National Wine Day celebrated under umbrellas

About 50 winemaking and food companies as well as craftsmen are participating in the ninth National Wine Day marked on October 9 and 10. The event is organized by the international exhibitions center Moldexpo. Cristina Androfin, production director of the wine factory Agrovin Bulboaca, has told Info-Prim Neo’s reporter that the stands attract many visitors despite the rain. As every year, there are many foreign visitors, mainly Chinese. “It was a hard year, but we do not complain. Agriculture implies risks,” said Cristina Androfin. For this year’s Wine Day, Agrovin Bulboaca prepared a novelty - a tincture made from walnut, muscat and about 100 plants. The Moldovan Wine Guild is an example of cooperation in prompting the Moldovan wines abroad, said another participant in the exhibition Tatiana Furdui, the association’s executive director. Until now, the companies that form part of the association – Bostavan, Lion-Gri, Dionis Club, Chateau Vartely, and Aquarex Wine Holding – set up only separate stands for the exhibition. Now they also have a common stand. In the opening of the exhibit, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Valeriu Cosarciuc said the ninth National Wine Day is a holiday of the winemakers, winegrowers and consumers. “Winemaking is Moldova’s vacation,” he stressed. Head of Parliament and Acting President Mihai Ghimpu said Moldova has the nicest vineyards, songs, dances and certainly the best wine. “Our wine means health and today’s rain shows God is thinking about the future as well,” he stated. First Deputy Speaker and leader of the Moldova Noastra Alliance Serafim Urecheanu said that though the Moldovan winemakers partially lost the eastern market and have not yet conquered the western one, he was sure they will manage to cope with all the difficulties. Marian Lupu, chairman of the Democratic Party, said winemaking is a very important element of the Moldovan culture, while the wine for the Moldovans is a part of the national heritage. Traditionally, the winemakers that achieved remarkable results during the last year are awarded on the National Wine Day. The Top Prize in Winemaking this year went to Migdal-P, which was selected out of nine competing companies. Founded in 1995, the Cojusna-based company Migdal- P owns a wine factory and vineyards occupying 160 hectares.