VIDEO // This year’s National Wine Day to bring together more than 110 producers in central Chișinău

The 25th edition of National Wine Day will take place on October 3 and 4, and organizers estimate that the event could attract around 200,000 visitors. More than 110 wine producers, including dozens of small wineries will present their products during events that this year will also extend along Ștefan cel Mare Boulevard in the capital.

According to data presented today by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAIA) and the National Vine and Wine Office (ONVV) at a press conference, over its 25 years of existence, National Wine Day has become not only an event dedicated to the wine sector, but also one with an impact on tourism, the hospitality industry, trade, and other areas of the economy.



Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Eugeniu Osmochescu emphasized that this year’s event is taking place in an important context for the wine sector, including in light of its development following the embargo imposed by the Russian Federation in 2006.


„We have 35 years of independence of the Republic of Moldova and 25 years of National Wine Day. It is also important from another perspective: 20 years since Russia first imposed a major embargo on wines from the Republic of Moldova, in March 2006. Thanks to the grape growers and winemakers, the entire sector demonstrated resilience, reoriented itself toward Western markets, and showed a mature attitude,” said Eugeniu Osmochescu.


The minister noted that European Union markets are currently the main destination for Moldovan wine exports. According to statistical data for 2026 presented by him, Romania ranks first among the countries to which the Republic of Moldova exports wine, while Ukraine ranks second; these exports include both wines and divins.


„It is of major importance for the Republic of Moldova and for our capital, Chișinău, and our citizens, as well as for visitors from the Republic of Moldova and Chișinău, simply because the wine industry is, in fact, at the intersection of several industries and contributes to economic development through wine consumption, wine culture, the hospitality sector, tourism, and food consumption in Chișinău during Wine Day,” the minister said.


He stressed that the development of the wine sector is also important in the context of the Republic of Moldova’s European path.


„For us, at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, this is an extremely important sector, especially in the context of joining the European Union. We want to have a competitive product, a product that generates added value, which is already happening, but also one that is present on European tables, particularly from the perspective of the new varieties we are developing in the Republic of Moldova, which are also resistant to climatic conditions,” Osmochescu stated.


According to the official, the next two or three years will be important for the development and increased competitiveness of Moldova’s wine sector on foreign markets.

The minister also presented data on the event’s economic impact. According to estimates, National Wine Day attracted approximately 150,000 visitors in 2024, while in 2025 their number reached around 190,000. For the 2026 edition, the authorities expect approximately 200,000 visitors over the two days.

At the same time, the number of participating wineries is increasing. While 99 wineries participated in 2024 and 106 in 2025, 114 wineries have been announced for this year’s edition, 49 of them small producers, according to data presented by the minister.

The 2025 edition set a participation record, with 106 wineries, including 43 small producers, and approximately 9,000 tasting booklets sold.


„These tastings translate into approximately 150,000 bottles sold. So, we are not talking only about tastings; we also calculate how much a tasting represents according to the booklet and how much bottled wine is sold,” Osmochescu explained.


The data presented at the event also indicate increased economic activity during the celebration. In 2025, telecommunications operators recorded approximately 30,000 foreign SIM cards or roaming connections during the event, an indicator used by the authorities to estimate the number of foreign visitors.

At the same time, according to data presented by the authorities, during October 3–4, 2025, hotels reported higher occupancy rates, supermarket sales increased, taxi services in Chișinău saw increased usage, and restaurants and bars reported higher sales. Winery sales were 2.4 times higher over the two days, according to the analysis presented at the event.

ONVV Director Ștefan Iamandi said that National Wine Day is an event that brings together not only the wine sector, but also the fields of culture, tourism, gastronomy, and hospitality.


„We are at the 25th, anniversary edition, and we are talking about National Wine Day and what National Wine Day represents. However, we discuss less often its impact—not only on the wine sector, but also on the entire economy of the Republic of Moldova. Most sectors benefit from this unique event,” Iamandi said.


He recalled that the celebration was established by a parliamentary decision in 2002, and that the slogan of this year’s anniversary edition is „The Wine That Unites Us.”


„The wine sector unites us all and, as the minister mentioned, most auxiliary sectors benefit directly or indirectly and work together with the wine sector,” the ONVV director added.


This year’s program will be built around three components—experience, entertainment, and community. Visitors will be able to take part in tastings, master classes, and activities dedicated to wine culture, while the event will also include a „Peasant Courtyard,” where traditions and elements of wine history will be presented.

Special attention will be given to small wineries. According to Iamandi, they will have exhibition spaces and the opportunity to interact directly with visitors.


„Participation in Great National Assembly Square, facilitated by the National Office for Vine and Wine, and the contributions they pay to the Vine and Wine Fund (...) provide a free presentation stand for all interested wineries—tastings and sales, as well as interaction. It means participation in the official program, themed tastings, and master classes,” Ștefan Iamandi explained.


For the first time, indigenous grape varieties will also be presented at the School of Wine, allowing visitors to see the appearance of the grape clusters and leaves, not just taste the wines made from them.

ONVV aims for this year’s event to become more than a two-day celebration and to contribute to the promotion of wine tourism over a longer period.


„National Wine Day is not only about two days, October 3 and 4. Our message is that we want to turn it into Wine Week. We want visitors to come not only on Saturday and Sunday, but also a week earlier, so that they can visit the Republic of Moldova, visit our museums and wineries, have the opportunity to taste our unique dishes, and turn this visit into a unique experience,” the ONVV director said.


This year, several cultural institutions are involved in the project, including national museums and Orheiul Vechi Cultural-Natural Reserve. They will organize exhibitions and other activities dedicated to wine heritage and wine culture.

ONVV has also announced partnerships with restaurants and wine bars in Chișinău. In the period leading up to National Wine Day, tastings, gastronomic dinners with wine pairings, and other experiences dedicated to Moldovan wines will be organized.


„One of the obvious elements is the wine sector, and we also combine it with our gastronomy, our regions, our museums, and our culture,” Ștefan Iamandi said.


According to him, international promotion remains an important part of ONVV’s work, given that approximately 85% of Moldova’s wines are exported.

Ștefan Iamandi said that ONVV’s budget for 2026 amounts to 59 million lei, approximately 70% of which is allocated to promotional activities.


„When we talk about promotion in the Republic of Moldova, we have three target countries: Romania, where we organized the wine festival last week, the Netherlands, and Poland,” the ONVV director noted.


The international promotion agenda for the coming period includes events in London, Bucharest, South Korea, China, Japan, and the Netherlands.

As for National Wine Day, the event is financed by the Vine and Wine Fund. According to Iamandi, the event’s organization budget exceeds three million lei, and the procurement procedure was carried out through the public procurement platform. The Vine and Wine Fund is made up of contributions from the wine sector and state contributions, in a 50–50 proportion, according to explanations provided at the event.

The anniversary edition of National Wine Day will take place on October 3 and 4 in Great National Assembly Square and along Ștefan cel Mare Boulevard. The celebration is organized annually on the first weekend of October and promotes Moldovan wine, wine culture, and the Republic of Moldova as a wine tourism destination.