Wine Categories

Moldova produces a diverse range of wines. The proportion of red to white wines produced is roughly 30% (red) to 70% (white). Today it's possible to classify the wines from Moldova into the following five general categories:

Varietal wines

Many of the wines produced in Moldova are red and white varietal wines, made with V. vinifera grapes, which range from dry to semi-sweet. Production of dry, fruit-forward wines is increasing and many of these are winning international acclaim. Common dry wines offered by all Moldova Wine Guild wineries include Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot noir. Recently Chateau Vartely has also started producing excellent dry wines from indigenous Feteasca Albă. An abbreviated list of award winning varietals wines from the Moldova Wine Guild wineries follows:

Blended wines

Moldovan vintners understand that many great wines are blends and have been making them for decades. The famous Moldovan wines, Negru de Purcari made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Rara Neagră, and Saperavi grapes and Roşu de Purcari made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec grapes, both produced by Vinaria Purcari are classic examples. Today, other wineries are producing their own excellent blends, like Acorex Wine Holding's Taking Root Cabernet Sauvignon-Bastardo blend or its iconic Amaro de la Valea Perjei made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Bastardo grapes. A selection of award winning blended wines from the Moldova Wine Guild wineries follows:

Rosé wines

Although not a traditional Moldovan wine, local vintners now produce several excellent rosés. DK-Intertrade' s Firebird Legend Merlot Rosé has been impressing UK consumers for several years; and its 2006 vintage took a Bronze Medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2007. Recently, Acorex Wine Holding and Chateau Vartely followed suit, releasing their own superb Pinot noir rosés.

Sparkling wines

Moldova has excellent soil and climatic conditions for sparkling wine, making it a mainstay of many wineries, including the state-owned Cricova wine cellar, famous for its miles of underground caves. Following the traditional method, Lion Gri produces Symposium and White Extra Brut, both classical sparkling wines. Its 2004 White Brut won a Gold Medal at Vinalies Internationales 2008. Acorex Wine Holding' s Cuvee Aleksandr is also a fine example of Moldova' s sparkling wine tradition.

Dessert wines

Sweet wines have been produced in Moldova for many years. A local favorite — Cagor, Kagor, or even sometimes Cahor — has its roots in the Russian Orthodox Church, which shipped wine from Cahors in France and sweetened it with honey. During the Napoleonic wars, French wine could not be imported, so a similar style of sweet red wine was developed at home. Vinăria Purcari produces an excellent Cahor de Purcari. Another dessert wine from Lion Gri - Muscat Ottonnel won silver medal at the International contest «Muscat du Monde-2002» in France, and Ciornyii Doctor 2003, a semisweet desert wine has won a Silver Medal at Wine & Spirit Competition 2007 in London.

Ice wines

The newest addition to Moldova' s wine range; local vintners are flexing their creative muscles with some outstanding ice wines. Chateau Vartely released a Riesling ice wine in 2004 and then quickly added two more in 2005 — a Traminer and a Muscat Ottonel which won a Silver Medal at the International Wine Challenge 2008 and a Bronze Medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2008.