2024 Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris - The Daily - DAY 2 EDITION

I REGION I EUROPE I
ADVERTORIAL
Moldova's wine renaissance:
A decade of transformation
Wine of Moldova is exhibiting at Wine Paris & Vinexpo
Paris for the first time this year with 18 producers
showcasing their wines on the stand
2024 marks 10 years of the brand's journey transforming the
country's wine industry. The national wine brand, "Wine of
Moldova, A Legend Alive," was launched by US Secretary of
State John Kerry during his 2013 visit to Moldova.
Set up in 2014 with USAID
assistance, the National Office of
Vine and Wine (ONVV), the premier
public-private institution in Moldova,
is managed and funded jointly by the
private sector and the government.
The ONVV's mission is to ensure
the world is well-acquainted with
the quality and distinctiveness of
Moldovan wines.
Challenges on the export market
motivated Moldovan wineries to
review their export offerings and
move towards an increasing share of
bottled wine—a product with higher
added value. As a result, Moldova
expanded into new markets and reoriented
exports to the EU and other
high-value trade markets, exporting
its wines to over 70 countries and
tripling in value to non-CIS countries.
In 2017, Moldova took a leap forward
with the Vine and Wine Register
(VWR), enhancing transparency
and traceability in Moldovan
winemaking. This initiative aims
elevate the quality of Moldovan
wines as well as instill trust among
consumers worldwide.
The Product Quality Upgrading
Programme (PQUP) was launched
to support transitioning wineries in
improving production technologies
and business practices and
move from producing bulk wine
and low-quality bottled wine to
new quality wine segments with
higher value added, sustained by
integrated marketing strategies. In
cooperation with the Association
of Small Winemakers (ASW), the
Small Winemakers Mentorship
Programme was implemented
to identify and support small
winemakers as a new generation
for Moldova’s wine industry. The
programme uses a peer-support
format to incentivise farmers who
own vine plantations to transition to
commercial wines, pursuing added
value, income, and employment
benefits. Small winegrowers grew
more than five times in the last
decade.
The Wine of Moldova Academy was
designed to provide continuous
education and knowledge sharing
in wine service and hospitality,
marketing, sales, organoleptic
evaluation, and wine assessment. By
partnering with international experts
and participating in workshops and
seminars, Moldovan wineries and
winemakers have been able to gain
international exposure.
Wine tourism has also been an
important pillar of the industry’s
growth. Moldova hosted the Wine
Tourism Conference (WTO) in
2019, and soon after, in 2020, the
Wine Routes of Moldova received
recognition as part of the "Iter
Vitis" Cultural Route of the Council
of Europe. Moldova's wineries
with tourism facilities have grown
from 4 in 2012 to over 40 in 2023.
Moldova currently has over 200
wineries, including 60 boutique
establishments.
Over the past decade, Moldovan
wines have received over
6,500 international awards and
recognitions. Wine critic Jancis
Robinson cites the natural
advantages to Moldova wine her
2023 article, "Moldova's Wine
Revolution - The Proof." International
media outlets, including The Times,
Euronews, Decanter, and Meininger,
have also featured Moldovan wines,
underscoring the quality and
distinctiveness of the offering. This
global recognition attests to the
transformation of the wines over the
last decade
Hall 5.2 / Stand B 161
THE BEST
GRAPES:
INDIGENOUS
AND NEW
SELECTION
VARIETIES
Wine of Moldova The Best
Grapes project was designed
to help develop best practices in
viticulture to provide high-quality
grapes for wine production. The
implementation of cutting-edge
technologies now allows grape
growers to predict meteorological
and disease infection risks and
optimise spraying and other
activities in the context of climate
change.
Moldovan grape growers and
winemakers are focusing on
indigenous grape varieties as well
new selection varieties to give their
wines local, distinct flavours. Local
Moldovan grape varieties include
Rara Neagră, Feteasca Neagră,
Feteasca Regală, Feteasca Albă
and new selection varieties include
Alb de Onițcani, Codrinschi, Viorica,
Legenda and Riton
MASTERCLASS
Wednesday 14 February
1:30p.m.
Location: Hall 5.3, Room 3
With special participation
of the Ambassador of
the Republic of Moldova
to France, Mrs Corina
Călugăru and hosted by
Stefan Iamandi, Director of
the National Vine and Wine
Office of Moldova and Robert
Joseph, leading author and
consultant.
22 THE DAILY • TUESDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2024 wineparis-vinexpo.com