Some of the oldest wineries are Winnica Equus,[3] Adoria Vineyards, Winnica Jaworek, Winnica Maria Anna, Winnica Płochockich, Winnica Stara Winna Góra, Winnica Miłosz, Winnica Wzgórza Trzebnickie. There exists a very lively winery and viticulture scene throughout the country with especially strong grouping in the regions near the city of Zielona Góra and in the west of the country, Wrocław in the south-west, Kraków in the south, the Podkarpacie region and Kazimierz Dolny in south-east. There are also a few wineries in the "Northern Poland" wine region.[4] Winnica Jura, a new project of establishing a 6 hectare organic vineyard, is currently underway near Kraków.[5]
Scientists in the American National Academy of Sciences foresee significant global warming in the coming years. As a result, by 2050 Poland may have become a leading global wine producer.[6]
History
Winery in Poland was introduced during the nations founding with Christianity and the first vineyards were cultivated by and wineries were established by Benedictine and Cistercian monks; however, wine at first was produced for religious purposes mainly.[7] The fruitful time Polish winery was the fourteenth century, during which many wineries were operating mainly in Silesia, Zielona Góra, Poznań, Toruń, Płock, Sandomierz, Lublin and Kraków. Intensive development of wine making was in the age of enlightenment, when the viticulture and wine production were carried out in the Podole. Besides Vitis vinifera, hybrid varieties resistant to adverse climatic conditions were grown. After World War II, according to the authorities, two wine-growing regions were designated: the West (Zielona Góra region and Lower Silesia) and the Central (along the Pilica river). Vineyards planted in the communistic economy, however, have begun to bear losses, and in the 1960s, it was focused on the production of fruit wines. The tradition of viticulture and winery has been reborn in the last ten years, resulting in development of small vineyards producing excellent wines for the local market.[8] Poland is located in the zone of the continental climate, where there are also wine regions such as Burgundy and the Loire Valley, Rioja, Piedmont and most of the vineyards of Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia or Romania.[citation needed]