A true wine is always a complex product. Its character and peculiarities are defined by the history of the region, winemaking family, variety purity, original technology, etc. «Wines from Vulcanesti» is the collection of craft semisweet wines, created by the hereditary winemaker Radu Ionescu by the technologies approved by many generations of Gagauzian winemakers.
Vulcanesti is a small town in the region Gagauzia that is placed in the very South of Moldova.
The history of winemaking in this area has been lasting more than five thousand years. Many inhabitants here make wines that can not be recreated in other winemaking regions. And the reason for this are special soils and climate, the uniqueness of the local grapes varieties and the age-old traditions carefully kept by the winemakers.
Legend says that in 1711 Moldovan prince Dmitry Cantemir, swearing allegiance to the Russian Empire, brought as a gift to Peter I namely wine from Gagauzia, which the sophisticated Russian tsar appreciated and asked to supply to the imperial court.
In the 21st century Radu Ionescu, a hereditary winemaker for several generations, grows his own grape in the vicinity of Vulcăneşti and creates amazing craft wines wines, maintaining authenticity at every stage of production, and modern eco-technologies allow enjoying his wine throughout Europe.
«Here in Moldova we call the wine cellars «crama». My «crama» at my house in Vulcanesti has seen the wines prepared by my forefathers, and now it keeps mine, created from carefully selected grapes from the local hills.
My name — Radu — means «joy», and I make wine with all my heart and soul, so that it can be drunk in a large group of good friends, with joy from meeting!
According to local custom, the glass of expensive wine is passed with both hands, from hand to hand to all guests in the circle. May the joy, along with my wine, be passed on to you!".
Terroir is a set of features of the soil, climate and terrain where the grapes has been growing.
Autochthonic varieties of grapes, those which grow namely in the given area, reproduce the terroir in the best way, giving the wine unique tones. In recent years the autochthonous wines confidently conquer the trends, gently making the traditional European varieties to recede.
Blends made of the Vulcanesti local grapes such as Feteasca Neagra, Feteasca Alba attract gourmets with their smooth taste and slight earthy aroma, and the growing fashion for semisweet wines made them popular in many countries.
«Wines from Vulcanesti» are familiar, intelligible wines exquisitely crafted by local winemakers.
Vulcanesti surroundings are not touched by the civilization. There is no busy highways and industrial zones, only hills, vineyards and bright sun. Cars pass here every few hours, farms do not use pesticides, and local folk carefully guard the piece of paradise they have inherited.
A perfect place for vineyards!
At all times the right wine cellar was as important for winemakers as the vine itself; the coolness allows to control the fermentation process and preserve the wine initial aroma.
The used maceration method «Cold fermentation» has made a real revolution in the modern winemaking: it helps to provide a slow fermentation that influences on fruitiness and freshness of wines, saving the clean tone and all inherent antioxidants that are so necessary to the natural wine and human body.
Eco-wine is not just a tribute to fashion, but an adequate necessary. For being tasty, drinkable and healthy, the wine shall preserve its original form without any unnecessary chemical substances. All our vineyards and collection «Wines from Vulcanesti» are strictly controlled and certified according to European standard «ECO», to keep us confident in every single glass.
Any craft becomes an art if it has a rich history. Radu Ionescu, a hereditary winemaker, received his knowledge by inheritance from ancestors who produced wine on the same land. He knows to a nicety the climate features and every pieces of Vulcăneşti soil. Multiplying century wisdom with modern technology he creates magnificent blends from familiar local varieties of grapes.
Semisweet red wine.Medium-bodied wine blended from the grapes of Isabella and Feteasca Neagra variety of the late mannual harvest.
Beautiful, shiny wine with purple tones.
Medium-bodied wine, with an impressive berry aroma and a pronounced strawberry tone. The balance is slightly shifted towards the astrigency, black berry in the aftertaste.
Perfect as an aperetif, digestif, pairs well with fruits and light desserts. Better served at the temperature +12°С +14°С.
Semisweet white wine. A sun-warmed, round wine made from the well-ripened grapes of Muscat and Feteasca Alba varieties and fermented at low temperatures.
Light straw-yellow, clear, bright wine.
An elegant, oily wine with a smooth Muscat aroma. There are notes of honey plants, a floral trail of aftertaste.
It will be a wonderful finish of the light dinner, perfectly pairs with desserts and sour fruits. Better served at the temperature +10°С +12°С.
Semisweet red wine. A dense full-bodied wine, a crown pearl of Vulcanesti winery. The soft, silky tannins of Cabernet are well-balanced by mildness of Merlot.
Intense deep red wine with shades of purple.
A bright fruit aroma and a smooth, round, harmoniuos taste with a pleasant astrigency. A long-lasting berry aftertaste. Sweet tones can be felt, spices and black berries.
Perfect as an aperetif, digestif, pairs well with fruit sauces and desserts. Better served at the temperature +10°С +12°С.
Vulcanesti is a small town, where splendid semisweet wines from the autochthonic grapes varieties are produced. It is situated in the very South of the famous winemaking region of Moldova Valul lui Traian. The climate here is hot and dry, an average annual temperature is + 10 °C, and hours of sunshine are 10 — 12% more than in French Bordeaux. Vineyards here are placed on the limestone slopes that proved the vine with excellent drainage. Alkaline soil rich in minerals gives the grape an ideal balance of sugar and acidity, and the proximity of the Black Sea — softness and humidity of winds. Namely, these factors provide the region wines with freshness, balance, powerful fruit-berry tones.
The landscape and eco-system of this area remains unchanged hundreds of years, moreover the town is surrounded by national parks, and these are perfect conditions for grapes growing and production of craft wines.
Isabella
Perhaps this is the most famous variety in the entire post-Soviet territory. Powerful and hardy, it can be grown in almost any climate. Isabella bunches contain a big amount of juice and sugar, resulting light dessert wines with a pronounced strawberry tone. The winemaker’s task is to keep the natural balance and to reveal its taste with the help of his skills.
According to the chronicles, the Muscat variety was known in Ancient Greek and Roman Empire. Nowadays the family Muscat contains more than 200 grapes varieties which are combined with the incredible aroma and flavour of musk. The colour of grape can vary from white to yellow and pink, there are even almost black varieties. Flowers and herbs, honey and caramel, fruits and in fact the shades of grape form the recognizable aroma of Muscat.
The technology of cold fermentation allows to obtain in Vulcăneşti refined, elegant wines from Muscat which have repeatedly deserved the highest awards
Muscat
Feteasca Alba
This autochthonic sweet variety of grapes is a pride of the region and the country. Wines prepared of it are delicate and harmonious, with a refreshing citric acidity. Sometimes one can feel the notes of dried fruits, and almost always - honey flowers. In Moldova it is called “Maiden grapes” and this name defines exactly the character of wines Feteasca Alba.
An original autochthonic variety, the dense wines of dark-ruby colour with the shades of blue are obtained from it. Cold-resistant grapes is ripen to the highest for this region level of sugar, making the wine rich, with intensive spicy and fruit aroma.
Feteasca Neagra
Feteasca Regala
This young autochthonic variety was obtained by natural cross of the varieties Feteasca Albă and Grasă de Cotnari.
The wine made of this variety is crystal-clear, of characteristic greenish colour, and after maturation it gains straw and golden-yellow shades. The taste of wine is refined, with fruity and woody aromas and notes of field flowers. Regala is translated from Moldovan as «royal», and this is a definitely suitable epithet for this variety.
One of the oldest and therefore rather rear variety was undeservedly forgotten in Soviet time and recently restored as splendid grapes. Red-ruby smoky wine of Rara Neagra opens with refined, unusual aromas of cloves, pomegranate peel. It has a smooth taste with notes of dried fruits and vanilla.
Rara Neagra
