We have decided to visit the second-largest underground winery in the world in Cricova (entrance 450 MDL without wine tasting). The territory used to be a mine for limestone, in some branches excavation is still active, so the cellar is still growing. Nowadays, there are more than 100 kilometers of roadways in underground tunnel systems where they store 1,25 million bottles of wine at a constant annual temperature of 12 C, sometimes even 100 meters below ground. In Moldova, only Cricova cellars employ the strict classic French technology of champagne wine production. There is also a cellar housing a varied collection of wines, some unique like “Jerusalem of Easter” vintage 1902, the liqueur “Jan Becher” vintage 1902, and other 158 brands of wines from Burgundy, Moselle, Tokay, and the Rhine. Among those are the trophies of the Second World War, which include wines from the collection of Hermann Göring. After the Soviets seized his private wine collection, a part of it was transferred to Crimea and the rest was brought to Cricova. There, underground lies a real city of wine – with wide streets, warehouses, and tasting rooms. It’s a really busy tourist place, but if you are a wine fan, you will love it.
Parking location – Cricova: 47.147928N 28.861553E