Chișinău is the perfect base for a wine weekend: the country's best-known wineries are less than an hour from the centre. Here is how to organise two full days without rushing.
Saturday: the underground
Start the morning at Cricova, 15 km north — a tour through the limestone galleries and a tasting in the caverns. In the afternoon, head south to Mileștii Mici, holder of the world record for the largest wine collection. Two underground wineries in one day is enough; leave time for lunch too, ideally at one of the wineries.
Sunday: the château and the south
On the second day, visit Castel Mimi at Bulboaca — winery, restaurant and storybook architecture, built in 1893, with fine gardens for a stroll. If you have the energy and the time, carry on south-east to Purcari, one of the oldest wineries in the country, famous for Negru de Purcari, set among the vines.
A more relaxed version
If you would rather not drive far, choose two wineries close to Chișinău — Cricova and Asconi, for instance — and keep the second day for the city and a wine bar. Less driving, more time to enjoy it.
Practical tips
- Book ahead; the large wineries receive visitors by appointment only.
- If you are tasting, do not drive — choose an organised tour with transport included.
- Take a jacket for the underground cellars, where it is always 12-14 degrees.
- Autumn, around National Wine Day, is the finest period, but also the busiest.
With distances this short, a weekend is enough to grasp the essence of Moldovan wine. See all of Moldova's wineries and wine regions.
What you can buy at the winery
Almost every winery has a shop at the exit, where you can take home the wines you have tasted, often at better prices than in the city. Look for limited editions or collection wines that never reach the usual shelves, and ask for recommendations — the winery's sommelier knows what is worth having. Many also offer gift boxes, useful if you are taking something home. Bear in mind that, on returning to the European Union, there are limits on the quantity of alcohol you can bring in duty-free.
Beyond the large wineries
If it takes hold of you, Moldova has far more than the familiar names. To the south, the Ștefan Vodă region and the Purcari area concentrate award-winning vineyards; in the centre, the hills of the Codru conceal small family wineries. A second weekend, based at a country guesthouse, shows you the more intimate face of Moldovan wine, far from the coaches. And since many wineries are close to historical or natural sights, a well-planned route links them all into a single trip.
