Château Purcari: where comfort meets traditions

The Republic of Moldova is great in** winemaking. There are a lot of wineries in our country, that should be paid attention to - for example, Cricova winery or the one in Milesti Mici. The winery I want to tell you about today is called Château** Purcari. Visiting Purcari, you will find out that wine is a real poem. There, in the southeast of Moldova, comfort meets old traditions, and the landscapes are just breathtaking. The winery is situated near the Nistru River and the Black Sea. That location** **creates a really special ecosystem. In Purcari, you can easily taste splendid wine, just near the vineyards. I am sure that once you visit this château, your impressions of the winemaking, and wine in general, will never be the same. 

Moldavian "Bordeaux" region 

At the end of the 12th century, the Moldavian wine industry became a really important part of the country's economy. The soil of Purcari village and the territory was similar to the Bordeaux region. That's why French settlers entered into partnerships with Moldavian winemakers and began cultivating Purcari special vintages in the 18th century. It turned out that Purcari vineyards are located at the same latitude as France's famous wine region and have the same soil - rich with rubidium. This rubidium gives an intense purple color to both regions red wine. In the year 1827, Nikolay I, Emperor of Russia, issued a special decree, and Purcari winery became the first specialized winery in Bessarabia.

Purcari new era after 1950

During the Second World War, Purcari winery stopped its activity until the beginning of the new era in 1950. Emerging from war, Moldavian winemakers restored the classic techniques of a famous château winemaking. Pimen Cupcea, one of the greatest professionals of that time, reconstructed the legendary line of selected wines - Negru de Purcari. At the same time, another professional, Ion Ungureanu, created a totally new masterpiece – Purpuriu de Purcari, one of the best-sustained wines of the château. That's how Purcari wines once again achieved wide popularity, becoming almost a synonyms to Moldova's wine culture.

Present château situation

Château Purcari currently has the most prestigious export among Moldavian wine companies, entering into over 25 markets all over the world. Thus, this Moldavian winery is famous in the US, Canada, the UK, Norway, Czech Republic, China, Poland, and the Baltic countries. In 2010, Purcari created Alb de Purcari – a new line that has gathered a lot of international awards and recognition. By 2012, the company's collection presented its own Ice-wine, derived from frozen Muscat Ottonel and Traminer sorts of the grapes. This wine is usually made of grapes that stayed until the very beginning of winter at about 8 degrees below zero. The taste is sweet and very soft. In the present days, Purcari winery became the owner of Grand Prix in winemaking, awarded by the Republic of Moldova Government "for outstanding achievements in winemaking and promoting Moldova's image abroad". 

Gaining its own popularity

There is a story that once in 1878, there took place a closed wine tasting at the Paris World Expo. French experts were so impressed with a dry wine of an intense ruby color that they were sure it was a new wine of the Bordeaux region. It was a real surprise for them to find out that it was made in a small village on the banks of the Dniester River. That is how the Negru de Purcari wine won its first gold medal at an international exhibition. Starting from that moment, for a long time, Purcari wines were as famous as Bordeaux wines. After it gained its own popularity, being one of the greatest winemaking companies in Moldova, Château Purcari was highly appreciated for keeping old traditions without forgetting a comfort for a simple Moldavian resident. That is why you should definitely visit this winery!