Moldovan wine

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Moldova, like neighbouring Romania, has a well established wine industry, although it is still mainly family-based. Many families have their own recipes and strands of grapes that have been passed on through generations. Several brands have been exported to bordering countries. The most famous, Cricova, is also exported to the United States.

Contents 1 History 2 Wine growing regions in Moldova 3 Main wine producers 4 White wines 5 Red wines 6 Cellars 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

[edit] History

Wine has being cultivated since ancient times in the territory of Dacia. However, the current wine tradition dates from around the time of the founding of Moldavia. The earliest wineries were set up in Cotnari and Hârlău the western part of Moldavia, now part of Romania. The type of the vines is Tokaj, which enforces the supposition that they were planted once with the founding of Moldavia as a Hungarian vassal.

Wine was one of the chief exports of Moldavia throughout the medieval period, especially to Poland, Ukraine and Russia. Because it was a ware that was always easily sold, it was the only product for which the taxes were paid with silver coins, such as Greek hyperperos. For other agricultural wares, such as wheat, the taxes were paid in products, usually one tenth of the production.^[1]

In 2006, a diplomatic conflict with Russia began after the 2006 Russian ban of Moldovan and Georgian wines.

[edit] Wine growing regions in Moldova

In Moldova four regions for wine growing are to be found:

• Bălţi in the north
• Codru (central region)
• Cahul in the south
• Nistreana in south-east

[edit] Main wine producers

• Cricova
• Mileştii Mici
• Aroma - divin's producer
• Dionysos Mereni
• Flori - Kagor, Kagor, Muscat, Isabella, Lidia, Zamfira, Traminer, Vitis - Cabernet Sauvignon, Vitis - Isabella, Vitis - Lidia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Feteasca, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc
• Vitis Hincesti
• Chardonnay Premium, Merlot, Rosu de Hincesti
• Barza Albă
• Belii Aist, Bălţi, Speranta, Bucuria, Prazdnicinii, Codru
• Interalco
• Kagor

[edit] White wines

• Aligoté: original wine. Colour: from light-straw to golden one, pleasant fine, distinctive taste with a shade of violet.
• Pinot group (Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc): Wine has golden shades and harmonious delicate taste.
• Rhein Riesling: after 1.5 years of seasoning it obtains the particular freshness, refinement, flower fragrance with the pleasant tints of fir and pine pitches.
• Sauvignon: full bodied fragrance and taste of black currants, and black currants leaves. During the maturity this wine obtains pleasant gold shades.
• Chardonnay: The color is a light golden shade.
• Traminer: Predominating shades of rose and dogrose leaves.

[edit] Red wines

• Cabernet Sauvignon: Among the top red wines. Color is intensive dark-red.
• Merlot: With shades of sweet-cherry and/or cherry, the wine has long aftertaste.
• Pinot Noir: full-bodied, oily wine. It is used as a base in blend wines.

[edit] Cellars

The Moldovan wine collection "Mileştii Mici", having 1.5 million bottles is the largest in Europe, according to the Guinness Book. It stretches for 200 km, of which only 50 km are currently in use.

[edit] See also

• Globalization of wine (Stimulated by Paris Wine Tasting of 1976)

[edit] References

1. ^ V. Costăchel, PP Panaitescu, A. Cazacu. (1957) Viaţa feudală în Ţara Românească şi Moldova (secolele XIV–XVI) ("Feudal life in the Romanian and Moldovan Land (14th–16th centuries)", Bucureşti, Editura Ştiinţifică pp. 43-44

[edit] External links

• [1] - All about Moldavian wines
• [2] - Cricova wineries
• [3] - Aroma SA - Moldavian brandy producer
• [4] - Moldavian wines in the Slovak Republic (sk)