The cultivation of the vine is one of the most ancient activities of the Moldovan people. Significant harvests of table grapes, boasting a range of valuable dietary and curative qualities, are obtained from the local vineyards. A rich variety of the finest wines, suited to all tastes and palates, are also produced here. On wine routes, which spread out like a web from Chisinau, visitors will appreciate, along with European wines like Chardonnay, Pinot, Riesling, Cabernet, and Aligote, the local, high quality wines like Rara Neagra, Feteasca, Plavai, etc. The name of these wines comes either from the type of the grapes, or from the name of the places where the famous wineries are located: Purcari, Cricova, Ciumai, Romanesti, Cojusna, Milestii Mici, etc. These are well known all over the world as producers of quality wines, appreciated both by royalty and the most prestigious consumers. They say that once a Moldovan wine is tasted, there are never any regrets.

It is in Cricova that the traveller will discover the biggest wine cellar in the world. It is also here that he can take a trip around its underground streets, which stretch for over 100 km. Visitors will pass by one of the most tremendous wine collections of over 30,000,000 litres, and be welcomed into the spacious tasting halls. “Quality has become a tradition” - is what the wine producers say. There are few tourists to Moldova who have not visited CricovaСs cellars. Tourists are greeted with the same warm welcome at all the other wineries. Every wine enthusiast can enjoy the flavour and quality of the drink in a Dionysian atmosphere, selecting the one matching his taste, as each wine in Moldova is unique. The harvest from Milestii Mici boasts its specific features and the wines produced here and deposited in the local cellars, which stretch for more than 50 km, obtain the most noble and full flavour.

In Cojusna one can discover a bouquet of wines, which reminds one of the tenderness and dynamism of a Moldovan traditional dance. At Purcari or Ciumai the tasting ceremonies are a truly new experience for those, who have tried to penetrate the mystery of this divine drink. Each stopover at the wineries in Moldova will let us understand why the Romans used to say “In vino veritas”. In Moldova - the only country, the shape of which, when seen on a map, resembles the shape of a bunch of grapes - local tradition idolised this drink, which preserves the freshness of the morning dew, as well as the natural purity and the vigorous richness of the soil. A strong drink in Moldova is called “divine” boasts an unprecedented taste and bouquet. Moldovan “divines” produced at Chisinau, Calarasi, Bardar, Balti, Tiraspol or other wineries have long proclaimed the excellence of the wine makers of Moldova.

The wine route is probably the best way to discover the essence of Moldova.

Tags: Moldova, wine