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 in the hopes of bringing more of it’s Purcari wine to UK. Purcari is in the forefront of revitalizing the native grape varieties in Moldova including Rara Neagra and Rara Neagra, which are an integral component of the famous Negru de Purcari cuvee, and also making 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 of 333 in international wine competitions,” Gilby writes. Gilby.
The small country located in Moldova (officially known as the Republic of Moldova) has been featured in recent news due to its efforts to aid people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine which is taking in substantially more people per capita than any other country along the Ukraine border. The people of Moldova are aware that they are next in line of fire because Odessa is just a small drive away. Likewise, the Russian-influenced separatist region Transnistria inside the borders of Moldova is a major reason to be concerned.
However, there are other positive reasons to be aware of Moldova due to its welcoming people and wine. The wine-making and vineyards are an enormously important part of the industry here in fact Moldova could be the most dependent nation on wine, with more vineyards per capita than any other nation. Even though it has 62,500 ha of commercial vineyards (which is much greater than New Zealand’s 42,200 hectares) It’s not well-known to the rest of Western Europe.
The Purcari Wineries Group wants to alter all that and introduce their wines before a larger market across the UK. The group is Moldova’s largest exporter of bottled wines and its main estate , Chateau Purcari Chateau Purcari located in the located in the south-eastern region of the country’s Stefan Voda region where the Black Sea moderates the continental climate. Chateau Purcari declares to be the most prestigious winery by 2021, as a result of its gold and silver medals of 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 located in Bessarabia (in that time the Russian Empire), though it’s likely older, as it was based on a document from 1817 which speaks of vines here. It was awarded its first global award in the Paris exhibition in 1878. it was awarded in recognition of Negru De Purcari. a wine which has become an iconic wine for Moldova.
Since the beginning of 2000, in the early 2000s, when Chateau Purcari was privatized, it has evolved into an icon of high-end quality. The CEO Victor Bostan is a trained winemaker, and he recognized the necessity of placing quality at the center of the company from the beginning. The winery today boasts 300 hectares of own vineyards thanks to the conviction of Victor Bostan that having his own vineyards was the most effective way to ensure the high quality of the fruits. It is still monitoring its vineyards plot by plot and after more than two decades of operation, it is well-aware of the kind of fruit each plot of land produces.
There’s also a sustainable project that is in the process of being developed led by Professor Gheorghe Arpentin. It has the goal of changing 30percent of vineyards to organic wine production in five years. It is also looking into possibilities for working with resistant varieties to lessen the need for spraying. Although Victor Bostan is a winemaker himself, he’s been willing to seek help when needed. Jerome Barret from Champagne provides an external guideline for sparkling wines and Federico Giotto of Giotto Consulting is involved in still wines. He’s also a part of the new Purcari Academia project which includes orange Viorica (an aromatic Moldovan white grape) as well as amphora variants of local varieties of grapes, such as 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 particularly Rara Neagra as a local famous wine. It was initially planted because an ingredient in the famous Negru de Purcari blend (along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Saperavi) however, the winery has recognized that it could also be a good candidate as a wine that is pure varietal. It’s a variety that’s somewhat difficult to grow and has a light color and tannin structure but it is a bright acidity with abundant red berry fruit. It was overlooked in the past , when the dark, dark hue and massive tannins were thought to be synonymous with high quality red wines. However, as people move to more sophisticated and modern styles the grape is quickly making new friends.
If you are a consumer or buyer who are looking for the next great wine-related story, this small wine country based on vine roots is worth a take a look.
