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Prehistoric periodMoldova was the most ancient wine producer. Wild vineyards were well known on land territory since eneolit times, 7,000 years ago.A winemaking culture existed in the period of Tripoly. On earthenware crockery shards ( 2,700 - 3,000 B.C.) two clear marks of vine grains were found, and one belonged to cultural sort. Ancient occupations on this territory were wine producing or vine processing. Antique period About 2,500 years ago Greek colonists acquainted the
local population with the culture of wine-making. There is evidence for this
from an archeological dig on the land territory. Winemaking was a key industry
of the ancient Greek economy. Then began the "industrial" (concerning
these times), wine production for home consumption and for changing into other
products. Middle Ages In
the Middle Ages a peculiar wine cult was established among the Moldovan boyars.
It provided an additional impulse in wine-making development: large areas were
taken for vines, winemaking technology improved, and the cellar household
developed. There was a special establishment at the ruler’s court which
oversaw vines and winemakers. The first cup-bearer (Paharnic) answered for wine
quality.From the XIV century wine export to Poland and Muscovy was well in hand. There was no stop to wine export during Turkish rule (XV – XVIII). Wine was supplied to Ukraine. From this period Moldovan history as a permanent wine and wine materials exporter began.  The
rise of Christianity also promoted the development of winemaking. Wine was used
in devotions and day-to-day existence. The Church made great demands for wine as
stated in the church "Missal", which was published in 1699 (cloister
in Moscow today orders Purcarian wines).Unfortunately the volume in which wine was produced is not known, but it was the object of exchange and trade, and brought the principality a great income. Later and latest time
 Production
of semidry and semisweet wines in Moldova began at the beginning of the 1960s.
Trying to satisfy demand for its nearest neighbors, the Ministry of Industry of
the USSR demanded the development and introduction of new wine grades. These
wines rapidly captured the minds and purses of the mass of Soviet consumers, and
demand for the wines has been great to the present day. Successful is
appropriate, as they differ by the moderate content of alcohol and sugar that
give the wines a lightness and freshness. And the fruit shades in their aroma
have different nuances.Thus Moldovan winemaking took a new developmental impulse from 1960 to 1980 of the XX century. At that time vine plantations and production assortment branched out. Moldova became the general wine supplier to the USSR market. Every second wine bottle and every third champagne bottle were produced in Moldova from Moldovan vine materials. In the period of wine-making prosperity, the territory under vineyard consisted of 220 thousand hectares, yielding about 1,140 thousand tons of vine, and producing about 42 million deciliters of wine. At the same time there was a separation of viticulture from winemaking, and also primary winemaking (vine processing) from secondary (tillage, keeping custody, tenacity and bottling). That became pledge of mass production.  In
the middle of the 80s of last century Moldovan wine-making was hard hit by
"Prohibition", when tens of hectares of vineyard were grubbed up, and
in the context of the struggle with alcoholism destroyed valuable wine. This
national tragedy caused not only cultural but economic damage. Production areas
decreased three times.Beginning from 90s, the revival and quality development of winemaking industry in Moldova become the main factor of successful economy developing. Winemaking companies began to develop rapidly. A union of primary and secondary winemaking occurred. This is a quality pledge of final product. At the current time a union of winemaking and viticulture is taking place. Today companies of the winemaking industry invest not only in modern technologies, but also in vine planting, providing stability and a high-level of wine quality.
Current state of the Moldovan winemaking industry
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A
new stage in winemaking began after the annexation of Moldova to
Russiain in 1812, when the Russian nobility began to "acquire
vine estates" and imported modern vine sorts from France. This
testifies to the developing dynamics of the winemaking branch (Moldova
took first place in wine producing in Russia (50%). If there were 13,000
dessiatinas of vine and these produced 1 million pails of wine in 1837,
then in 1900 there were about 74,000 dessiatinas, which produced 15
million. 10 million went for export, including to France, which in those
times suffered a shortage of wine through a loss of vines.
Then
winemaking microzones clarified themselves, which gave wines conciliated
beyond the bounds of Moldova. For example, the Purcarian microzone in
the Bender district was well-known for red wines the century before
last. The high quality of the wines was noted by a gold medal at the
International Parisian Exhibition in 1878. The royal family bought it to
their throne through the Appanage department. As early as the XIX
century the wine Negru de Purcari was supplied to the United
Kingdom. At the end of the century the royal family founded its own
winery, Romaneshti, in honor of the Romanov family. The wine
quality is well-known. Romaneshti was given to the throne of
the Russian Empire, and to many other European Empire thrones.
In
the beginning of the XIX century, P.K. Kazimir, who was the best of the
Bessarabian wine-makers, visited France and brought French vineyards. At
his estate near the village Mileshti Michi he founded new vine
plantations. On the estate territory the coquina mine was deserted,
which was used as estate cellars.
With
Vorontsov's assistance a college was opened in Stavcheni in 1842. It was
the first educational institution in the winemaking sphere in Moldova on
the base of a botanical garden. College professors stood at the
beginning of Crimean "Magarach".
The
winemaking sector is one of the most important in Moldova, a traditional
wine producer for many years. 25% of the country’s exports and 9% of
its gross output pertain to winemaking. This sector includes 25% of
industrial working resources. Moldovan vineyards occupy 2.3% of the
world’s territory planted with vineyards. About 147 thousand hectares
and 7.4% of all Moldovan agricultural lands are set for plantations. In
2001 Moldova was ninth place in the world in wine export volume,
exporting more than 90% of its wine production.
More
than 120 companies in Moldova export wine, with sales of USD 171 million
in 2002. The export volume in money and cost rises 15% annually on
average. This speaks to the development of the sector and improvement in
product quality.
This
can be explained as follows: the Russian material base and productive
capacity do not allow for adequate wine production to satisfy consumer
demand. Also several large Russian companies invest their money in
Moldovan winemaking industry, thus providing a stable wine market in
Russia.
Other
regions to which Moldovan product is exported are the USA, Canada,
Germany, the UK and the countries of Eastern Europe (such as the Czech
Republic and Poland).
Moldova’s
reputation as a wine-producing country always provokes the interest of
foreign investors considering opportunities for investment. It also
interests those competing with Moldovan producers for market share, as
well as potential foreign distributors of Moldovan wine products.
Poland 10083 -
Olsztyn
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