Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem is the wine brand of Casa Vinicolă Luca, a Moldovan family house now in its fourth generation, with Ion Luca Jr making the wines. The company works out of Cricova, north of Chișinău, in the Codru hills.

The range leans on Moldova's own varieties rather than the international set. Among the whites are Viorica and Floricica, the latter a Moldovan crossing bred for disease resistance, alongside Sauvignon Blanc and the Femme Incredible bottling; the reds run to Fetească Neagră and Rara Neagră next to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, plus blends - Breaking Red, and Bad Boys, which pairs Fetească Neagră with Saperavi. There is a line of traditional-method sparklings including a Brut Natur and Cuvée 19/11, and sweet wines under Viorica Late Harvest and Femme Fatale.

The house has been moving toward organic certification, with the Casa Vinicolă Luca name attached to that side of the work. Labels in the Carpe Diem range are built around portraits, and the wines are released in small numbered runs.