Mid 1980s. Image courtesy of Life magazine.
Whenever there is a heated argument whether things were better during the USSR times, this statement invariably pops up as a mighty ace: At least they had free medical care in the Soviet Union! This is supposed to bring the opponent to the knees and make them beg mercy and forgiveness for betraying the Great October achievements.
Well well well. Let’s have a close look at what really was free then.
The culture of wine making had a long and rich history in the Soviet Union, and its high profitability always ensured an incredible deal of governmental support. Due to the climate restrictions grapes suitable for wine-making grew in the Southern areas of the country: Crimea in the Ukraine, the valley of Ararat in Armenia, as well as the republics of Moldova, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
After the war there was a special development plan of getting the country to the top of the world wine leaders — which was a success. By 1969 the USSR was on the fourth place in Europe by the amount of wine produced (right after France, Italy and Spain). The vast territories of the country’s South allowed for almost 10% of the total amount of wine produced in the world around that time. This was the Golden Era of the Soviet viticulture: the assortment of wines went up to 700, with about 37 types of sparkling wines and 88 of cognac-type drinks. Many wines were of excellent, prize-winning quality.
Sadly, starting from the 1970s, the quality was to be sacrificed for quantity: the priority to grow was given to higher-yielding sorts of grapes and not the rare, more valuable ones. The production lines were gradually being switched to cheaper, stronger, more generic ranges of wines made from low in sugar but more enduring sorts of grape varieties. The Prohibition bylaw of 1985 aiming at eliminating the drinking problem was the last straw: the grapes and raisins were to be used for making juices, which led to a eventual skill shortage and overall industry recession.
Noetheless, we have found a few old commercial posters picturing the range of wines of 1950s. Despite the plain bottles, this is a neat collection of vintage posters for you to enjoy. Click on the picture to see it in detail. Let us know how you like it — we value your feedback. Thanks!
Starting from the right: Soviet Champagne, a trademark for many years and an iconic drink; table Georgian wine (batch 19, whatever that means for the Soviet winemakers); two bottles of whine port.
Here is a twee collection of paintings by various Russian artists picturing breakfast time in Russia of different periods, from 1918 throughout to late 1970s. It provides some insights into an everyday life of simple people and their meals on the go, before work, very low key and casual.
Still life: Morning. By Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, 1918. Just like anywhere else in the world, eggs are popular and the dog is hungry.
The every day Soviet life was far from luxurious, however, the government had its ways of making people believe that life was good and constantly getting better. An interesting means of achieving it was a notable culinary book published in the USSR – The Book On Tasty and Healthy Foods. This book, a few inches thick, turned out to be more than a collection of recipes – it is considered to be an encyclopaedia of the Soviet epoch, an insight into the ordinary life of the Soviets.
The most famous image behind the Russian food, caviar was literally impossible to buy (let alone exorbitantly expensive!)