Purcari Winery

Purcari Winery is nestled in the Moldovan countryside between the Dniester River and the Black Sea. Unusually this location produces a climate and soil (rich in rubidium) similar to that of Bordeaux’s. This prompted 18th-Century French settlers to begin cultivating grapes in the village of Puchari and the Agon Zograf Monastery.

Bessarabia, or Moldova as it is now known, quickly garnered a reputation for its quality winemaking and Pucari was granted the status of the first specialized winery in Bessarabia by Nicholas I, Emperor of Russia, in 1827. Two decades later, in 1847, Purcari wines were exhibited as part of the Agricultural Bessarabian Fair and the Negru de Purcari (a Cabernet Sauvignon, Saperavi and Rara Neagră blend) received its first gold medal.

The Purcari winemakers subsequently won international acclaim at the 1878 Paris World Exhibition when their wines were awarded the prestigious gold medal. The French wine experts were surprised to discover that the dry, intense ruby-colored wines didn’t originate from Bordeaux, but instead were the produce of the small Moldovan village. The popularity of the Purcari wines quickly escalated and leading figures such as Emperor Nicholas II of Russia, King George V and Queen Victoria of Great Britain were soon sampling them.

In 1950, after years of war, Moldovan winemakers began returning to the traditional production techniques of the Purcari wines. Winemaker Pimen Cupcea recreated the classic Negru de Purcari, whereas Ion Ungureanu fashioned a new wine altogether – the Purpuriu de Purcari. In 2003 the Vinaria Purcari company was created. In addition to this, some 250 hectares (648 acres) of vineyard were re-planted and the winery’s production facilities and historic cellars upgraded.

The Purcari wine range has since grown to include the Alb de Purcari (a Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanc blend) and Ice Wine Purcari (a dessert wine made from frozen Muscat Ottonel and Traminer grapes). Purcari is also the owner of the Grand Prix in winemaking due to the estate’s outstanding contribution to winemaking and the promotion of Moldova, an award bestowed on it by the Government of Moldova.