“It was the same vineyards, the same orchards that we had in Moldova,” said Bodistian, now the owner of the newly opened Dandor Estates Winery, located on an old farm on Concession 2 Road, writes granthaven.com.
Except that the terrain was a bit flatter than the rolling hills of his homeland, Bodishtyan found much that was familiar in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
They began buying grapes from Niagara and by 2002 began making their own homemade wine, following a tradition that is still strong in their homeland. Even in her 90s, Alexei’s mom makes a little wine every year in the small Moldovan village where he grew up.
A few years after they started making their own wine from grapes grown in Niagara, the Bodishtians organized Polobocul De Aur, a cultural festival dedicated to, but not limited to, homemade wine. Wanting to preserve their culture not only for their fellow Moldovans who came to Canada after the fall of the Soviet Union, but also for their two sons, Daniel and Dorin.
“To come together as family and friends,” says Bodistian. Symbolically, the festival was held each year on Family Day weekend.
Over time, the festival grew and hundreds of people began sharing their experiences with local clothing, food, music and art while reminiscing about Moldovan culture. It was also an opportunity to share wine and winemaking tips. Bodistian presented awards to some amateur winemakers.
“They have greatly improved the quality of their products,” he said.
From home wine to terroir wine
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to the existence of Polobocul De Aur. But then, in 2022, the Bodishtians purchased a site on Concession 2 Road and immediately set about turning the 25-acre property into Dandor Estates Winery. (The name Dandor comes from their children’s names: Daniel and Doreen).
They planted new vines, and by 2023 had already produced their first wine: a Bodistean riesling called Special.
The former barns and outbuildings of the old farm now house tasting rooms and cellars, and visitors are greeted by references to Moldova in the form of a handmade carpet on the wall or Moldovan ceramics and pottery.
In the vineyard, Bodistean grows a variety of grapes. However, he is most excited about the saperavi variety, which is originally from Georgia but is a staple in Moldovan winemaking.
“It’s a very full-bodied, very intense grape and juice,” said Dandor’s Chris Fuccillo.
“Hopefully, we’ll plant more varieties that are characteristic of our region, Moldova,” Bodistian added.
In addition to new varieties, they also utilize other methods, such as aging in Hungarian oak barrels, which helps Dandor carve out a unique niche in the Niagara wine scene.
“It makes for a really nice, soft, full-bodied wine,” said Fuccillo.
The family also hopes to revive something like their cultural festival, using the winery to host it.
“I want to continue some kind of Moldovan tradition here in Niagara,” Bodistian said.
Moldova’s National Independence Day is Aug. 27, and Bodistean suggested that might be a good time for the event.
