Vinul Moldovei Vol. 3
An unpretentious dive into Moldovan wines.
By Boris · Hosted by Boris Buliga
Sure, you could say I'm biased when it comes to Moldovan wine. But at least I'm self-aware enough to admit it - and I've even developed a bit of self-irony to match. How else would you explain the venue choice for this tasting? Well, besides the fact that they serve some of the best kebabs and divine grilled khachapuri in town.
This time we met at Kara-Bala, and I have to say - it was a treat. Delicious, laid-back, and completely unpretentious. There's no point playing fancy where it's not needed. We just spent four hours enjoying pure hedonism, ending the night with my go-to basic Champagne, followed by beers and cigars.
For the wine line-up, I wanted to show just how diverse Moldovan whites can be. We started with a fantastic pét-nat from Somma, moved on to a clean and friendly Fetească Albă-Regală blend from Gogu Winery and added a crowd-pleasing hit: Trei Mândre, the not-so-shy trio of Viorica, Floricica, and, again, Regală. Naturally, no tasting would be complete without something from DiWinety.
As for reds, I spared everyone yet another round of Minis Terrios. Instead, we had a slightly aged blend from Novak to accompany the meat, followed by a head-to-head comparison of two 5 Elemente vintages from legendary Stratan at Equinox. If you were there, you know how much there was to unpack.
This tasting was available only to monobase subscribers - hence the lack of a public announcement. But if you want to be part of things like this (and there are some very different ones coming up), you know what to do.
| Wine | WAVG | SD | Price | QPR | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Pét-nat Riesling2023 Somma | #5 | 3.98 | 0.21 | – | 866 ₴ | 1.07 |
 Gogu Winery | #6 | 3.93 | 0.11 | – | 555 ₴ | 1.19 |
 Divus Winery | #7 | 3.88 | 0.16 | – | 420 ₴ | 1.26 |
 Osânda2022 DiWinety | 🥇 | 4.14 | 0.11 | 7 | 594 ₴ | 1.79 |
 Novak | 🥉 | 4.08 | 0.17 | 1 | 820 ₴ | 1.36 |
 5 Elemente Roşu2021 Equinox | #4 | 4.06 | 0.16 | – | 886 ₴ | 1.24 |
 5 Elemente Negru2020 Equinox | 🥇 | 4.14 | 0.17 | 1 | 946 ₴ | 1.42 |
 Brut Réserve L:21BSA-06/24(2021) NV Bérêche & Fils | 4.26 | 0.11 | – | 3,250 ₴ | – |
Somma Pét-nat Riesling 2023
Same notes as before - a great Pét-nat from Moldova. Bright, crunchy, and just the right amount of wild. Still holding its charm with that fuzzy apple skin, citrus pith, lemon-apple candy, white flowers, and subtle yeastiness. Refreshing as ever, with a playful fizz and enough acidity to keep it sharp. Unpretentious, fun, but thoughtfully made.
Gogu Winery Instinct Blanc de Blancs 2024
Bright, citrusy-yeasty nose with pear, sesame, a touch of oil, and a thread of green. Really nice aromatics - restrained but inviting. The acidity is precise, carrying everything along, while a hint of oiliness gives the finish a gentle glide. Nothing cloying, nothing showy - just clean, focused, and quietly compelling. Like a well-made piece of candy, but for grownups. Solid stuff.
Divus Winery Domeniile Vorniceni Trei Mândre 2024
Charming and a bit flashy - in a good way. Summer meadows, lilac, lychee, peach, and florals wrapped in green herbs and a soft creamy touch. The muscat character leads the nose, vibrant and unmistakable. On the palate it's round, fresh enough, incredibly approachable. Still, with such a tropical tilt, I found myself wishing for a bit more crunch or herbal tension to balance the sweetness. But overall, it's lovely. Friendly and crowd-pleasing without being dull.
DiWinety Osânda 2022
Osânda is a curious and quietly striking wine - 100% Fetească Regală aged in mulberry, pine, and acacia, and it really shows. Not in an obvious way, but as a kind of whispering complexity that unfolds slowly. This time it hit me differently - more precise, more whole. White cherry, white mulberry, river stones.. but it's not about the checklist. The wine resists being broken down like that. It's fresh and delicate, with a subtle oily texture and good volume on the palate. Rounded, flavourful, and very much its own thing. One of those rare wines where the experience outweighs the sum of descriptors.
Novak Black Label Red Blend #1 2018
Alright, this is just good. Right now it's sitting in a sweet spot - there's fruit, there's oak, even a touch of florals. Age has done it well, rounding off edges and bringing everything into balance. Maybe the grilled meat talking, but it drinks beautifully. The tannins have softened just enough, leaning slightly sweet, there's a nice juiciness without going overboard, and the acidity holds it all together. A calm, well-paced wine.
Equinox 5 Elemente Roşu 2021
Beautiful stuff. A cascade of red berries - raspberry, cornelian cherry, redcurrant - wrapped in juniper and subtle oak. Even a hint of red florals flickers through. Despite the 14.1% alcohol, it feels light on its feet, almost airy. The tannin is finely woven, the juiciness just right. It's both vivid and easy to drink - a wine that manages to be rich without ever feeling heavy. A real pleasure.
Equinox 5 Elemente Negru 2020
Coca-Cola, liquorice, blackberries, vanilla. Blood and sweet tobacco. Cough syrup too. It's all here, but balanced so well it doesn't feel like a caricature. The palate is round, long, and clean, with good acidity anchoring it all. Complex, but still very young - you sense it's holding back. The oak is handled with real finesse. Delicious, almost dangerously so, and very easy to understand.
Bérêche & Fils Brut Réserve L:21BSA-06/24 NV
Nothing new here - just one of my favourite go-to Champagnes. I'd happily drink it every day.