Moldova Uncorked Wine tour

Moldova Wine Tour: Uncorked Wine Experience

Discover the rich flavors, traditions, and stories behind Moldova’s celebrated wine culture on this unforgettable Moldova Wine Tour. The Uncorked Wine Tour includes wine tastings and excursions at six distinctive wineries throughout Moldova, along with a visit to a well-known wine bar in Chisinau. From underground cellars and award-winning family wineries to royal blends, ice wines, and hands-on culinary experiences, this 5-day journey is designed for travelers who want to experience Moldova through its wine, food, history, and hospitality.

Moldova is not just about wine. It is about the story behind every bottle: from sun-pampered berries and carefully hand-picked grapes to the shape of the glass that best reveals each wine’s flavor. Join this exciting journey and discover the wine that may become your soul mate.

Uncorked Moldova Wine Tour Overview

Duration: 5 days

Start/Finish City: Chisinau

This Moldova Wine Tour features some of the country’s most memorable wine destinations, each offering its own unique highlight:

• Cricova Winery, famous for its extensive underground wine cellars and sparkling wines
• Chateau Vartely, known for one of the best ice wine selections in Moldova
• Gogu Winery, a small producer crafting some of the most awarded wines in the region
• Et Cetera Winery, a family-owned winery offering grape harvesting, local traditions, and wine ice cream
• Purcari Winery, one of Moldova’s historic wine estates, once enjoyed by European royal families
• Castel Mimi Winery, recognized as one of the most beautiful architectural masterpieces in the world of wine

Included Experiences

• Blind wine tasting at Carpe Diem Wine Bar in Chisinau
• Biking through the famous underground sparkling wine cellars at Cricova Winery
• Ice wine tasting at Chateau Vartely
• Award-winning wines crafted by Gogu Winery, a small Moldovan wine producer
• Cooking the Bride’s Pie at Et Cetera Winery
• Royal blends and historic wines at Purcari Winery
• A visit to one of the most beautiful architectural masterpieces in the wine world
• Wine blending and label painting at Castel Mimi Winery

Day 1: Welcome to Moldova & Chisinau Wine Tasting

Welcome to Moldova! Your Moldova Wine Tour begins in Chisinau, the heart of the country. Start with a walking tour of the capital, one of the leafiest cities in Europe. Chisinau is Moldova’s main tourist destination, offering beautiful Orthodox churches, museums, parks, and charming city streets.

In the evening, enjoy a blind wine tasting at a local wine bar, where you will begin discovering the flavors, varieties, and personality of Moldovan wine.

Day 2: Cricova Winery, Orheiul Vechi & Chateau Vartely

After breakfast, travel to Cricova Winery, one of Moldova’s most famous wine destinations. Cricova is one of the few wineries in the world still producing sparkling wines according to the traditional Champenoise method. Its underground wine cellars stretch for approximately 70 kilometers and are home to an extraordinary collection of wines.

At noon, continue to Orheiul Vechi, a cultural and historical complex located in a rocky gorge of the Raut River. This pristine valley features dramatic limestone outcroppings and ancient monuments dating from the 10th century BC through the period of the Golden Horde in the 14th century.

By the end of the day, visit Chateau Vartely, one of Moldova’s newer wineries. Its premium selection includes ice wines made from Muscat Ottonel, Riesling, and Traminer varieties. These wines offer extraordinary intensity, created from super-ripe frozen grapes that produce a rich, concentrated syrup before fermentation.

Day 3: Gogu Winery & Et Cetera Winery

Begin the day by traveling south to discover more of Moldova’s outstanding wine country. Your first stop is Gogu Winery, where the family winemaking tradition dates back four generations. Learn how owner Ilie Gogu manages the entire winemaking process, from planting the vines and harvesting grapes to bottling the finished wine.

Later, visit Et Cetera Winery, a small family-owned winery where love, care, and tradition are at the heart of the winemaking process. Only the best grapes are selected for fermentation, and your wine tasting begins in the heart of the winery, where you can taste young wines straight from the barrels.

After lunch, enjoy a hands-on culinary experience with a master class in making the Bride’s Placinta, a traditional pie from southern Moldova. While the pie is cooking, take one of the winery’s bikes and explore the surrounding orchards. Depending on the season, you may find cherries, peaches, or plums.

Day 4: Purcari Winery & Castel Mimi Winery

Continue exploring the wines of southern Moldova with a visit to Purcari Winery, a refined treasure founded in 1827. Built in the style of a French chateau, the estate offers an atmosphere of calm and luxury while revealing the secrets behind Moldova’s legendary Purcari wines.

Purcari wines were once served to Emperor Nicholas II, King George V, and Queen Victoria of Great Britain. In the estate’s galleries, you will find an impressive collection of Purcari wines, including samples dating back to 1948. During your visit, taste the emblematic Negru de Purcari, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Saperavi, and the local Rara Neagra variety.

On the way back to Chisinau, visit Castel Mimi Winery, one of the most beautiful architectural masterpieces in the world of wine. Its story began in 1893, when Constantin Mimi, the last governor of Bessarabia, planted the first grape vines on the land that would become legendary over time.

Although more than a century has passed since its founding, Castel Mimi has preserved the history, traditions, and craftsmanship that made it famous. Don’t miss the wine blending activity and label painting experience, which are sure to be highlights of this Moldova Wine Tour.

Day 5: Departure from Chisinau

It is time to say goodbye — or, as they say in Moldova, see you next time! You will be accompanied to the airport to ensure a smooth and safe trip home.

This Moldova Wine Tour can be modified, and pre-tour or post-tour travel options can be added based on your interests, schedule, and preferred travel style.