If you believe that the emergence of wine production in Moldova is a new undertaking, think again! Discovered in the north of the country, near Naslavcia village, were fossils of vine leaves dating back approximately 6 to 25 million years ago, although the sizes of the seed imprints indicate that cultivation probably didn’t begin until 2800 BC. It really began to flourish at the time of Stephen the Great (15th century), after the locals had mixed with the Greeks and the Romans, two cultures with a known appreciation for wine. Legal bans during the subsequent 300 years of Ottoman rule put a stop to this.

A return to embracing native vines came about when the region became a province of the Russian Empire. It wasn’t until 1837, however, that the government gave its full support, after which the second half of the 19th century saw the burgeoning wine industry introduce French grape varieties and start producing some of its greatest names, such as Negru de Pucari and Romanesti. Following extensive damage to crops at the turn of the century, production recovered, although, like everything, it suffered again during the two World Wars. Wine has since regained its prominence in Moldova, an enduring product during the country’s recent past as a Soviet republic and its present as an independent nation.

Celebrating the Moldovan Vine

The Republic of Moldova has 130,000 acres (530 km2) of vineyards, comprising the important regions of Balti, Codru, Nistreana (which includes the famous Purcari region) and Comrat. It is only fitting that Moldova has come to celebrate its proud wine culture. And what better way to celebrate than through a wine festival?

As autumn sets in, wine festivals are a customary way of celebrating the end of the grape harvest and the tulburel (youthful vines) of the next generation. Throughout the country, the first press of unfermented wine, called ravac, is squeezed into waiting casks and drunk enthusiastically by locals and visitors. It is a national embrace of a very important part of Moldovan culture, given greatest expression in the city of Chisinau, the capital. What is so fascinating about it is the blend of professional and non-professional winemakers, all of whom are equally welcome. From the annual procession that stretches down Stefan cel Mare Boulevard, the city’s central axis, to the Moldexpo exhibition, the vitality of the Moldovan wine industry is obvious.

Despite this – and Moldova being home to Mileştii Mici, the largest wine collection in Europe (more than 1.5 million bottles housed in 200 kilometres of underground caves) – international attention to the country, its quality products and its festivals has been somewhat lacking outside of tourism from neighbouring countries.

The Experiences of a Local

“The festival started on Saturday morning with the opening ceremony in the Central Street of the capital,” shared Yana Malikovskaya, a member of the team at the whl.travel local connection in Chisinau, who attended the festival in 2009. “It took us five minutes to go from the hotel to the city centre and we got into the amazing atmosphere of Moldovan cultural village life – the central street represented a village with small cultural houses made from straw and wood. Every house was a wine producing organisation or factory, such as Cricova, Mileşti Mici, Purcari, Chateau Vartely, Cazaiac-Vin, etc. Those houses were small pubs in which you could taste fresh, aged or collective wine of a certain brand. You also could have some national Moldovan dishes such as sarmale (small rolled cabbages stuffed with rice and minced meat) or placinte (curd cakes). Different ‘houses’ offered different things, so we entered Cricova ‘house’, where we tried not only several sorts of simple wine but also sparkling wine, and had placinte with cottage cheese and potatoes. It felt like we were in an old village, where people treat each other with fresh homemade food. People are dressed in folk costumes, as there is folk music everywhere, and on the stage in the centre of the ‘national wine village’ we could admire the concert.”

Yana also visited the Chateau Vartely wine, culture and leisure resort, a unique Moldovan tourist complex known for its premium-class wines produced from Europe’s best vineyards. Chateau Vartely is a large facility at which grapes are grown, wine is made, bottled and stored, and there are two big restaurants, accommodation and stunning views of historic Old Orhei, one of Moldova’s greatest attractions.

The Moldovan Wine Festival occurs annually in October. To help with more information about Moldova, including Chisinau hotels, Chisinau tours and lots of insider tips, contact your whl.travel local connection: the Uniglobe Slavion Travel team at www.travel-chisinau.com.

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