Italy, France, Spain and as much Chile They are our wine destinations of reference. However, there is an oenological destination that is gaining more and more prominence: Moldova. What does one of the least visited countries in terms of wine offer us? Discover in which wineries to taste the best Moldavian wines.
a hidden heritage
This country only appears in the news during Eurovision or as a result of the tensions with Russia. However, it enjoys a spectacular wine heritage. In fact, Milestii Mici is the largest winery in the world and it is located in this country. It has 200 kilometers of barrels y one and a half million bottles of wine. However, why haven't we heard of Moldova wines before?
The truth is that the tradition around wine goes back five thousand years. Thus, it continued despite suffering different occupations by different powers. It continued even during the time it belonged to the USSR from the end of World War II to the collapse. In fact, the leaders of Moscow valued wine so much that they put a bunch of grapes on the coat of arms of the Soviet republic.
It was during this same time that the public authorities founded the State Wine Quality Company of the Milestii Mici Industrial Complex. Thus, they saw the need to store the huge quantities of wine that they would later export to the rest of the republics of the USSR. Today these kilometer-long galleries have a 70% red, 20% white or with a 10% candy.
The architects took great care to ensure the best conditions. So they covered the walls with limestone. Thanks to it, it can maintain a constant humidity of 85-95% and a temperature of 12 °C-14 °C throughout the year. However, it does not enjoy any monopoly. That is to say, it faces the competition of other very famous ones.
Moldavian wines with cache
The biggest example is Cricova. This and the previous one are like Real Madrid and Barça of the wines of moldova. Cricova has made an effort to offer a more refined image compared to the pharaohism of the previous one. This does not mean that its facilities are also colossal. In fact, it is common to visit its galleries on wheels. Something particular that unleashes the interest of visitors is the use made of it by famous personalities.
For example, this was the place where he spent the most time Angela Merkel during his visit to the eastern country. Also, Yuri Gagarin (first man to travel to space) did not get out of it for two days. On the other hand, very influential people keep their bottle collections in this sort of catacomb. Two examples are Vladimir Putin and the one who was Secretary of State in the US under Obama, John Kerry. In fact, the Russian president celebrated his fiftieth birthday in the cellar!
In addition to these, you can visit a more modern one designed for the current client. Château Vartely combines a series of luxury apartments with a luxury restaurant and its wineries. The restaurant offers a tasting menu of local delicacies paired with the best labels. It is a good way to discover the best of Moldovan gastronomy.
Wine tourism without leaving Chisinau
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