Let There be Vin

One of the advantages of the Peace Corps placing me in Moldova is that the country is known for its wine. Back in Soviet times, Moldova was one of the leading wine producing regions in the USSR. Today, the wine industry is as bumpy as Moldova’s economy in general. But the shaky export market does not stop the people from cultivating grapes. Indeed, Moldavians and their wine is a relationship that is as old as the culture itself. There is a belief that the energy of the sun is captured in the grapes and therefore is available for consumption year round. This picture was taken in front of the largest wine cellar in the world. This cellar is located in my first host village of Mileştii Mici. I was feeling a little sluggish that day so I figured I would reach for nature’s energy drink...

Since just about every one of our host families new some one who worked in the winery, we got a half price tour. The cellar is an old granite quarry which produced much of the stone that built the capital city Chisinau. For the most part we toured the cellar in a car. Driving through the dimly lit, cool and damp caverns I couldn’t help but feel that we were touring a Moldovan version of Charlie’s chocolate factory, only with wine instead of chocolate, and that most of us would not return because of one vice or another. Luckily this did not happen and the tour ended with a wine tasting. Noroc!



Michelle tries to aviod the temptation of her dream come true!