The Khovrenko winery in Samarkand

The winery in Samarkand named after Professor Khovrenko is both a working cellar and a museum — and a reliable surprise on a Silk Road itinerary.

The history

The business was founded by the merchant Filatov in 1868, and later carried the name of Mikhail Khovrenko, the professor who put its production on a scientific footing. The house-museum of the Filatovs is part of the visit.

The tasting

Ten wines, mostly sweet and fortified, poured in the order the house prefers. The dessert wines are the ones people carry home; the dry whites are improving quickly.

Practical

Half an hour from the Registan, an hour inside, and it works best late in the afternoon when the monuments start to blur together.