Ask ten wine lovers for their favourite wine country and you will hear France, Italy, Spain. Almost no one says Moldova. Yet this small country between Romania and Ukraine has made wine for thousands of years, and it has one of the highest numbers of vineyards per inhabitant in the world. Moldovan wine is one of the last real discoveries in a world where almost everything seems to have been tasted already.
In this article we take you to that unknown wine country, to the remarkable Saperavi grape, and to the bottle that convinced us to give Moldova a permanent place in our collection.
A wine country as old as wine itself
Moldova's winemaking tradition goes back centuries, in fact millennia. The climate is partly comparable to Burgundy: warm summers, cool nights and a long ripening period in autumn. Exactly the conditions in which grapes slowly build flavour and balance.
For a long time Moldovan wine stayed within the borders of Eastern Europe. A new generation of winemakers now focuses on quality over volume, and the wine lover is the one who benefits. Discover Moldovan wine today and you taste a tradition that is coming back to life.
Saperavi: the grape that gives colour
The heart of Moldovan red wine is the Saperavi grape. It originally comes from Georgia, where wine has been made for some 8,000 years. The name Saperavi literally means "giving colour", and that is no exaggeration. Pour a glass and you understand immediately: deep, almost opaque ruby red.
Saperavi is one of the few grapes with red-coloured flesh, not just a red skin. That gives the wine its intense colour, firm structure and fresh acidity. It also makes the grape excellent for ageing. A good Saperavi needs time, and rewards your patience. You can find everything about its origin, taste and serving tips on our Saperavi grape page.
How does the Gitana Saperavi taste?
Gitana, a winery from southern Moldova, knows exactly how to handle this grape. The nose offers dark cherry, cedar and a hint of mint. On the palate come blackcurrant, blackberry, liquorice and black pepper, with a smoky note in the background.
The wine is velvety and firm at the same time. Enough backbone to stand next to a powerful dish, enough finesse to enjoy on its own. For anyone used to a Malbec or a sturdy Italian red, this is a surprisingly familiar yet completely new experience.
What to pair with a Saperavi
The combination of fruit, spice and firm tannins makes Saperavi a rewarding wine at the table. A few suggestions:
- A grilled steak or rib-eye
- Pasta with game ragout or a rich bolognese
- Lamb with rosemary
- Aged cheese, such as mature Gouda or a sharp pecorino
- Stews with plum, star anise or bay leaf
Serve it not too cold, around 16 to 18 degrees.
Why we import Moldovan wine
We are two cousins with a shared love of wine, and our collection is all about discovery. No mass imports, only bottles we have tasted ourselves and that genuinely convinced us. Gitana's Saperavi is a perfect example. A wine from an unexpected country, made by people who know their craft, with a story you want to pass on.
Want to explore further? Discover our Moldovan wines and the rest of our red wines.
Ready to taste?
Moldovan wine may be unknown, but it is far from unimportant. Gitana's Saperavi shows how much there is still to discover beyond the familiar names. A deep, characterful red wine with a story that goes back thousands of years.
View the Gitana Saperavi → or explore our full collection.