In Moldavia, the vines are covering more than 90,000 hectares, namely a third of the country’s viticultural area. Wine plantations are spread all along the province, starting from Botosani in the north down to Vrancea in the south as well as across the region, from the hillside area of the eastern Carpathians to the Prut River.
Following and descending from north to south on the viticultural map of Moldavia, we shall encounter several famous vineyards that we have mentioned in the preamble to our journey.
First and foremost, the Iasi County greets us with the Cotnari vineyard, where we shall be making our first stop. We also come across the Iasi vineyard, with its viticultural centers at Copou, Bucium, Uricani and Comama, as well as the independent viticultural centers of Plugari and Probota. Starting from the south of the county and crossing the Vaslui County, we travel across the vast Husi vineyard, with the viticultural centers of Bohotin, Averesti, Husi, Vutcani and Murgeni. The Colinele Tutovei vineyard is also located in Vaslui, including the centers of Iana, Tutova and Balabanesti (the latter is located in the Galati County).
In the Bacau County we shall come across the Zeletin vineyard, with vines from centers such as Zeletin, Dealul Morii, Paricea, Tanasoaia and Gohor. In the south-eastern Moldavia, the Galati County has turned into a major viticultural area, comprising four vineyards: Dealul Bujorului (with centers at Bujoru, Smulti, Oancea and Beresti); Nicoresti (the centers from Nicoresti and Buciumeni); Ivesti (the viticultural centers from Ivesti, Tecuci and Corod) and Covurlui (the viticultural centers from Baleni, Scanteiesti, Pechea and Smardan). Finally, in the south-west of Moldavia, near the Carpathian bend, we shall find the famous Vrancea vineyards, namely Odobesti, Panciu and Cotesti, which in their turn include several other reputed viticultural centers that we shall be talking about later on.
We shall not be able to visit all these places, not because it would not be worth the effort. It’s just that, with such a long way to go, we have to decide from the very beginning that we shall be stopping in Cotnari, then in Iasi, then on to Husi, Dealul Bujorului, Nicoresti and eventually in the Vrancea vineyards. It is an itinerary which will definitely give us an idea of the Moldavian wines, so highly acclaimed and put into songs.
MOLDOVA |
Vineyard |
Viticultural centre |
County |
Varieties |
Recommended |
Authorised |
COTNARI |
Cotnari |
Iasi |
Feteasca alba
Francusa
Grasa de Cotnari
Tamaioasa romaneasca |
Muscat Ottonel |
Harlau |
Iasi |
Feteasca alba
Francusa
Grasa de Cotnari
Tamaioasa romaneasca |
Chardonnay
Muscat Ottonel
Pinot gris
Sauvignon |
Cucuteni |
Iasi |
Feteasca alba
Francusa
Grasa de Cotnari
Tamaioasa romaneasca |
Aligoté
Chardonnay
Muscat Ottonel
Pinot gris
Sauvignon |
Tg. Frumos |
Iasi |
Francusa
Pinot gris
Sauvignon
Tamaioasa romaneasca |
Chardonnay
Feteasca neagra
Muscat Ottonel |
Frumusica |
Botosani |
Aligoté
Feteasca alba |
Feteasca regala
Muscat Ottonel |
IASI |
Copou |
Iasi |
Aligoté
Feteasca alba
Muscat Ottonel
Sauvignon |
Chardonnay
Feteasca regala
Pinot gris |
Bucium-
Tomesti |
Iasi |
Aligoté
Feteasca alba
Muscat Ottonel
Sauvignon |
Chardonnay
Feteasca regala
Pinot gris |
Uricani |
Iasi |
Feteasca alba
Feteasca neagra
Pinot noir |
Babeasca neagra
Cabernet Sauvignon
Oporto |
Comarna |
Iasi |
Aligoté
Feteasca alba |
Feteasca regala
Muscat Ottonel |
Plugari |
Iasi |
Aligoté
Feteasca alba |
Feteasca regala
Muscat Ottonel |
Probota |
Iasi |
Aligoté
Feteasca alba |
Feteasca regala
Muscat Ottonel |
- |
Hlipicani |
Botosani |
Aligoté
Feteasca alba |
Feteasca regala
Muscat Ottonel |
HUSI |
Husi |
Vaslui |
Busuioaca de Bohotin
Feteasca alba
Zghihara de Husi |
Aligoté
Feteasca regala
Muscat Ottonel Riesling italian |
Averesti |
Vaslui |
Busuioaca de Bohotin
Feteasca alba
Zghihara de Husi |
Aligoté
Feteasca regala
Muscat Ottonel Riesling italian |
Vutcani |
Vaslui |
Aligoté
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba
Feteasca neagra |
Feteasca regala
Merlot
Muscat Ottonel
Pinot noir
Riesling italian |
Murgeni |
Vaslui |
Aligoté
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba
Feteasca neagra |
Feteasca regala
Merlot
Muscat Ottonel
Pinot noir
Riesling italian |
Bohotin |
Iasi, Vaslui |
|
|
- |
Vaslui |
Vaslui |
Aligoté
Feteasca alba
Feteasca regala |
Muscat Ottonel
Zghihara de Husi
|
- |
Bozieni |
Neamt |
Aligoté
Feteasca alba |
Muscat Ottonel |
COLINELE TUTOVEI |
Iana |
Vaslui |
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba
Feteasca neagra
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca regala
Merlot |
Tutova |
Vaslui |
Aligoté
Feteasca alba
Feteasca neagra |
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca regala
Riesling italian |
Balabanesti |
Galati |
Aligoté
Feteasca alba |
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca regala |
DEALUL BUJORULUI |
Bujoru |
Galati |
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba
Feteasca neagra
Merlot
Riesling italian
Sauvignon |
Aligoté
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca regala
Muscat Ottonel
Sarba |
Smulti |
Galati |
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba Feteasca regala
Feteasca neagra
Merlot
Riesling italian
Sauvignon |
Aligoté
Babeasca neagra
Muscat Ottonel
Sarba |
Oancea |
Galati |
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba Feteasca neagra
Merlot
Riesling italian |
Babeasca neagra
Muscat Ottonel
|
Beresti |
Galati |
Feteasca alba Feteasca regala
Feteasca neagra
Merlot
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Babeasca neagra
Cabernet Sauvignon
Muscat Ottonel |
NICORESTI |
Nicoresti |
Galati |
Cabernet Sauvignon Feteasca alba Feteasca neagra
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Babeasca neagra Feteasca regala
Merlot |
Buciumeni |
Galati |
Aligoté
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca alba
Feteasca neagra |
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca regala
Merlot
Riesling italian |
IVESTI |
Ivesti |
Galati |
Aligoté
Babeasca neagra
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca regala |
Feteasca neagra
Merlot
|
Tecuci |
Galati |
Aligoté
Babeasca neagra
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca regala |
Feteasca neagra
Merlot
|
Corod |
Galati |
Aligoté
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca neagra
Feteasca alba
Merlot |
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca regala
Riesling italian |
- |
Grivita |
Galati |
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca regala
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Feteasca alba |
- |
Namoloasa |
Galati |
Aligoté
Babeasca neagra |
Feteasca regala |
COVURLUI |
Baleni |
Galati |
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca neagra
Feteasca regala
Merlot
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba
Muscat Ottonel |
Scanteiesti |
Galati |
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca neagra
Feteasca regala
Merlot
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba
Muscat Ottonel |
Pechea |
Galati |
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca neagra
Feteasca regala
Merlot
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba
Muscat Ottonel |
Smirdan |
Galati |
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca neagra
Feteasca regala
Merlot
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba
Muscat Ottonel |
Racaciuni |
Bacau |
Feteasca alba
Feteasca regala |
Aligoté
Muscat Ottonel
Riesling italian |
ZELETIN |
Zeletin |
Bacau |
Feteasca alba
Feteasca regala
Pinot gris
Riesling italian
Sauvignon |
Aligoté
Muscat Ottonel
|
Dealul Morii |
Bacau |
Feteasca alba
Feteasca regala
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Muscat Ottonel
Pinot gris |
Parincea |
Bacau |
Feteasca alba
Feteasca regala
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Muscat Ottonel
Pinot gris |
Tanasoaia |
Vrancea |
Feteasca alba
Feteasca regala
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Muscat Ottonel
Pinot gris |
Gohor |
Galati |
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca alba
Feteasca regala
Merlot
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca neagra
Muscat Ottonel |
PANCIU |
Panciu |
Vrancea |
Chardonnay
Feteasca alba
Feteasca neagra
Pinot gris
Pinot noir
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca regala
Merlot
Muscat Ottonel |
Tifesti |
Vrancea |
Babeasca neagra
Feteasca alba
Feteasca neagra
Merlot
Pinot gris
Riesling italian |
Aligoté
Feteasca regala
Muscat Ottonel
Riesling italian |
Paunesti |
Vrancea |
Feteasca alba
Feteasca regala
Pinot gris
Plavaie |
Aligoté
Muscat Ottonel
Riesling italian |
ODOBESTI |
Odobesti |
Vrancea |
Feteasca alba
Feteasca neagra
Merlot
Plavaie
Riesling italian
Sauvignon |
Alicante Bouschet
Aligoté
Feteasca regala
Galbena de Odobesti
Sarba |
Jaristea |
Vrancea |
Feteasca alba
Feteasca regala
Feteasca neagra
Merlot
Pinot gris
Plavaie
Riesling italian
Sauvignon |
Alicante Bouschet
Aligoté
Galbena de Odobesti
Sarba |
Bolotesti |
Vrancea |
Feteasca alba
Feteasca regala
Plavaie |
Aligoté
Galbena de Odobesti
Riesling italian |
COTESTI |
Cotesti |
Vrancea |
Babeasca neagra
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba
Feteasca regala
Feteasca neagra
Pinot noir
Sauvignon |
Aligoté
Merlot
Muscat Ottonel
|
Tîmboiesti |
Vrancea |
Babeasca neagra
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba
Feteasca regala
Feteasca neagra
Riesling italian
Sauvignon |
Aligoté
Merlot
Muscat Ottonel
|
Carligele |
Vrancea |
Babeasca neagra
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba
Feteasca regala
Feteasca neagra
Pinot noir
Riesling italian
Sauvignon |
Aligoté
Merlot
Muscat Ottonel
|
Vartescoiu |
Vrancea |
Cabernet Sauvignon
Feteasca alba
Feteasca neagra
Pinot noir
Riesling italian
Sauvignon |
Aligoté
Feteasca regala
Merlot
Muscat Ottonel
Plavaie |