BEGINNINGS

The history of the Cricova Winery begins in 1952. It was during this period that the issue of wine storage and maturing facilities arose in the Republic of Moldova. After long searches, two prominent personalities of Moldovan winemaking, Petru Ungureanu and Nicolae Sobolev, proposed the use of the stone from which the construction stone was extracted as deposits. It was soon established that the wines produced at the “Cricova” Combine and matured in the underground quiet have exceptional qualities.

PRESENT

Rightly called the “Pearl of Moldovan Vinification” – “Cricova”, it is a unique Underground Complex, which has stood out all over the world for its huge labyrinths and its excellent wines.

“Cricova” is the first company in Moldova to produce sparkling wine according to the method of the famous monk Dom Pérignon – “Méthode Traditionelle”. The technology is complex and involves secondary fermentation in the glass and further maturation of the cuvée. The company’s range is characterized by quality and diversity. Today it can be said that one of the most remarkable products offered by the “Cricova” Winery is the classic sparkling wine – a noble and extravagant effervescent wine.

“Cricova” also produces sparkling wines obtained by secondary fermentation in stainless steel containers, and the effervescent having a fruity and full of freshness. This method allows the preservation of all the qualities of a fermented wine.

The “Cricova” winery has established itself through a trend of continuous innovation. Today, the company uses the most sophisticated technologies in the world in the field of winemaking, possesses the art of producing the most diverse types of wines and satisfies the most refined tastes and requirements of the market. “Cricova” is the most valuable brand in Moldova, being known far beyond its borders. It is the first and only enterprise, decorated with the highest state distinction, the Order of the Republic. By the law of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, the “Cricova” Winery is declared the Cultural-National Heritage of the country in 2003.

The “Cricova” plant is located in a unique and picturesque place, in the central region of the Republic of Moldova. Here, in the vicinity of the most imposing natural and historical attractions of the country – the “Codrii” nature reserve and the Orheiul Vechi Archaeological Complex, the company’s vineyards stretch. It is known that the Republic of Moldova enjoys a favorable climate, with mild winters, a large number of sunny days and fertile soil. Thus, the winemakers from Cricova are some of the luckiest.

At present, the company’s vineyards are the largest in the country and cover an area of over 600 hectares. In the central area of the country are located the agricultural farms Cricova and Criuleni, and to the south – Găvănoasa and Luceşti.

The geographical diversity of the vineyards belonging to the Combine also has an important priority – the possibility of cultivating different varieties of vines, depending on the climatic and soil peculiarities of the locality. As a result, the company cultivates in the Cahul district, predominantly, red vine varieties, such as: Cabernet, Merlot, Codru, Pinot Noir. In the central region of the country, white varieties such as Pinot, Sauvignon , Rkațiteli and Aligote are cultivated.

The complete production cycle and its own raw material – these are the advantages that detach the Plant from the beginning. Due to the control at all stages of the production process, from planting the cuttings to the delivery of the finished production, the Cricova company ensures superior quality, authenticity and originality of the wine formula produced here.

Due to the natural conditions and the unique wine storage, the Combine, still in its infancy, had excellent permits for the production of the highest quality wines. At the same time, all these years, the company continues to invest in high-performance production equipment and machinery.

Cricova wines start their life on the picturesque vineyards in central and southern Moldova. And although the vine’s properties of the combine are the largest in the country, the grapes are harvested by hand in special containers with limited mass, which allows them to be kept in excellent condition.

The originality of Cricova wines is due to the storage conditions in the underground warehouses – where the so-called wine creation stage takes place. In the cellars of Cricova are created the ideal conditions for the successful development of this process, as throughout the year the average temperature is +10 … + 12 ° C, and the relative humidity of 97-98%. The last index is of special importance: the higher the relative humidity level, the lower the risk of wine loss.

It should be noted that, unlike many wineries, including world-renowned wineries, Cricova’s wine storage facilities lack artificial air conditioning or ventilation systems. Here persists a unique microclimate, created by nature itself, which is perfect for the production and maturation of high quality wines.

Established in 1952, the Testing Laboratory of the “Cricova” SA Winery is accredited by the International Organization for Standardization and operates in accordance with the global standards SM EN ISO / IEC 17025: 2018. The technical competence and impartiality of the testing laboratory is also confirmed by the accreditation in the national MOLDAC system .

The mission of the Testing Laboratory is to control all the technological processes that take place at the “Cricova” Plant. At the same time, in accordance with ISO 17025-2018, the purpose of the Testing Laboratory is to ensure the quality of wine products and the continuous improvement of testing methods. To achieve these objectives, laboratory employees strictly comply with international standardization requirements.

The lab is equipped with modern equipment, and the continuous professional team contributes to increasing the quality of Cricova brand products. Specialists not only ensure the quality of products, but also participate in the development and implementation of new products in order to meet the preferences of each market.