Moldova

Moldova is one of the top 10 grape- and wine-producing countries in the world.  Although relatively unknown in the west, Moldova's winemaking industry has long been respected in Eastern Europe and Russia.   The country's wine industry is currently engaged in significant expansion and modernization, with 85% of its wines produced for export and over 15% of the country's annual budget based on viticulture.

A favorable geographical position and a wonderful climate have attracted people here from the earliest times. In the Republic of Moldova winemaking dates back more than 2000 years to the time of Greek and Roman settlement.   With such a long history, it is not surprising that the country's inhabitants practice the winemaker's art with special pride.  Even the shape of Moldova is reminiscent of a bunch of grapes, a special symbol for this fertile, winegrowing nation.

On the territory of Republic of Moldova there are 4 special zones of natural viticulture: Northern, Central, Southern and South-Eastern, that are divided in 19 wine viticulturist – wine-making centers. The most well known are: Cahul, Taraclia, Codru, Romanesti, Ciumai, Purcari, Hancesti, and others. The total area of vineyards is about 110 thousands hectares.

Moldova shares the same line of latitude with Burgundy, France (47 degrees north of the Equator) which together with the  proximity of the Black Sea help provide short, relatively mild winters and long hot summers which make this land ideally suited for wine production. Grapes ripen in well-groomed rows on sunny, vineyard-covered hills. These grapes are considered a special gift of nature—they soak up the heat of the sun, fertile soil, cool rain, and the generous care of the hands that tend them. The resulting vintages are natural, rich and complex, and are rapidly expanding to new markets.