Putin celebrated his 50th birthday at the state-owned Cricova Winery, which is located 9 miles north of Moldova’s capital, Chișinău.

Moldova’s former president gave Putin a collection of wines during the visit. They were added to an exhibition of famous former visitors, along with a picture of the Russian leader.

However, they have now been banished. After Russia invaded Ukraine, ‘we got lots of questions that we could not answer about why he was still here,’ winery director Sorin Maslo told The New York Times.

The bottles have not yet been destroyed. Instead, they have been moved to a dark, sealed-off area of the winery so that ‘nobody has to deal with him,’ Maslo added.

Cricova’s display features pictures of famous visitors such as Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky, former German chancellor Angela Merkel and former US Secretary of State John Kerry. Other famous faces include Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space.

Putin’s snub also reflects the strained relationship between Moldova and Russia. Moldova was a major supplier of wine to Russia until 2013. Moscow then imposed an embargo on Moldovan wine after the country signalled its ambition to join the EU.

Last year, Kremlin officials threatened Moldova with a ‘military scenario’ in the breakaway Transnistria region, which is controlled by Russian-backed separatists.

In October, Moldovan voters approved a change to the country’s constitution, which moves Moldova out of Moscow’s sphere of influence and aligns it more closely with the EU.

Removing Putin’s wines from the display is a symbolic gesture from Moldova. Cricova is the country’s second-largest wine cellar, with 75 miles of labyrinthine roadways under the winery. Half of the roadways in this underground ‘wine city’ are used for wine storage.

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The ‘Freedom Blend’blend uses a combination of indigenous grape varieties from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova to symbolise and celebrate freedom in those countries.

Purcari is located just 15 miles from the Ukrainian border. It has turned its luxury suites, tasting rooms and conferences rooms into emergency accommodation, housing more than 5,000 people that have fled war-torn Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion.

The award-winning winery – which claimed best-in-show, platinum and gold medals at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2020 – initially created a ‘Freedom Blend’ as a show of support after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

It has now created a new bottling to raise funds for refugees from the current war. The dry red wine consists of 65% Saperavi, 20% Rară Neagră and 15% Bastardo grapes, aged in oak for nine months prior to bottling. It is said to offer notes of blackcurrant, cherry, blackberry, dried plums and red pepper.

In the UK, it sells for £19.95. All proceeds will go to Ukrainian refugees. You can purchase it from Transylvania Wines, Best of Hungary, North & South Wines in London and other independent retailers.

It is now more than 100 days since Russian forces invaded Ukraine. More than 14 million people have fled their homes in that time, according to the United Nations.

Half are displaced within Ukraine, while around 7 million have left for neighbouring countries, including Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.

Poland has taken more than any other country, but 483,306 Ukrainians have headed into Moldova, which has the largest concentration of refugees by population. The refugees are housed in makeshift reception centres if they cannot stay with friends or relatives.

International support is required to support the displaced Ukrainians, and wines like ‘Freedom Blend’ can help to raise vital funds.

A brand called Vodka Zelensky – created by refugee and fashion designer Anastasiia Rosinina, who fled Kyiv in March, and named after the Ukrainian lead – has also launched in the UK. All profits go to Ukrainian aid.

Stoli launched a limited-edition Ukrainian-themed vodka, while Cornish brewery Harbour created a ‘Stand With’ IPA, and there are various other drinks brands have launched limited-edition bottlings to support the humanitarian aid.

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Results for the 2020 Decanter World Wine Awards were announced just last week and Moldova experienced a breakthrough year.

The significant but often underrated wine-producing nation secured two Best in Show medals for Asconi Winery’s Sol Begru Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2019 and Purcari’s Viorica de Purcari 2019 made from 100% Viorica, an indigenous white grape variety. Only 50 wines (just 0.3% of all wines entered) were awarded this highly sought-after accolade.

In addition, Moldova received one Platinum, three Gold, 36 Silver and 55 Bronze medals. Regional Chair for North, Central & Eastern Europe, Beth Willard commented, ‘It’s really great to see some of the reds from Eastern Europe, like Moldova, showing a lot more freshness and really great quality oak. The wines are a lot more balanced, so we’ve had some standout wines.’

Scroll down to see Moldova’s 95+ point wines from DWWA 2020

Moldova’s National Wine Day

Just in time to celebrate DWWA 2020 results, Moldova’s 19th annual National Wine Day with the slogan ‘Eu deVIN sărbătoare’ or ‘My Wine Day’ is this weekend (3-4 October) to honour the country’s wine heritage and traditions in winemaking.

The wine festival normally attracts tens of thousands of tourists to the Grand National Assembly Square in Chisinau with colourful fairs, wine tastings, competitions, open-air performances and more, but this year, in line with safety measures, the event will be virtual with a ‘My Wine Day’ Zoom webinar on 3 October hosted by Jamie Goode, wine author, judge and columnist of The Sunday Express.

Wine of Moldova invites all wine enthusiast and professionals around the world to ‘travel’ to Moldova and learn about its indigenous grape varieties.

Visit wineday.wineofmoldova.com to find out how to participate this 3 October at 7 pm EEST / 6 pm CEST / 5 pm BST

About Moldovan wines

Located in Eastern Europe, Moldova sits between Ukraine and Romania and has a winemaking history tracing back 5,000 years. Moldova’s vineyards are located at 46-47˚ latitude, similar to Burgundy, and its topography is varied with low hills and sunny plateaus and plains. Its climate is moderately-continental and influenced by the Black Sea.

European grape varieties account for just over 70% of Moldova’s 112,000 hectares of vineyards, 70% of which are planted to white varieties including Rkatsiteli, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Aligote. Red varieties planted include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Saperavi.

The authenticity and singularity of Moldovan wines is represented by the country’s indigenous varieties which account for 10% of the vineyards, including Feteasca Alba, Feteasca Regala, Feteasca Neagra, Rara Neagra, Plavai and Viorica.

DWWA 2020: 95+ point wines from Moldova

Asconi Winery, Sol Negru Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé, Codru 2019

Best in Show, 97 points

Moldova’s second success in our Best in Show selection this year is a top-value rosé wine which impressed our judges on multiple fronts. In colour, first of all: the soft petal pink is magnetic. It’s sweet scented but without anything cloying to it, and the flavours are just deep enough to provide a fix of focussed pleasure, but not so deep as to efface the essential drinkability of this ever-more-popular wine style. This is not easy to pull off using naturally assertive Cabernet Sauvignon grapes; the winemaking team here has judged it perfectly. There is just a little barely palpable sweetness on the palate which adds to the overall tenderness, yet a brightly rounded acidity keeps everything fresh.

Purcari, Viorica de Purcari 2019

Best in Show, 97 points

Two Moldovan wines in our Best in Show selection makes 2020 a breakthrough year for this significant but often underrated wine-producing nation – and what could be more appropriate than that one of these is based on the indigenous variety Viorica. If you’re not familiar with the variety (and it doesn’t appear in Robinson, Harding and Vouillamoz’s Wine Grapes, so that probably means most of us), look out for a pale colour, very attractive aromas which resemble Muscat grapes mixed with honeysuckle and freesia flowers, and flavours of soft, sustaining purity. The fruits evoke grapes and white grapefruit with a little lemon rind, and it finishes clean, bright and brisk. Freshness is part of its great-value charm, so this is clearly a wine for drinking, not storing.

Purcari, Since 1827 Traminer 2019

Platinum, 97 points

Classic and attractive aromas of perfumed orange, Turkish delight, lemon sherbet and grapey notes. Vibrant fruit with a lovely concentration supported by a refreshing acidity. It ends in a lingering finish with memories of aniseed.

Castel Mimi, Ice Wine Riesling, Anenii-Noi, Codru 2018

Gold, 95 points

Appealing nose with ripe aromas of apricots, apples, honey and touches of spice. On the palate it shows a lovely lifted acidity providing freshness.

Purcari, Negru de Purcari Limited Edition, Stefan Voda 2015

Gold, 95 points

Savoury spice, dried tobacco, cedar and nutmeg undertones framed by dark plums and blackcurrant notes. Lovely juicy fruit intensity, polished and very fresh on the palate.

Purcari, Since 1827 Rara Neagră 2019

Gold, 95 points

Expressive nose showing lively red cherries, black fruits, garrigue, vine tomato and floral notes. Ripe silky tannins, really elegant and mouth filling. Vibrant and persistent.

Search all award-winning wines from Moldova

More than 350 runners have taken part in an underground 10k race in the Milestii Mici wine cellar in Moldova.

Runners from across the world took part in the 10k race, according to the organiser, Sporter, a sports competition company in Moldova.

The Milestii Mici wine cellar is reported to be the largest cellar in the world, and in 2005 the winery entered the Guinness World Records for storing the largest number of bottles of wine in one place. It currently holds around 2 million bottles.

The total length of the galleries is 200km, and the winery describes it as an ‘underground wine city’.

Runners were treated to traditional music, drinks and local food along the 10k route, which mostly passed through underground cellars lined with wine barrels but also included some outdoor sections in the snow.

‘Instead of drinking wine at a table, why not run and then drink a glass of wine?’ suggested Dmitri Voloshin, president of the Sporter organisation.

The event is not the only one to combine running with wine tasting.

Every September, the Marathon du Médoc follows a route through the vineyards of Bordeaux, with stations along the way serving wine, oysters and steak.

Moldovan wine industry

Moldova is increasing efforts to promote wine tourism, following years of export difficulties after being banned in Russia.

In 2017, Moldova the country’s airport was rebranded ‘Wine of Moldova aiport’, showing the country’s support for its wine industry.

The residents of Moldova have shown their support for the country’s wine industry by voting to rename the capital’s airport, ‘Wines of Moldova Airport’.

Moldova gets first ‘wine airport’

‘Wines of Moldova’ will appear on the front of their national airport (pictured), which was previously known as Chisinau International Airport.

The choices for the new name were a selection of references to Moldovan culture, including classical musician, Euga Doga and Moldova’s first female pilot, Olga Culic.

Fictional fairy tale characters Pacala and Tandala were also amongst the choices.

Wines of Moldova hope this will send the message to tourists and visitors that Moldova is a ‘country of wine.’

The vote was carried out on website by diez.md and over 8,000 people participated in it.

Moldovan wine industry

International varieties grown in Moldova include: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

Rkatsiteli and Aligoté, more commonly found in eastern European wine regions, are also planted, .

Indigenous varieties include Feteasca Alba, Feteasca Nelba and Rare Neagra.

The Moldovan wine industry has suffered from conflicts with Russia in the past, including bans on Moldovan wines being imported to Russia.

The EU then relaxed trade rules with Moldova, as a riposte to the Russian bans.

67 million bottles are now exported worldwide, according to Wines of Moldova.

A Moldovan sweet wine won a Platinum award in the 2017 Decanter World Wine Awards, and can be bought from Laithwaite’s for £8.

Related stories:

EU to relax Moldovan wine trade barriers

The European Commission has said it plans to drop trade barriers to Moldovan wine, in a riposte to Russia’s ban

Russia’s ban on Moldovan wine ‘unfounded’

Russia has been accused of playing politics after re-imposing a ban on imports of all Moldovan wine and brandy.

Russia lifts Moldova wine and spirits ban

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The European Commission has said it plans to drop trade barriers to Moldovan wine, in a riposte to Russia’s ban on imports.

The Commission plans to fast-track a deal that would ‘fully open’ the EU market to Moldovan wines before a recently-agreed free trade agreement is implemented.

Its move follows Russia’s decision to re-impose a ban on imports of Moldovan wine. Russia cited impurities and poor quality in samples, but the ban also coincided with an announcement that Moldova and the EU will sign an ‘association agreement’ – which includes the free trade deal – in November this year.

‘The EU’s market is a sustainable alternative and a viable pole of stability for the Moldovan wine sector,’ said EU agriculture commissioner Dacian Cioloş. ‘Beyond being a very successful economic integration project, the EU is also a space of solidarity.’

A current trade deal between the EU and Moldova restricts Moldovan wine imports to 24m litres per year.

In order to relax that rule, the Commission still needs to secure the agreement of the European Parliament and Council of Ministers.

Written by Chris Mercer

Russia has been accused of playing politics after re-imposing a ban on imports of all Moldovan wine and brandy.

Russia’s government announced the latest ban this week, after its public health chief, Gennady Onishchenko, cited impurities in Moldovan wine and blamed the country’s failure to improve quality.

The ban was imposed as Moldova announced plans to sign a draft association treaty with the European Union later this year. Russia has a recent history of banning Moldovan imports, including in 2006 and 2010.

‘There are no quality problems with Moldovan wines and these are unfounded allegations,’ said Gheorghe Arpentin, head of the Union of Oenologists in Moldova.

Sources in Moldova claim the ban is based on alleged findings of excessive levels of dibutyl phthalate in wine and brandy from three producers (a common plasticiser, with legal limits only in place for water), though no evidence has been presented by Russia. Tests in Moldova show no excess levels, decanter.com understands.

Moldova’s Prime Minister, lurie Leancă, has called the decision ‘regrettable and unjustified’, and promised the government ‘will do everything possible to resolve the situation’.

Around 30% of Moldova’s wine exports, or 32m litres, are sent to Russia in normal circumstances.

Philip Quick, a former winemaker turned English teacher in the country, said, ‘so many people already lost their jobs. This could be the deathblow.’

Written by Caroline Gilby MW

The Moldovan wine industry’s biggest market, Russia, has banned wine imports from the former Soviet republic after a leading health official claimed it ‘should be used to paint fences’.

The Russian customs service has stopped Moldovan wine from entering the country over concerns about quality and health risks, according to news agency Reuters.

In the three weeks to 15 July, the Russian customs agency said there were more than half a million bottles labelled as ‘poor quality’ and more than 90 batches failing to meet hygiene standards.

The Moldovan wine industry has also been the victim of deteriorating relations with Russia. Moldova’s acting president angered Moscow, claiming Soviet rule amounted to occupation.

Earlier this year, Russia’s consumer welfare department banned almost 50,000 litres of wine for safety reasons, and Russia’s chief sanitary official, Gennady Onishchenko, claimed that ‘Moldovan wine should be used to paint fences.’

However, there were a number of Moldovan wines in the Decanter World Wine Awards that won the judges’ approval. The silver-award winning 2009 Abastrele Sauvignon Blanc was described as, ‘quite aromatic, flinty nose with blackcurrant leaf aromas. Crisp, fruity and mineral on the palate, with good fruit weight and tropical notes.’

Russia previously purchased 80% of Moldova’s total wine production. The first ban on Moldovan came in March 2006 amid similar health scare claims. In 2007, more than 40 Moldovan wine producers were allowed to recommence exports but the total ban has been re-introduced.

It is estimated the wine industry employs around one-quarter of the Moldovan population.

Written by decanter.com staff