Mergem a Cricova!

Benit ati venit la Cricova! A few EVS volunteers and myself caught the bus out to Cricova Winery yesterday morning. Meeting at 9:45, we planned to have a nice, easy ride out to Cricova and arrive in time for the 11am tour. The minutes ticked by at the bus stop while we waited for the #2 bus to come pick us up. Only around 10:30 did we finally board the bus, and get to Cricova around 11:15. Very fortunately we were able to secure another full English tour for our money because we were so many.

We boarded an extended golf cart and drove through a set of impressive doors and cold, humid air blasted us as we entered the cellars. As we descended to our final depth of 80 meters, we stopped a few times, all shivering as we were too ignorant to bring coats. We saw rows of countless numbers of wine barrels, all stacked neatly along the walls of the cellar. The halls were stunning, stretching on into the darkness. The winery designates separate locations for its wines, with red wines, white wines, and sparkling wines all in different parts of the cellar. Surrounding the entire cellar are under-developed tunnels that may be used later if the winery is expanded. One could easily become lost for a long time in those tunnels!

After seeing the room holding the machinery creating sparkling wine and a hall where about 200 wine bottles per day are tilted 15 degrees every couple days, and the personal collections of many notable political figures (including that of Sec. of State John Kerry), we finally made it to the wine tasting.

The tasting was held in an impressive underground room with stained glass depicting each of the seasons in Moldovan winemaking. I couldn’t help but notice when we began the tasting, the room was all but silent; everyone talking in hushed tones and whispers. I was seated on the end of the right side of the table and separated from the people I had come to visit with by a man from Denmark and his travelling companion from Ukraine. Therefore I was not having much conversation. At least not until we had all had a few tastes of the wine! Then all the whole room was chatting with each other as if we had always been best of friends! I now understand why drinks are provided at some professional events! It loosens the tongue just enough to remove the awkward silences and sticky situations!

*Note: the wine bottle enclosed in glass is the oldest bottle in the winery and also the ONLY bottle of "Jerusalem of Easter" left in the world!!!