As Prowein 2022 prepares to return to the market after two years of in absence Caroline Gilby profiles Chateau Purcari, a Moldovan estate which is showing with the intention of bringing more wines to UK. Purcari is leading the way in reviving the native grape varieties in Moldova like Rara Neagra and Rara Neagra, which are the main ingredient in the famous Negru de Purcari cuvee, and also creating Freedom Blend which is a wine that aims to raise funds for refugees who have poured across the frontier after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“Chateau Purcari claims to be the most awarded winery in the world in 2021, based on the gold and silver medals, which total 333, in international wine competitions,” says Gilby.
The small country that is Moldova (officially known as the Republic of Moldova) has been the subject of recent news because of its efforts to help those displaced by the war in Ukraine and taking in a proportionally more people per capita than any other nation on the Ukraine border. The people of Moldova are aware that they may be next in line of fire because Odessa is only a brief drive away. Likewise, the Russian-influenced separatist region Transnistria in Moldova’s borders is an enormous reason to be concerned.
There are many compelling reasons to look into Moldova due to its friendly people as well as its wine. Winemaking and grape-growing is an enormously important part of the industry here in fact Moldova is possibly the most dependent nation on wine. It has more vineyards per capita than any other nation. Even though it has 62,500 ha of commercial vineyards (which is much higher than New Zealand’s 42,200 acres) However, it’s not widely known to the rest of Western Europe.
The Purcari Wine Group wants to transform the way things are done and to bring their wines before a larger market across the UK. The group is Moldova’s largest exporter of bottled wines and its most renowned estate , Chateau Purcari Chateau Purcari that is located in the south-eastern region of the country’s Stefan Voda region where the Black Sea moderates the continental climate. Chateau Purcari is said to be the most awarded winery by 2021, based on the gold and silver medals, which total 333 in global wine competitions.
The winery’s history dates back to 1827, when it was declared to be the first winery with a specialist designation situated in Bessarabia (in that time the Russian Empire), though it’s likely older, based on an document dating back to 1817, which speaks of vines here. It was awarded its first international prize during the Paris exhibition in 1878. it was awarded specifically for Negru de Purcari. a wine which has become an iconic wine for Moldova.
Since the beginning of 2000, during the time that Chateau Purcari was privatized, the Chateau has been a symbol of high-end quality. The CEO Victor Bostan is a trained winemaker, which is why he knew the necessity of placing quality at the heart of the company from the beginning. The winery now is home to 300 hectares of own vineyards due to the belief of Victor Bostan that having his own vineyards was the most effective method to guarantee the quality of the grapes. The winery continues to keep track of its vineyards plot by plot and, after two decades of operation, it has a clear understanding of the kind of fruit each plot of land will yield.
There’s also a sustainability initiative in the works under the direction of Professor Gheorghe A. Arpentin. The project has the goal of converting thirty percent of vineyards to organic wine production in five years. It is also looking into possibilities to work with resistant varieties to lessen the need for spraying. Although Victor Bostan is a winemaker himself, he’s been open to seeking assistance when needed. Jerome Barret from Champagne provides advice to sparkling wines from outside sources as well as Federico Giotto of Giotto Consulting is involved in still wines. He’s also been a key contributor to the brand new Purcari Academia project which includes orange Viorica (an aromatic Moldovan white grape) as well as amphora variants of the local grape varieties, including Feteasca Neagra, Rara Neagra and Saperavi (not necessarily native, but widely used in Moldova).
Chateau Purcari is at the forefront of the revival of the indigenous grapes of the country and, in particular, Rara Neagra as a local famous wine. It was initially planted to be it’s a key ingredient in the winery’s renowned Negru de Purcari blend (along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Saperavi) However, the winery has realized that it could also be a good candidate to be a true varietal wine. It’s a wine that’s difficult to cultivate and is light in color and tannin structure however, it has bright acidity and abundant red berry fruit. It was overlooked before, as deep dark color and large tannins were thought to be synonymous with high quality red wines. However, as consumers shift to more refined and contemporary styles it’s making new friends.
For consumers and buyers seeking the next big wine news, this tiny wine country based on vine roots is definitely worth a take a look.
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