Wines of Moldova

[Larry1]

The country of Moldova, which had been the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic during the Soviet years, is an excellent wine-producing region. Wine grapes have been cultivated there for thousands of years. Moldova is a small country sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania. For nearly four centuries it was occupied by the Ottoman Empire, which wasn't congenial to the production of wine. The Russian Empire took it from the Ottomans early in the 19th century. After that winemaking resumed in full force.

For simplicity's sake I will in this thread refer to the country as Moldova, even though it has gone by several names, including Bessarabia. The country produces wines both from its own grape varieties and also Western varieties including Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc.

During the Soviet era, after the second world war, Moldovan wine became available throughout the USSR. Moldova was one of the two major wind-producing regions of the USSR (the other was Georgia). You should be able to find Moldovan wines in Ukraine or Belarus, but I understand that Russia refuses to allow the import of Moldovan wines, allegedly to punish Moldova for trying to move closer to the EU. This hurt the Moldovan wine industry because Russia had been its main customer.

Watch the adorable thank-you video Moldovan winemakers made for their Norwegian customers

Wine makes up 25 percent of Molova's total agricultural exports, which form the backbone of its economy. So when its biggest importer, Russia, imposed a trade embargo on the former Soviet republic's wine in 2013, it was a huge deal.

And it wasn't the first time. Russia banned Moldova's wine back in 2006, claiming it failed inspections, and used a similar excused in 2013. But it's hard to think embargoes are anything but coercive efforts on the part of Russia to draw the country away from the West and back into its own sphere of influence. Wine has been the key leverage point. At the time of the 2006 ban, Russia imported 60 percent of Moldova's wine exports. In 2013, it was still importing 29 percent.

And then along came Norway. In 2014, Purcari's video explains, Norway's state-run alcohol retailer, Vinmonopolet, began importing Moldovan wine. The effect has been huge. Norway now imports more than half as much wine as Russia did before the embargo. That's a remarkable feat, considering the population of Russia is around 144 million and Norway's is just 5 million.

Those 5 million Norwegians are definitely drinking enough Moldovan wine to justify this adorable thank-you note.

http://www.globalpost.com/article/6509589/2015/04/08/watch-adorable-thank-you-video-moldovan-winemakers-made-their-norwegian

Here is the video. It's less than two minutes long:



Have any of you tried Moldovan wines? I've tried only one, a red wine decades ago. I liked it but I can't remember which grape variety it was made from.

[SANDRO43]

Moldova was one of the two major wind-producing regions of the USSR

Their wines creating undesirable intestinal problems ?

[Larry1]

Their wines creating undesirable intestinal problems ?

Ah, I should proofread more carefully. But on the positive side, it did bring this thread to the top of the recent posts section. I was afraid it was going to fall between the cracks.

[Boethius]

Perhaps Muzh should have posted about his time bagging babes with copious amounts of Moldovan wine, rather than champagne.

[Larry1]

Perhaps Muzh should have posted about his time bagging babes with copious amounts of Moldovan wine, rather than champagne.

I didn't realize this until I did a little research for this thread, but Moldova makes sparkling wine in addition to still wine. I'd love to try some but a little online research makes me think it isn't sold in my area.

The only sparkling wine I've tried that was made in FSU was the sickly sweet Shampanskaya at New Year's Eve.

[LAman]

There are some stores in the US that carry Moldovian wines.