Moldavia — Iași
Cotnari
The golden wine of Moldavia's princes
A legend since the days of Stephen the Great, the Cotnari vineyard has produced one of Europe's great sweet wines for over five centuries. From the native Grasă de Cotnari grape, late-harvested berries touched by noble rot give a golden wine of honey and candied fruit, often compared to Hungarian Tokaji.
North-west of Iași, in the heart of Moldavia, Cotnari blends princely history with modern winemaking. Tastings take in the dry whites too — Frâncușă and Fetească Albă — but the star remains the sweet wine, which ages magnificently for decades.
A visit pairs naturally with Iași, Moldavia's cultural capital, less than an hour away.
Signature grapes
Good to know
Ask for a vertical of Grasă at the tasting — the difference between vintages is astonishing.
Wineries to visit in Cotnari
WineryCasa de Vinuri Cotnari
Casa de Vinuri Cotnari is the modern, premium face of the famous Moldavian region — a winery that reinterpreted Cotnari's centuries-old heritage with state-of-the-art technology and an ambition for quality. Here the native grapes that made the region's name — **Grasă de Cotnari**, **Frâncușă**, **Tămâioasă Românească** and **Fetească Albă** — take on a fresh, refined expression, in select ranges such as Colocviu and Domenii. The golden sweet wines, compared to the world's great dessert wines, stand alongside vibrant dry whites. North-west of Iași, the winery welcomes visitors for tastings and tours among the vines, blending Cotnari's princely history with a contemporary style. A landmark stop for discovering Moldavia's golden wine.
WineryCrama Cotnari
Cotnari is the region of Moldavia's golden wines, a legend since the days of Stephen the Great, and Crama Cotnari is the keeper of a heritage over five centuries old. The star is Grasă de Cotnari, a native grape which, late-harvested and touched by noble rot, yields a golden sweet wine of honey and candied fruit, often compared to the world's great dessert wines. Beside it stand the region's dry, perfumed whites: Frâncușă, Fetească Albă and Tămâioasă Românească. North-west of Iași, the winery welcomes visitors for tastings and tours of the cool cellars where the wines age. It's an experience about history, princes and a taste Romania has only here, less than an hour from Moldavia's capital.
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Cellar visits, guided tastings and wine-and-food day trips in the area.
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