The Wine Museum in Stăuceni

The Wine Museum in Stăuceni is a small yet valuable cultural destination dedicated to Moldova’s winemaking traditions. It is located on the grounds of the prestigious National College of Viticulture and Winemaking in Stăuceni, an institution founded in 1842. Just a few kilometers from Chișinău, the museum offers visitors an authentic glimpse into the history and technology of Moldovan wine production.

The exhibition features a variety of historical items: vintage wine bottles, traditional tools, viticultural equipment, and educational materials used to train professionals in the field. Notably, visitors can admire various types of old glass containers once used for bottling Moldovan wines.

The museum is closely connected to the college’s educational and practical activities, which include a small-scale working winery where students participate in the winemaking process — from grape harvesting to bottling. As such, the museum serves as both an exhibition space and an educational laboratory.

This museum is part of Wine Tourism Route (national)  No. 2, which links Stăuceni with Cricova, Orheiul Vechi, and Brănești. The route is often featured in 5–7 hour guided tours offered by ANTREC and specialized agencies. It is a perfect stop for wine lovers, tradition seekers, and those passionate about rural heritage.

ATU Winery

ATU Winery in Chișinău is the first urban winery in the Republic of Moldova – an innovative project that blends the country’s winemaking traditions with a modern, creative approach. Founded in 2016 by young oenologist Vlada Balica and her partner Victor Vutcărău, ATU quickly gained recognition for its handcrafted wines, produced in small batches in a repurposed industrial space in the Botanica district of the capital.

ATU cultivates around 17 hectares of vineyards, working with both local grape varieties (Fetească Albă, Fetească Neagră, Viorica) and international ones (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Saperavi, Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer). The entire winemaking process is manual – from harvesting to labeling – and each bottle reflects a dedication to detail and authenticity.

Among ATU’s most celebrated wines are Codrinschii, a unique blend of Saperavi and secret varietals, as well as Calibru and Viorica, both of which have earned awards at international competitions like Mundus Vini and AWC Vienna. ATU is the only winery in Moldova to produce Codrinschii, contributing to the diversity of the national winemaking heritage.

Visitors can enjoy guided tours and tastings right in the city. ATU offers interactive packages – from creating custom labels to participating in creative workshops – available in Romanian, Russian, and English. The winery also embraces ecological values: recycling, composting, and planning innovative systems for bottle collection.

With the motto “The best of you is inside you”, ATU seeks to inspire guests to discover their inner potential – through authentic wine, cultural dialogue, and transformative experiences.