Purcari

Moldova has one of the highest densities of vineyard per head in the world, and Purcari is its most decorated name: founded in 1827 in the Stefan Voda region near the Dniester, it won a gold medal in Paris in 1878 and its Negru de Purcari red went on to appear at European royal tables. The estate today runs tours through the cellars and vineyards with tastings, plus a restaurant and rooms in a manor-style building beside a lake. Alongside international varieties, Moldova's indigenous grapes - Feteasca Neagra, Rara Neagra, Feteasca Alba - are the reason to pay attention.

What you actually see

• The historic cellars - the underground galleries and library wines.
• Indigenous grape tastings - Feteasca Neagra and Rara Neagra.
• The estate grounds - vineyards, lake and manor buildings.
• Harvest season - vineyard activity from late summer into autumn.

When to go

May to October covers the green and harvest seasons, with the National Wine Day festival in Chisinau each October the biggest date in the calendar. Booking is required for tours year round - turning up unannounced does not work.

Honest expectations

It is a two-hour drive from Chisinau each way, and drink-driving limits in Moldova are effectively zero, so a driver or organised tour is necessary rather than optional. Tours run to a schedule and in set languages - confirm English availability when booking. Purcari is the polished end of Moldovan wine; the smaller family cellars offer a rougher and often more interesting experience.

Nearby

The Dniester valley, Cricova and Milestii Mici cellars nearer Chisinau.