Moldova Wine Tour: Mileștii Mici – The World’s Largest Wine Cellar
Travel writer Anthony Kingsley proves why Moldova, Europe’s least visited country, is your next authentic wine adventure. For One Planet Journey, Anthony offers an immersive look at the nation’s unexpectedly great wine culture in this wine tour across the country. Taste high-quality vintages in the oldest winery in Moldova and explore the world’s largest wine cellar, Mileștii Mici – with 200 km of underground tunnels in the capital Chișinău.
First impressions matter, don’t they?
We make our judgements about people and places quickly, and it can be difficult to change that initial impression. If anything, our subconscious works hard to justify those thoughts. Emotion first, justifying logic second, is the magic formula that so many marketers use to shift their products.
And those early impressions are the complete antithesis of slow travel, where we wait, and we watch. We allow the destination to slowly weave its charm upon us, to show something unexpected.
If any place deserves the title “Unexpected,” it must be Moldova. A Google search tells you it’s the least visited in Europe. Such an impression may persuade you not to visit. If so, it will rob you of unique travel experiences and the desire to return soon.
Unexpected Moldova
One of the branding taglines used by Moldova is the word “Unexpected.” Its wine association, the Wine of Moldova, brands itself “Unexpectedly Great.” Moldova may be only 11th in terms of volume of wine produced in Europe, but it has a habit of springing unexpected surprises.
Back in 1879, the judges at the Paris Expo awarded a gold medal to a red wine with an intense colour, convinced it was a new Bordeaux. But no. This was Pucari in South Moldova announcing itself to the world.
From the judges’ tables to the households of English royals King George V and Queen Victoria, it soon became a favourite wine in the best circles. Occupation during the 20th century led to the destruction of many vineyards and decreasing yields and quality, but Moldovan wine is now back on track. Decanter magazine reports that in the last 5 years, it has picked up some 300 medals, placing it firmly, if unexpectedly, in the Premier League of wine-producing nations for quality. And yet the Wine of Moldova remains both “Unexpectedly Great, Unexpectedly Unknown”.
A Moldovan wine tour like no other
When I received an invitation to tour some of Moldova’s wineries and to taste for myself, I felt intrigued. How would my first impression of “least visited country” stand up?
There are some 200 wineries in Moldova, and so of course it would be impractical to visit them all. My trip was to cover only a few of those who are part of the Wine of Moldova grouping.
I soon discovered that not only did the wine taste superb, but the whole tasting from each winery formed a unique experience, reflecting far more than wine from a particular region.
Mileștii Mici – in the Guinness Book of Records
Moldova’s wine industry is also gaining recognition with the Guinness Book of Records, UNESCO, as well as wine judges. Mileștii Mici holds the world record for the largest number of wines stored in the world’s largest cellars, some 2 million bottles stored in cellars running for 200 km underground. Cricova comes a close second with 1.6 million bottles in cellars of 55 km.
The capital city, Chișinău, is often called the white city as much of it had to be built (or rebuilt) after World War 2, quarried from limestone mines near the city. What better use can there be for disused mines than wine cellars, keeping the temperature and humidity at near-perfect levels for storing wine? One benefit of maturing wines this way is that you don’t need electricity to maintain the perfect storage environment. It results in savings passed onto consumers with unexpectedly low prices for an unexpectedly fine wine.
Cricova’s Underground Village
Both Mileștii Mici and Cricova use electric vehicles to transport visitors through their cellars, stopping off at various places to explain points of interest. For example, the area for storing sparkling wine, where they turn each bottle a quarter manually each day. This is to prevent the buildup of sediment. It’s only 100 metres underground!
Although there are similarities between the two, such as the cold and dark as you first hurtle into the cellars aboard your electric vehicle, there are enough differences to make a visit to both essential wine experiences. Mileștii Mici is the biggest, and Cricova has more of a feeling of an underground village, complete with a cinema area for watching a promotional film and various display areas. And as you are tasting wines at 100 metres down below, this is deeply immersive travel quite literally.
But is the wine unexpectedly great? For me, the answer is an unequivocal yes. I came away as impressed as those judges back in 1879. I particularly enjoyed the rosé from Cricova, and while I’m not usually a rosé fan, this wine really intrigued me. Dry, but with hints of sweetness, and a fuller body than I am accustomed to from rosé wine. I’ve bought a bottle to bring home, but will it taste the same as I remember?
Rural Wine in Moldova
The Sirbu family developed the Asconi Winery in 1994 on the site of a grape processing factory. They have added 20 cottages in the style of a traditional Moldovan village, as well as a good-sized swimming pool.
They provide several restaurants, which makes the winery an excellent day out for people who want wonderful food and wine in a pleasant location.
And their wine is noteworthy too. We had the usual combination of a sparkling wine, white wine and red wine, to which was added a very good Riesling ice wine. Heavy but not overly sweet.
Comrat Winery
The oldest winery in southern Moldova is the Comrat Winery in the autonomous region of Gagauzia. Modern technology has replaced the old Soviet-era winemaking equipment, but the winery does retain links to the past with a museum dedicated to its former owners.
A glass of red wine (rather than the sparkling wine to which we had become accustomed) greeted our party. It went well with the strong cheesy nibbles and the girl dressed in local costume. A guide led us through to the winemaking areas with their huge vats capable of processing grapes from 300 hectares of vineyard. Their wine sees export to over 20 countries and has earned over 70 medals in various international competitions in recent years.
After a visit to the museum, interestingly called the Museum of Forgotten Things, we had a wine tasting. We ate a traditional meal of meat and vegetables in a small restaurant area in the cellars dating back to 1870, accompanied by sparkling, white, and red wines.
Right after, our hosts invited us to try on local outfits and to be photographed outside. It’s a bit of fun and probably essential for any Instagram influencer.
Zero emission, Maximum Impact
On the way back to Chișinău, we stopped for dinner at Castel Mimi, the oldest wine chateau in Moldova, based upon a French style. Constantin Mimi, the last governor of Bessarabia, founded it in 1893. During Soviet times, they covered up the beautiful brickwork inside and out, using a more utilitarian plaster and tiles.
The Trifin family took over the winery in 1998. They first restored the chateau to its earlier state. Then, they sought to reduce the quantity of wine produced but to improve the quality. Their 170 hectares of vineyard has very fertile soil and a unique microclimate, producing very fine grapes. All still handpicked to ensure that only the best go into their bottles.
In 2023, European leaders gathered at Castel Mimi to discuss much and resolve little. Castel Mimi produced a President’s Collection to mark the occasion, gifting each leader several bottles to be stored in the Castel cellars. Every guest signed one bottle, which will remain at the Castel.
The Castel has just opened Moldova’s first 5 star zero emission hotel. There are 68 rooms and 7 villas, all equipped with the latest smart technology. Sadly the hotel was not quite ready to receive visitors at the time of my visit, but what a reason to go back!
Moldovan Brandy and the Bottle Museum
Two other alcohol experiences stand out for the first-time visitor to Moldova.
Moldova has proper grapes, and its people have a good understanding of the distilling process. Is it therefore unexpected that there is an excellent cognac-style brandy known as Divin? You can visit the Divin factory in the autonomous region of Pridnestrovie. The Divin is smooth but with a solid bite to it.
The Bottle Museum is about 70 km from Chișinău. It does not appear to be in the Guinness Book of Records for the biggest collection of spirits but possibly should be. Portuguese Alfredo Goncalves set that record in 2005 with some 10,500 bottles. The Bottle Museum already has over 10,000, collected from all over the world. Grigory Korzun started the collection, a football coach who would buy a bottle of spirits on each of his many trips abroad. His collection grew until he needed somewhere to keep it. How could he not build a 6 storey tower in the shape of a bottle?
How much Moldovan wine can I bring home?
Food and wine constitute an essential part of the DNA of a country. Somehow it never seems to taste the same when you try back home. Perhaps that is because taste is also associated with memory?
I’ve returned to the UK with as many bottles as I could fit in my suitcase. There’s a red from Castel Mimi, a white from Mileștii Mici, a rosé from Cricova and a bottle of Divin Klimt.
But as I open my rosé, I realise I must soon return to Moldova. It’s not quite the same as pouring the wine into your glass deep underground in a limestone cave, but still so good.
Unexpected no more, I now know what to expect. Moldova, I will see you again. If you don’t have any expectations, perhaps this is the time to consider a visit to Europe’s least visited country. The lack of visitors could be one of its major selling points in a world groaning under the weight of overtourism.
Have you tried wine from Moldova? Did you visit Mileștii Mici, the world’s largest wine cellar? Let us know in the comments. Subscribe to our newsletter and benefit from travel guides, sustainable tourism and luxury travel tips, insightful interviews, and inspirational places to visit. One Planet Journey – The World’s First Deep Travel Magazine.
