Wine from Moldova: 3 Things to Know

The Republic of Moldova is a country with a strong wine heritage. It is said that the presence of vines here can be traced back to the Cenozoic era, around 70 million years ago.

Join me in discovering some fascinating things to know about wine from Moldova.

🇲🇩 Wine regions in Moldova

🇲🇩 Main grape varieties in Moldova

🇲🇩 Interesting facts about wine in Moldova

🇲🇩 Bonus: My top 3 wines from Moldova 

Wine Regions in Moldova

There are 4 wine regions in the country and they are classified as PGI (Protected Geographic Indication). Due to the diversity of climate, soil, and topography in Moldova, each region is well-suited to producing wine in several styles. Nevertheless, each region shines brightly for the production of a particular style.

Map showing the Wine Regions in the Republic of Moldova by Wine of Moldova®

1. Codru 

This region is at the heart of Moldova and it borders with Romania to the West and Ukraine to the East. It has a continental climate with mild, short winters and long warm summers. 

This area has many hills, valleys and cliffs and predominantly has a black soil called chernozem. This region is well known for the production of high-quality sparkling and white wines. Around 63% of the region is covered with white grape varieties.

See below a chart that indicates the number of hectares of each variety.

Wine hectares in Codru, Moldova

2. Ștefan Vodă 

This region is located south of Codru (in the southeast of Moldova) and borders Ukraine. Over the years it has earned a reputation for its red wines. This area receives plenty of sunshine, usually around 310 to 320 sunny days a year. Ștefan Vodă has a variation of altitude and aspect. It also receives the influence from 3 rivers, Dniester, Botna and Cogâlnic, along with their tributaries. Loam and clay soils are predominant in this area; their richness in iron enables the production of good-quality wine in the region. Black grape varieties cover around 57% of the area while grape varieties account for 43% of the space.

Wine hectares in Stefan Voda, Moldova

3 . Valul Lui Traian 

This wine region is located in the southern part of Moldova, bordering Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east. It has a continental climate moderated by the black sea. Overall, the region has a 60% proportion of red grape plantings. Valul Lui Traian has 3 sub-regions, each with a specific climate, soil and diversity of landscape like plain lands, river terraces or forests. It also has a diversity of aspects and it is influenced by 3 rivers, Prut, Lalpug and Cahul. It has a geological structure dating from the tertiary era, presenting layers of clay, sand and marine sediments. We can find a diverse range of styles of wine here, still white, red and rosé, sparkling and liqueur wines. In particular, liqueur wines shine in the micro-zones of Trifești, Ciumai and Plopi.

Wine hectares in Valul Lui Traian, Moldova

4. Divin

This PGI is specific for wine spirits and covers the whole country of Moldova. A wine spirit is a beverage produced by the distillation of wine (for example, French Cognac). The rules of the Divin PGI require that the spirits produced here are aged for at least 3 years in oak. 

Based on the ageing time, wine spirits can be classified into 4 categories:

• V.S. (Very Special) - requires a minimum ageing of 3 years 

• V.S.O.P. (Very Super Old Pale) - minimum ageing of 5 years 

• X.O. (Extra Old) – minimum ageing of 7 years 

• X.X.O. (Extra Extra Old) - minimum ageing of 20 years 

Main grape varieties in Moldova

When it comes to vines, Moldova has such an ancient history, so it makes sense that we can find a diversity of grape varieties. Local varieties are native grapes inherent to the geographical area; we can also find international varieties.

Some of the most popular local grape varieties are:

• Feteasca Alba (white grape): cultivated in Moldova for centuries and can also be found in Romania. This grape variety is used in the production of sparkling and white wines, made in styles from dry to semi-sweet. This grape variety has notes of wildflowers, acacia, citrus and green apple. 

• Feteasca Regala (white grape): this variety is a crossing from 2 grapes (Feteasca Alba & Grasa de Cotnari), and has notes of grapefruit, pear, citrus & a hint of floral. This is a semi-aromatic grape that produces white wines with a fuller body and with potential to age.

• Feteasca Neagra (black grape): This grape variety was discovered in Moldovia more than 2,000 years ago. It produces wines with notes of berries, cherries, plums, raisins, and spices like cinnamon & black pepper. It can also be found in Romania and is used in the production of red & rosé wines.

• Rara Neagra (black): This grape variety produces wines with pale colour, high acidity, delicate tannins and a hint of spice. It has notes of rose, redcurrant, and blackberry and is used in the production of rosé & red wines (both still & sparkling). Nowadays it can even be found in the USA where is called Sereksia.

• Viorica (white) - This is a new local variety and it is an aromatic grape. This varietal is a hybrid of Seibel (France) & Aleatico (Italy), both of which are black grapes. Viorica has notes of white flowers, grapefruit, lychee, mango and basil. It is also found in Ukraine, Russia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Bulgaria.

Talking about international black grapes, we can find popular varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Pinot Noir. In terms of white grape varieties, we find Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Aligoté, Muscat Ottonel and Traminer.

Interesting facts about wine in Moldova

• Moldova is the 20th largest wine producer in the world 

• Wines from Moldova are currently exported to more than 70 countries worldwide

• Talking about wine exports, Moldova is ranked as number 14th worldwide

• Moldova is the country that has the highest density of vineyards per capita 

• Some vineyards in Moldova are quite old and have been cultivated over several centuries

• Wine has become the emblem of Moldova, representing the exhilarating growth of the industry

*Source: ‘Moldova Uncorked’ Wine catalogue 2023 & ‘Unexpectedly Great’, both by the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova to Ireland & The National Office of Vine and Wine (ONVV).

My top 3 wines from Moldova 

When it comes to wine styles, you can find the full range in Moldova, still, sparkling, red, white, rosé, sweet and even distilled wines.

I attended a trade tasting organised by the Embassy of Moldova in Ireland and the National Office of Vine & Wine of Moldova.

Her Excellency Larisa Miculeț, Ambassador of Moldova to Ireland & Ara Esparza for The Wine Snug

I tasted 62 wines (yes, serious tasting here). I did enjoy the diversity of styles and the mix of local and international grape varieties.

Three wines stole my heart and I am delighted to share my notes here. If you allow me a bit of bragging, while doing the research for this article I discovered that after the tasting, my top 3 wines won prestigious international awards, so, you know, the palate, not too shabby ;)

✨Late Harvest Traminer 2019. Fautor Winery. 13% abv

This wine is made from 100% Traminer grapes, it is medium sweet and has an aromatic nose with notes of honey, almond, orange peel, tropical and candied fruit. It is balanced with high acidity and a nice texture.

This wine won several medals at the London Wine Competition in 2023, including a gold medal and best wine of the year. It also won a Silver medal at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2023.

Late Harvest Traminer 2019. Fautor Winery

✨Lake Breeze Riesling 2021. Fautor Winery. 14.5% abv

Yes, another one from the Fautor Winery which happens to be the most awarded winery in Moldova.

This white wine is dry with med+ acidity/body. On the nose, it has notes of flint, citrus, stone fruit, peach and honey with an oily texture and a long finish. This limited edition was aged for 6 months in French barrels. This wine won a Grand Gold Medal in the Concurs Mondial de Bruxelles 2024, the top award at this prestigious event.

Lake Breeze Riesling 2021. Fautor Winery

✨Métier Brut Nature. Zero Dossage. Radacini Winery. 12.5% abv

This sparkling wine is made using the traditional method (champenoise) and is a Blanc de Noirs made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. It has 36 months of ageing on the lees.

The colour is pale lemon. It is dry with high acidity, a delicate mousse and subtle notes of apple, pear and brioche. It has an autolytic nose and overall good complexity. This wine won the World’s Best Cabernet in 2024 at the Concours International des Cabernets. Impressive!

Métier Brut Nature. Radacini

There were other good wines at the tasting, the ones mentioned above are my top 3. Drop a comment if you want tasting notes and information from more wines.

Thank you to Her Excellency Larisa Miculeț Ambassador of Moldova to Ireland, her team and the National Office of Vine & Wine for organising this trade tasting.

If you want to learn more about wine from Moldova, you can visit their website here. If you are interested in importing wines from this fascinating country, drop me a line and I’ll be happy to help.