Moldavian wine has been crafted by generations of winemakers in the largest cellars in the world appreciated by consumers in both east and west supported by legends that everyone hear.
Having the shape of a grape on the map, Moldova has a surface of 112 000 ha of vines and 50 grape varieties for production of wine. The viticultural area of Moldavia is represented historically by 3 PGI regions:
which are intended for PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) wines.
In Moldova, Cricova has been declared a national cultural patrimony by law. Having become an emblem of the Moldovan winemaking, the underground wine city Cricova has galleries stretching on 70 km. The „National Vinotheque” is kept at Cricova; this is an outstanding collection of legendary wines both local and foreign, which originate from the Goering’s wine collection, among which the well-known wines Moselle, Bourgogne, Bordeaux, and Porto. The oldest wine in the collection and the only one of its kind in the world is the wine „Easter Jerusalem”, produced in just one batch in 1902.Cricova cellars are an attraction for the thousands of tourists and also for notorious personalities, politicians, opinion leaders and famous people all over the world. It was visited by Iurie Gagarin, Angela Merkel, John Kerry, etc.
With its underground limestone galleries stretching over a total length of 200 kilometers and 80 meters depth, Milestii Mici is a construction in the style of Moldova’s old feudal fortresses.
These outstanding cellars cover an area of 55 km of galleries where technological production processes are carried out, and some other dozens of km where wine is maturated in barrels and bottles.
The biggest wine collection in the world with over 1.5 million bottles, recorded in the Guinness Book in 2005 belongs to Moldova.
With the name of “Golden Collection”, it is stored at over 80 meters depth, in gothic style cases, in the underground galleries of Milestii Mici. The oldest wine in the collection dates back in 1969. Cellars secure an ideal microclimate for wine ageing, keeping a constant temperature and humidity.
In Moldova we find grape varieties that came from different countries: France, Italy, Spain, Georgia, Ukraine, Germany.
These vines (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Saperavi, etc.) have been adapted to the climate and soil of the country.
The autochtone (indigenous) varieties are more and more planted :
2% world vineyard are located in Moldova, being 6th European producer of wine and one of the top 20 wine producing countries in the world and the world’s 13th largest wine exporter.
Moldova is a country with 3.5 million inhabitants without sea and mountains, which only has hills and the hospitality of the people to discover on the wine route. Moldova is a true wine center with: