{"id":441988,"date":"2016-04-05T15:55:56","date_gmt":"2016-04-05T15:55:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/?p=441988"},"modified":"2016-04-05T15:55:56","modified_gmt":"2016-04-05T15:55:56","slug":"a-legend-in-a-bottle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/a-legend-in-a-bottle\/","title":{"rendered":"Along lesser traveled roads: Moldova, a Legend in a Bottle"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 7<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

Darius Roby is a travel writer, translator, and an editor for Cluj.com, a city portal with information pertaining to life and tourism in Cluj-Napoca. He can be reached at darius@cluj.com<\/p>\n

This time he shard with us his impressions of the Cricova winery, one of the biggest in Moldova. <\/em><\/p>\n

Winemaking is an unmistakable part of Moldova’s charm, noted throughout the centuries and today serving as a draw for modern-day tourists.
\n———–
\nWalking through the village of Dumbrava Ro\u0219ie, Neam\u021b County, Romania last year on a warm spring day, I noticed an interesting phenomenon. After a rather chaotic winter, it was the first definitely warm and sunny day of the year. To my amazement, as I continued down the road I noticed that at every house, there were people on ladders in unison pruning their grape wines for another year of cultivation and come autumn – wine production. It almost seemed to me that there was an unspoken “calling” that sent these Romanian Moldovans outside to begin caring for their vines at the beginning of spring. So passed the first day of the agricultural year, devoted to a tradition that is steeped in history and legend.
\nWine has been produced along the northern shores of the Black Sea for a millennium. The neolithic transition from nomadic to sedentary forms of living may have led to wild strains of grapes found in modern-day Georgia being cultivated as early as 6000 BC. At the other end of the sea, in modern-day Moldova, archaeological discoveries at Varvarovca point to wine cultivation as early as 3000 BC. Grape production has remained central to agriculture in the Carpatho-Dniester-Pontic region over the ages and the wines of the region passed into the legends and folklore of the Moldovan people. I was once told a story in Soroca that once upon a time, the fortress was placed under siege by a host of Tatars and the siege lasted for months. The defenders, who were starved of food and water, found themselves rescued by storks who would drop bunches of grapes inside the central citadel, reinvigorating them, and ultimately inspiring them to withstand the Tatar siege.
\nWinemaking in the region has seen its ups and downs through the history, from King Burebista ordering the cutting of the Dacians’ vines, to government support under Russian imperial rule, to the devastating phylloxera outbreak towards the end of the 19th century. The outbreak led to the extinction or near-extinction of various native varieties of Moldovan grapes such as Poman\u0103 boiereasc\u0103 or Fir\u021bigaia, which would be replaced by hardier French varieties with familiar names such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. Caucasian varieties such as Saperavi and Rkatsiteli have also been introduced. There are native varieties that can still be enjoyed today such as Feteasc\u0103 Alb\u0103, Plavai, or Rar\u0103 Neagr\u0103, which in particular is blended with other varieties to make the legendary Negru de Purcari, but these account for only a small percentage (approximately 10%) of the grapes used for wine production today in the country.
\nThere are four wine-making regions in Moldova: in the north there’s B\u0103l\u021bi – famous for its dry wines, Valul lui Traian – the southern steppe region famous for its red wines, Stefan Voda – home of the Purcary winery, and Codru – where the famous Milestii Mici and Cricova wineries are found. I recently found myself at Cricova, seeing first hand that Moldova is underrated as a wine producer, and how important wine is to the soul of Moldovan people.
\nApproximately 10 miles away from Chisinau lies the Cricova winery. It is located in a town of the same name. I do not know the origin of the name. It seems to derive from the name “Cric\u0103u” and even deeper in the past it was once referred to as Vadul-Pietrei, perhaps due to the rocky area near the river Ichel, a tributary of the Dniester. To arrive at the winery you must follow Chi\u0219in\u0103ului Street, turning on the road heading towards the river right before passing the penitentiary. A descending road then takes you past some houses, a wonderful lookout point on the river, a gift-shop, two restaurants, and then the winery.
\n\"Cricova4\"
\nThe cellars are carved into the limestone hills and cliffs that rise above the Ichel. Formerly a quarry for the extraction of stone, it is truly a city, situated 100 meters underground, with subterranean galleries that stretch for over 120 kilometers. It is also important to note that the cellars are very chilly, due to them being underground. I was reminded of the mines at Ro\u0219ia Montan\u0103, feeling the sudden blast of cold air welcoming me as I again entered the underground world. The temperature is uniform, which aids in the production and preservation of the wines. The galleries are interestingly named, carrying the names of wine varieties – Chardonnay Street, Codru Street, Feteasca Street, etc. These initial galleries are filled with barrels dedicated to storing the particular wines on their respectively named streets. The name Codru is derived from the hilly forests of Central Moldova, a refuge in the past for people who lived in an unstable and dangerous part of the world. The Codru forests not only provided shelter for Moldovans, it also provided food, and Cricova’s Codru wine (a Cabernet-Sauvignon\/Merlot blend) is made in its honor.
\n\"Cricova5\"
\nThe cellars also plays host to a small museum that honors the history of wine-making in the country. There you will learn about fossils discovered at Naslavcea, attesting to the presence of wild grapes millions of years ago. There are also Greek amphorae, wine presses, as well as medieval documents that attest to wine cultivation in the region from the earliest of eras. The museum serves as a historical record of the importance of wine to the ancestors of Moldovans, it also shows evidence of foreign influences that further developed and advanced the craft.
\n\"Cricova2\"
\nBeyond can be found the National Collection of wines, preserving a myriad of historic and priceless wines dating back to the nineteenth century. Among these can be found the personal collection of Hermann G\u00f6ring, a trophy of the Second World War. Many important personalities have visited the winery in the past ranging from Yuri Gagarin to Traian Basescu. The Soviet cosmonaut in particular remarked that he found it more difficult to leave the winery than it was returning from space after two days of drinking and partying at Cricova. Many of these famous visitors now have personal collections that are kept in the Cricova cellars. The wines are priceless, some unique in the sense that they were made from grape varieties that have since been lost to us. This treasure is not only part of Moldova’s national heritage, but also part of what makes us unique and interesting as humans. Each bottle of wine tells a special story, and how would I have loved to know the story of each bottle kept in the National Collection.
\nMoving on, one reaches the famous tasting halls. The European Room is where most wine tastings take place, a spacious room with a long table and many chairs on each side. There are stained glass windows that depict grape vines during the seasons of the year. It is a perfect space for meetings, reunions, conferences, etc. It is here where our group was hosted for a wine tasting where we sampled reds, whites, as well as excellent champagne while learning the fine details of the art of wine tasting.
\n\"DSC07201\"
\nWhat a memorable experience it was! While little more than half of the group seems to have had enough knowledge of Romanian to understand the guide, wine has a way of bringing people together in a way that ultimately leads to greater understanding, despite linguistic differences. While sitting at the table, I looked to my right and tried to explain to the man sitting next to me that he was holding his glass incorrectly. He smiled and said “Italiano!” My mind raced back in time to when I visited Italy for the first time and the words “Piacere di conoscerti, sono Americano” magically sprang from my tongue. He laughed and toasted me, while explaining to his pal in excitement something in Italian that probably went to the tune of “We have an American among us and he knows Italian!” (Note: I don’t know Italian…beyond a couple of words) Visibly drunk, a group of Turks asked them, “Where is that guy from?” in English and someone responded “America!” and they subsequently raised their glasses to say “Cheers!” Laughing to myself that this situation is getting out of control, a man raised his glass to me and said “I am from Serbia!” and… maybe it was the effects of 5 glasses of wine but I shouted “Slava Srbija!” to his astonishment. It was a merry experience, one brought to you by the kind folks at Cricova and a group of foreigners with no tolerance for alcohol.
\n\"Cricova3\"
\nBelieve it or not, the European Room is the least impressive of Cricova’s tasting halls. There is the “Seabed” tasting room, designed for only 10 people, that looks like something ripped from a Jules Verne novel. The green and blue aquatic decor gives the impression that you are on the Nautilus and is exploring the world over a glass of wine. There’s the “Casa Mare” that is reminiscent of a traditional Moldovan home, the “Fireplace room” with a rustic hunting style that looks perfect for diplomatic conferences, and finally, the smallest room – “Presidential” room, where I imagined to myself that this is probably where Vladimir Putin celebrated his 50th birthday.
\nDeparting the cellars, the sunny sky and the cold early spring wind slapping your face is a wonderful wake up call from the adventures of the tasting room. In a stroke of marketing brilliance, there is a gift store next to the exit, designed for drunk wine connoisseurs to splurge. There I found my new Turkish, Italian, and Serbian friends filling their cars and boxes with wine, while I picked out a nice bottle for myself, Cricova Codru feeling most appropriate. So ended another adventure, one that was educational and thought provoking. Moldovan wines are one of Eastern Europe’s best kept secrets, extremely popular in the former Soviet Union, second only maybe to those from Georgia. I wonder what it would take to raise their profile in the West, to put them on the same level of those from France, Italy, or Australia. This charming little country between the Prut and Dniester rivers may not be the largest wine producer in the world, but each bottle tells a story of history, legends, and survival that is unique in the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reading Time: <\/span> 7<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>Darius Roby is a travel writer, translator, and an editor for Cluj.com, a city portal with information pertaining to life and tourism in Cluj-Napoca. He can be reached at darius@cluj.com This time he shard with us his impressions of the Cricova winery, one of the biggest in Moldova. Winemaking is an unmistakable part of Moldova’s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":441992,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-441988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion","category-tourism-en"],"content_social_share":"Reading Time: <\/span> 7<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

Darius Roby is a travel writer, translator, and an editor for Cluj.com, a city portal with information pertaining to life and tourism in Cluj-Napoca. He can be reached at darius@cluj.com<\/p>\n

This time he shard with us his impressions of the Cricova winery, one of the biggest in Moldova. <\/em><\/p>\n

Winemaking is an unmistakable part of Moldova’s charm, noted throughout the centuries and today serving as a draw for modern-day tourists.
\n———–
\nWalking through the village of Dumbrava Ro\u0219ie, Neam\u021b County, Romania last year on a warm spring day, I noticed an interesting phenomenon. After a rather chaotic winter, it was the first definitely warm and sunny day of the year. To my amazement, as I continued down the road I noticed that at every house, there were people on ladders in unison pruning their grape wines for another year of cultivation and come autumn – wine production. It almost seemed to me that there was an unspoken “calling” that sent these Romanian Moldovans outside to begin caring for their vines at the beginning of spring. So passed the first day of the agricultural year, devoted to a tradition that is steeped in history and legend.
\nWine has been produced along the northern shores of the Black Sea for a millennium. The neolithic transition from nomadic to sedentary forms of living may have led to wild strains of grapes found in modern-day Georgia being cultivated as early as 6000 BC. At the other end of the sea, in modern-day Moldova, archaeological discoveries at Varvarovca point to wine cultivation as early as 3000 BC. Grape production has remained central to agriculture in the Carpatho-Dniester-Pontic region over the ages and the wines of the region passed into the legends and folklore of the Moldovan people. I was once told a story in Soroca that once upon a time, the fortress was placed under siege by a host of Tatars and the siege lasted for months. The defenders, who were starved of food and water, found themselves rescued by storks who would drop bunches of grapes inside the central citadel, reinvigorating them, and ultimately inspiring them to withstand the Tatar siege.
\nWinemaking in the region has seen its ups and downs through the history, from King Burebista ordering the cutting of the Dacians’ vines, to government support under Russian imperial rule, to the devastating phylloxera outbreak towards the end of the 19th century. The outbreak led to the extinction or near-extinction of various native varieties of Moldovan grapes such as Poman\u0103 boiereasc\u0103 or Fir\u021bigaia, which would be replaced by hardier French varieties with familiar names such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. Caucasian varieties such as Saperavi and Rkatsiteli have also been introduced. There are native varieties that can still be enjoyed today such as Feteasc\u0103 Alb\u0103, Plavai, or Rar\u0103 Neagr\u0103, which in particular is blended with other varieties to make the legendary Negru de Purcari, but these account for only a small percentage (approximately 10%) of the grapes used for wine production today in the country.
\nThere are four wine-making regions in Moldova: in the north there’s B\u0103l\u021bi – famous for its dry wines, Valul lui Traian – the southern steppe region famous for its red wines, Stefan Voda – home of the Purcary winery, and Codru – where the famous Milestii Mici and Cricova wineries are found. I recently found myself at Cricova, seeing first hand that Moldova is underrated as a wine producer, and how important wine is to the soul of Moldovan people.
\nApproximately 10 miles away from Chisinau lies the Cricova winery. It is located in a town of the same name. I do not know the origin of the name. It seems to derive from the name “Cric\u0103u” and even deeper in the past it was once referred to as Vadul-Pietrei, perhaps due to the rocky area near the river Ichel, a tributary of the Dniester. To arrive at the winery you must follow Chi\u0219in\u0103ului Street, turning on the road heading towards the river right before passing the penitentiary. A descending road then takes you past some houses, a wonderful lookout point on the river, a gift-shop, two restaurants, and then the winery.
\n\"Cricova4\"
\nThe cellars are carved into the limestone hills and cliffs that rise above the Ichel. Formerly a quarry for the extraction of stone, it is truly a city, situated 100 meters underground, with subterranean galleries that stretch for over 120 kilometers. It is also important to note that the cellars are very chilly, due to them being underground. I was reminded of the mines at Ro\u0219ia Montan\u0103, feeling the sudden blast of cold air welcoming me as I again entered the underground world. The temperature is uniform, which aids in the production and preservation of the wines. The galleries are interestingly named, carrying the names of wine varieties – Chardonnay Street, Codru Street, Feteasca Street, etc. These initial galleries are filled with barrels dedicated to storing the particular wines on their respectively named streets. The name Codru is derived from the hilly forests of Central Moldova, a refuge in the past for people who lived in an unstable and dangerous part of the world. The Codru forests not only provided shelter for Moldovans, it also provided food, and Cricova’s Codru wine (a Cabernet-Sauvignon\/Merlot blend) is made in its honor.
\n\"Cricova5\"
\nThe cellars also plays host to a small museum that honors the history of wine-making in the country. There you will learn about fossils discovered at Naslavcea, attesting to the presence of wild grapes millions of years ago. There are also Greek amphorae, wine presses, as well as medieval documents that attest to wine cultivation in the region from the earliest of eras. The museum serves as a historical record of the importance of wine to the ancestors of Moldovans, it also shows evidence of foreign influences that further developed and advanced the craft.
\n\"Cricova2\"
\nBeyond can be found the National Collection of wines, preserving a myriad of historic and priceless wines dating back to the nineteenth century. Among these can be found the personal collection of Hermann G\u00f6ring, a trophy of the Second World War. Many important personalities have visited the winery in the past ranging from Yuri Gagarin to Traian Basescu. The Soviet cosmonaut in particular remarked that he found it more difficult to leave the winery than it was returning from space after two days of drinking and partying at Cricova. Many of these famous visitors now have personal collections that are kept in the Cricova cellars. The wines are priceless, some unique in the sense that they were made from grape varieties that have since been lost to us. This treasure is not only part of Moldova’s national heritage, but also part of what makes us unique and interesting as humans. Each bottle of wine tells a special story, and how would I have loved to know the story of each bottle kept in the National Collection.
\nMoving on, one reaches the famous tasting halls. The European Room is where most wine tastings take place, a spacious room with a long table and many chairs on each side. There are stained glass windows that depict grape vines during the seasons of the year. It is a perfect space for meetings, reunions, conferences, etc. It is here where our group was hosted for a wine tasting where we sampled reds, whites, as well as excellent champagne while learning the fine details of the art of wine tasting.
\n\"DSC07201\"
\nWhat a memorable experience it was! While little more than half of the group seems to have had enough knowledge of Romanian to understand the guide, wine has a way of bringing people together in a way that ultimately leads to greater understanding, despite linguistic differences. While sitting at the table, I looked to my right and tried to explain to the man sitting next to me that he was holding his glass incorrectly. He smiled and said “Italiano!” My mind raced back in time to when I visited Italy for the first time and the words “Piacere di conoscerti, sono Americano” magically sprang from my tongue. He laughed and toasted me, while explaining to his pal in excitement something in Italian that probably went to the tune of “We have an American among us and he knows Italian!” (Note: I don’t know Italian…beyond a couple of words) Visibly drunk, a group of Turks asked them, “Where is that guy from?” in English and someone responded “America!” and they subsequently raised their glasses to say “Cheers!” Laughing to myself that this situation is getting out of control, a man raised his glass to me and said “I am from Serbia!” and… maybe it was the effects of 5 glasses of wine but I shouted “Slava Srbija!” to his astonishment. It was a merry experience, one brought to you by the kind folks at Cricova and a group of foreigners with no tolerance for alcohol.
\n\"Cricova3\"
\nBelieve it or not, the European Room is the least impressive of Cricova’s tasting halls. There is the “Seabed” tasting room, designed for only 10 people, that looks like something ripped from a Jules Verne novel. The green and blue aquatic decor gives the impression that you are on the Nautilus and is exploring the world over a glass of wine. There’s the “Casa Mare” that is reminiscent of a traditional Moldovan home, the “Fireplace room” with a rustic hunting style that looks perfect for diplomatic conferences, and finally, the smallest room – “Presidential” room, where I imagined to myself that this is probably where Vladimir Putin celebrated his 50th birthday.
\nDeparting the cellars, the sunny sky and the cold early spring wind slapping your face is a wonderful wake up call from the adventures of the tasting room. In a stroke of marketing brilliance, there is a gift store next to the exit, designed for drunk wine connoisseurs to splurge. There I found my new Turkish, Italian, and Serbian friends filling their cars and boxes with wine, while I picked out a nice bottle for myself, Cricova Codru feeling most appropriate. So ended another adventure, one that was educational and thought provoking. Moldovan wines are one of Eastern Europe’s best kept secrets, extremely popular in the former Soviet Union, second only maybe to those from Georgia. I wonder what it would take to raise their profile in the West, to put them on the same level of those from France, Italy, or Australia. This charming little country between the Prut and Dniester rivers may not be the largest wine producer in the world, but each bottle tells a story of history, legends, and survival that is unique in the world.<\/p>\n

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