Wine of Moldova is exhibiting at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris for the first time this year with 18 producers showcasing their wines on the stand

2024 marks 10 years of the brand’s journey transforming the country’s wine industry. The national wine brand, “Wine of Moldova, A Legend Alive,” was launched by US Secretary of State John Kerry during his 2013 visit to Moldova.

Set up in 2014 with USAID assistance, the National Office of Vine and Wine (ONVV), the premier public-private institution in Moldova, is managed and funded jointly by the private sector and the government. The ONVV’s mission is to ensure the world is well-acquainted with the quality and distinctiveness of Moldovan wines.

Challenges on the export market motivated Moldovan wineries to review their export offerings and move towards an increasing share of bottled wine—a product with higher added value. As a result, Moldova expanded into new markets and re-oriented exports to the EU and other high-value trade markets, exporting its wines to over 70 countries and tripling in value to non-CIS countries.
In 2017, Moldova took a leap forward with the Vine and Wine Register (VWR), enhancing transparency and traceability in Moldovan winemaking. This initiative aims elevate the quality of Moldovan wines as well as instill trust among consumers worldwide.

The Product Quality Upgrading Programme (PQUP) was launched to support transitioning wineries in improving production technologies and business practices and move from producing bulk wine and low-quality bottled wine to new quality wine segments with higher value added, sustained by integrated marketing strategies. In cooperation with the Association of Small Winemakers (ASW), the Small Winemakers Mentorship Programme was implemented to identify and support small winemakers as a new generation for Moldova’s wine industry. The programme uses a peer-support format to incentivise farmers who own vine plantations to transition to commercial wines, pursuing added value, income, and employment benefits. Small winegrowers grew more than five times in the last decade.

The Wine of Moldova Academy was designed to provide continuous education and knowledge sharing in wine service and hospitality, marketing, sales, organoleptic evaluation, and wine assessment. By partnering with international experts and participating in workshops and seminars, Moldovan wineries and winemakers have been able to gain international exposure.

Wine tourism has also been an important pillar of the industry’s growth. Moldova hosted the Wine Tourism Conference (WTO) in 2019, and soon after, in 2020, the Wine Routes of Moldova received recognition as part of the “Iter Vitis” Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. Moldova’s wineries with tourism facilities have grown from 4 in 2012 to over 40 in 2023. Moldova currently has over 200 wineries, including 60 boutique establishments.

Over the past decade, Moldovan wines have received over 6,500 international awards and recognitions. Wine critic Jancis Robinson cites the natural advantages to Moldova wine her 2023 article, “Moldova’s Wine Revolution – The Proof.” International media outlets, including The Times, Euronews, Decanter, and Meininger, have also featured Moldovan wines, underscoring the quality and distinctiveness of the offering. This global recognition attests to the transformation of the wines over the last decade.

Hall 5.2 / Stand B 161

The best grapes: indigenous and new selection varieties

Wine of Moldova The Best Grapes project was designed to help develop best practices in viticulture to provide high-quality grapes for wine production. The implementation of cutting-edge technologies now allows grape growers to predict meteorological and disease infection risks and optimise spraying and other activities in the context of climate change.

Moldovan grape growers and winemakers are focusing on indigenous grape varieties as well new selection varieties to give their wines local, distinct flavours. Local Moldovan grape varieties include Rara Neagră, Feteasca Neagră, Feteasca Regală, Feteasca Albă and new selection varieties include Alb de Onițcani, Codrinschi, Viorica, Legenda and Riton.

Masterclass

Wednesday 14 February /  1:30p.m.
Location: Hall 5.3, Room 3
With special participation of the Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to France, Mrs Corina Călugăru and hosted by Stefan Iamandi, Director of the National Vine and Wine Office of Moldova and Robert Joseph, leading author and consultant.