Purcari (winery)

History

Purcari, created in 1827, was the first specialized winery in Purcari Wine Region. The wines of Purcari were entered in the Bessarabia in agricultural exhibition in 1847. Purcari was awarded the Gold Medal at Exposition Universelle (1878) in Paris.

The winery was under the control of the Soviet government for a time, and production ceased for 10 years when the Soviet Union collapsed. In 2003 Purcari wines were re-established when the Vinaria Purcari Company took over management. The Purcari production facility was fully revived and upgraded, and the old cellars, built as far back as 1827, were renovated. The original wine vault dating back to 1827 has been restored. It is the oldest wine cellar of Moldova.

Location and climate

Most of the Moldovan wineries and vineyards are located in the grape growing areas of southern and central Moldova, at the same latitude as Bordeaux in France. The climate is moderate continental. Purcari is located in Stefan Voda district.

Purcari has its own micro-climate. The elevated Purcari region is 120 to 160 meters above sea level, with warm winds from the Black Sea, which is 60 km away. Fog may set in from over the Dniester River (situated 500 meters from the estate's vineyard), and the warm stream of air protects the vines in winter and favours the gentle ripening of the fruit throughout summer. The well-drained, rich calcium soil, combined with a perfect climate for grape cultivation, provides a favourable environment.

Purcari Winery has cellars which were built at the end of the 19th century in the style of a manor house, where the temperature and humidity are constant. The Purcari vinotheque houses the best wines. Oak barrels and bottles of wine are placed there for maturation, before being marketed. The oldest wine in the collection dates to 1951.

Vineyards spread out along hills for 250 hectares, and allow maximum exposure to sunlight throughout the day, helping to ripen the grapes. Rubidium, a rare element found in the soil at Purcari, determines the intense-ruby colour of grapes.

Wine

Vinaria Purcari produces one million bottles of wine each year. The wine portfolio of Vinaria Purcari consists of five dry, mono-varietal red and white wines and one red dessert wine. Recently another two dry red wines, 'Negru de Purcari' and 'Roşu de Purcari', each one a blend of two or more grape varieties, have been added to the selection. Vinaria Purcari has export partners in Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Israel, Germany, Luxembourg, Japan, and Turkey.

Purcari Group

Purcari Group was founded in 2003 and includes the wineries Purcari, Bostavan, and Crama-Ceptura, as well as Bardar, a brandy producer. Purcari Group is a leader in the region's wine-growing industry and is a Moldovan exporter. Currently, the group accounts for 30% of the wine market in Moldova and approximately 20% of the country's export market. The group's distribution network includes over 25 countries in Europe, North America, and East Asia. Purcari Group has modern production capacity and owns over 1,000 hectares of vineyards in Romania and Moldova. Purcari Group's winemaking consultant is Italian oenologist Giotto Federicco, who works in quality control including soil analysis and studies the organoleptic quality of wine.

In 2010, the American fund Horizon Capital and the World Bank became shareholders in the group.