being exceedingly frustrated with every government of the so-called “free world” letting this unfold, I took it upon myself to set up a wine auction to benefit, non-military, worthwhile agencies. Of these, I highly recommend donating to Come Back Alive who continue to do excellent work in the country. It felt it was the least I could do as I watched Biden et al bumbling around and lacking any real nerve to truly aid the Ukrainians. It was clear to see who was advising back in 2008 when Ukraine wanted to join NATO but was left out in the cold–that’s aged well…
The auction went extremely well and I had no issue getting top wineries to donate very choice wines and people were very happy to bid well on them. I decided to add in another lot which was a one-day tour with me where I waived my fee and the wineries I visited waived theirs as well so that whatever the winner bid all went to charity.
I can’t remember how many bids there were on this, but ultimately, the winners were Cliff & Maureen Stubbs of Burnt Acre Vineyards in the Bendigo region of Australia, named as such due to a grass fire back in 1991. They’d been planning to come to Priorat to visit and this overlapped with their plans so it all came together.
When they arrived, we had a fine day together back in 2022, visiting Mas Doix, Mas Sinén, and Vall Llach. While lunch wasn’t included as part of the lot, I brought a series of my own wines from the Quel Celler project to let them taste the evolution over the years and get their feedback as actual professionals.
Apparently taken with the region, the Stubbs came back again, with friends, in 2024. This time they brought several bottles of their own wines and gave them for me to try this time.
Much like the war in Ukraine, I’d forgotten about them during the rest of 2024 and most of 2025 as I’d been busy traveling and never found the time to open them. I didn’t just want to taste and review them, but to actually enjoy them.
Time it seems, is circular and I’ve had various visitors from Ukraine over the last few months who wanted to come to the Priorat region. This it seemed, was a perfect moment to open these wines. Honestly, I could have kept them longer as I think most wines with screwcap closures are nearly bulletproof and can age forever, but somehow sharing wines with Ukrainians from people who had contributed to a Ukrainian aid auction just seemed right, and it was.
Everything we tasted was Syrah (Shiraz) based and the Stubbs do a fine job making rounded, approachable wines in their corner of Victoria, Australia that aren’t anything like the blustery wines people might associate with the country at large. Needless to say, they were well enjoyed and rounded out this small chapter in the larger Ukrainian conflict, that unfortunately looks poised to continue on for the unforeseeable future.
Subscribers can see the wines reviewed below.
