Château Vartely gives consumers a real taste of Moldova

Moldova’s Château Vartely is one of Eastern Europe’s leading wineries, and its products are popular the world over. The estate’s use of local grape varieties means consumers receive a real taste of the land where the wine is made.

DESPITE BEING a relatively small Eastern European country situated between Romania and Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova has the highest per capita production of wine in the world. Château Vartely, one of the country’s leading wineries, was founded in 1996.

“Our winery is 50 kilometers north of Chisinau city, the capital of  Moldova,” says CEO Valeriu Mihaluta. “The total area of our vineyards is 315 hectares, situated in the Protected Geographical Indication zones called Codru and Valul lui Traian, and 3.5 million bottles of wine are made in this area annually.”

The exclusive terroir is home to an array of indigenous grape varieties such as Feteasca Regala (Royal Maiden in English), Feteasca Neagra (Black Maiden), and Rara Neagra (Rare Black).

Mihaluta says his winery is a leader in promoting the varieties: “We were one of the first wineries from Moldova to relaunch production of wine from local grapes after the whole wine industry suffered first from the ‘prohibition law’ of the late 1980s and then from the Russian embargo in 2006,” he says.

“Some wine professionals say that our Feteasca Regala is the most specific wine produced in Moldova from this grape variety due to the vineyard’s unique terroir, located just 1km from the Dniester river. This grape has a typical floral and fruity aroma with hints of fresh pear and citrus.”

Native grape Feteasca Neagra has more than 2,000 years’ history, and is one of the most frequently grown local varieties. It is characterised by aromas of wild berries, cherries, prunes, black raisins, and is slightly spicy, reminiscent of cinnamon, black peppercorns, allspice or vanilla, and with age it becomes intense.

GOING NATIVE
Rara Neagra, meanwhile, was one of the first varieties included in the  Catalogue of Plant Varieties of the Republic of Moldova in 1946, and is one of the widely planted grapes in Moldova. It produces wine that is light, less extractive, with subtle tannins, and prevailing aromas of rose
hips, redcurrants and forest blackberries.

The winery produces several series. Mihaluta says: “First of all, we have our PGI wines, produced from a single grape variety. These wines are fresh, young, and simple to enjoy for everyone. As the wines are so bright and vivid, they make a perfect combination with food.” Every wine of this series is marked with the indication of its terroir.

“The next series is Individo. The wines are highly recognised on  international level in wine competitions such as Decanter, Berliner Wine Trophy. Most of the wines in this series are blends, and each of them has a very strong and distinguished character.” While developing the Individo wines, the goal was to underline the uniqueness of each individual grape variety and show their transformation in a duet with each other.”

The premium line of Vartely’s production is Taraboste. Produced in limited quantities, the label is a tribute to the ancestors who developed the traditions of Moldovan viticulture. “Taraboste wine is a triumph of taste, obtained from overly ripe grapes and aged in new French barriques. Beautiful aromas and aristocratic nuances are like a dive into our ancestors’ history.”

With the same ambition, the winery has announced the latest label, the  Taraboste Tribut range. Of the winery’s production, 90% is exported to all over the world. Every year, three million bottles are sent to more than 25 countries, including the US, Japan, China, the UK, Romania, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The company is the top Moldovan wine producer in the United Kingdom. On sale at Laithwaites, Dealul Nucului Cabernet Sauvignon is Château Vartely’s bestselling wine brand in the UK. The retailer describes it as an “elegant, supple Cabernet that bears the hallmarks of quality shared by examples from acclaimed regions like Bordeaux and California”. On the nose are notes of “blackcurrants, a hint of cigar box and vanilla pod”, while the wine is “smooth, creamy and peppery” on the palate.

Looking back at 2020, Mihaluta said it was a tough year for the world, and his company was no exception. “Our income from tourism and the restaurant sector has decreased drastically, and some exports were seriously affected by the pandemic.” Nonetheless, the company was able to maintain the total export sales, and keep all its staff members.

This year, the brand aims to keep its position in the local market, tighten customer relations, and increase exports, especially to key destinations.

Once travel is resumed, Mihaluta is looking forward to welcoming  tourists again. “Every year, tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world enjoy the wine tastings, delicious food, and amazing landscape at Château Vartely. Our tourist complex operates three gorgeous villas, capable of housing up to 40 guests, with other facilities such as tasting rooms and a restaurant.”

Apart from guided tours of the cellar, which is built on a former stone quarry, wine masterclasses. and wine and food pairing dinners, guests can also appreciate the effort the company has made when it comes to sustainability, which can be seen in details such as the design of the gravity-flow winery.