On October 1st and 2nd, Republic of Moldova celebrates the 21st edition of the National Wine Day – the biggest wine celebration event in the Eastern Europe, held traditionally on the first weekend of October every year. After a 2-year break, Wine of Moldova will showcase a record number of 80 wineries, including well-known producers as well as a growing number of boutique-wineries, with about 800 wines available for tasting to visitors in the Assembly Square in the heart of Chisinau, the national capital.
The heart of the city will be transformed into a `wine county` with over 80 producers’ stands; a Wine School with an extensive agenda of masterclasses and guided tastings; a theatre showcasing local cuisine and welcoming food zones; traditional peasant winemakers’ houses with displays of their techniques; a generous cultural creative agenda with local artists; and performances by top Moldovan musicians, such as Zdob și Zdub, which came 7th at 2022 Eurovision.
”My wine is a wine of Peace. My wine turns hate into Love” – is the slogan chosen by Moldova’s wine industry for its emblematic event, voicing the entire population desire to live in a peaceful region where there is solidarity among people.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Moldova has opened its hearts and its homes to over 200,000 refugees – an extraordinary figure for a small nation with only 2.5m citizens. Indeed, this is the world’s largest number of refugees per head of population.
The wineries on show at National Wine Day have played a huge role in this generosity, providing support to thousands of people in need. Now they are showing this solidarity to their Ukrainian wine producers across the border, by – for the first time – inviting them to join them at the festival. It is this attitude that prompted international media to dub Moldova the ‘Small country with a big heart”.
At National Wine Day, there will be wine pavilions to promote Moldova’s regional appellations – Codru, Stefan Voda, Valul lui Traian and Divin – and an innovative Wine of Moldova booth will greet journalists, importers, wine experts and sommeliers from around the world.
Moldova’s wines have been awarded with record recognition at international competitions over the last years, winning over 4 thousand medals, while a Moldovan blend of local varieties Feteasca Neagra & Rara Neagra from the Fautor winery was named the ‘Best Red Wine in the World’ in 2022, at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.
National Wine Day usually attracts about 100,000 local people, tourists and visiting professionals, but after a two-year break and with the growth of the industry, this year is expected to be even bigger.
Let’s celebrate the wines of Moldova: A Small Country with a Big Heart and Vibrant Wines.
