A project that brings together
“7000 years with wine” is a point of attraction for all those who are connected with wine, history, culture and development of Moldova. The format is open: anyone can join the project – winemaker, researcher, institution, business.
The first result was not long in coming: already at the presentation, the Culture Platform announced its participation in the project. The National Tourism Agency of the Republic of Moldova (Oficiul Național al Turismului) highly appreciated the initiative and expressed its desire to participate in its development.
“Every Moldovan is rightfully proud of Moldovan wine – but most don’t know how deep this history is and how much there really is to be proud of,” said Ivan Muntean, founder of wine.md and author of the project idea. – We want Moldovan winemakers and all Moldovans to see: behind every bottle there is not just a taste, but millennia. This is an opportunity for the industry and for each of us, which we have not yet used to its full potential”.
A story worth knowing
Moldova is one of the few countries in the world where the wild grape Vitis sylvestris continues to live on as part of the natural ecosystem. Paleobotanical findings near Naslavci confirm the presence of the vine in the area 20-25 million years ago. A grape leaf imprint in the clay of the wall of the Cucuteni-Tripolje culture house in Branzeni – dating back to about 4,500 BC. – indicates that grapes were growing right in the courtyard long before the first word “winemaking” was coined.
Moldova ranks first in the world in the number of vineyards per capita, ahead of France, Italy and Spain. After the phylloxera crisis of the 19th century, Bessarabian seedlings helped revitalize European winemaking. In different periods of the Russian Empire and the USSR, every second to third bottle of wine was Moldovan.
Four areas of the project
Consolidation: wine as a common identity – uniting Moldovans from different regions, generations and views.
Economy: tourism, export, gastronomy, positioning – 7000 years of history as an economic asset.
National brand: umbrella platform for Moldovan wine on international markets – unique, verified, globally resonant.
European integration: 7000 years of European wine civilization – a strong cultural argument for Moldova’s belonging to the European space.
“7000 years of Moldovan vines is the longest cultural heritage-argument that Moldova can present to Europe,” said Mihail Gipsman-Zeldin, director of the Moldovan School of Economics and the Center for Economic Research at Moscow State University. – Not a declaration of intent, but a proof of presence: our history is part of the pan-European history of wine”.
First steps
- The traveling exhibition “7000 years with wine”. Work has begun on the exhibition, which will exist as a traveling exhibition. Invitations to host the exhibition have already been received from several European countries.
- Interactive website on the history of Moldovan wine. Launch of a digital platform covering the history of Moldovan viticulture from prehistoric times to the present day.
- Scientific program. Research on the history of wine in the context of biology, archaeology and genetics, as well as climate adaptation and water resources in Moldova – for the sustainable development of the industry.
- Umbrella brand “7000” for export. Joint work on branding that will distinguish Moldovan wines on international markets and create traction for the country’s other export positions.
