For years, we had our sights set on participating in a grape harvest. As the golden months of the summer of 2014 dwindled, and Europe’s grapes grew plumper and riper, we decided to meander to Moldova to meet the newest vintage. It’s said that a whopping 25% of Moldova’s working population is involved in winemaking, and we instantly sensed this upon our arrival in the Eastern European country. Much of the autumnal landscape was dotted with vineyards, grape motifs favored heavily on the village architecture, and winemakers of the amateur and professional sort abounded. One of our first nights in the country, locals spotted us strolling the streets of a quiet village, and asked us if we wanted to try a glass of wine at their home. (Of course we said yes!) This warm extension of hospitality would continue for nearly one month, even as we hopped from locale to locale. Sometimes we were offered golden bunches of grapes, while at other moments we were given a generous glass of homemade wine.
Family, Innovation & Tradition
Moldova has a history of winemaking that spans nearly five millennia. Upon arriving here, we yearned to discover the perfect blend of familial tradition and modern winemaking techniques. My husband, Shawn and I found this ideal combination at the Et Cetera Winery in the southeastern part of the country. We spent three days with a winemaking family, the Luchianovs – a Moldovan bunch who have built their business from scratch. Spanning several generations, the visit reminded us why we’re so fond of family-run enterprises. From the grandparents cooking delicious, hearty fare and constructing new structures, to their children making magic with the grapes and entertaining their domestic and international guests, the family exuded passion, an attention to detail, and a desire to help their country flourish, despite its economic challenges. The Luchianovs also exhibited another trait that I’ve come to respect greatly – they are mostly autodidactic. I never would have guessed that they were largely self-taught, because what they produce is exemplary.
As we entered the Et Cetera Winery grounds in Crocmaz, not far from the Ukrainian border, I had flashbacks of Napa, Italy, and even Burgundy. We’d already seen some of Moldova’s most celebrated monasteries, toured two of the country’s well-known wineries, and mingled with locals in a tiny village, but now we were ready to slow down a bit. Here, we would focus on nature and the behind-the-scenes activities that make a winery tick.
Our Et Cetera Experience
One afternoon, Shawn and I stared out into the vast vineyards, with garnet-hued, first-rate glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon in our hands. During another sun-drenched hour, we harvested grapes alongside Luchianov family friends. We also watched the Luchianov matriarchs whip up Moldova’s beloved Plăcintă, a multi-layered Phyllo-dough pastry, like pros. The ladies gently mentored young staff members from the neighboring village, and mischievously called us over to capture the blanket-like layers being placed into the iron pans.
Other moments found us shadowing with winemaker Alexandru and his brother, Igor, as they checked in with the grapes and the guests. We mingled with their wives, Daniela and Olga, who are skilled in the culinary arts and public relations. Daniela whipped up all types of memorable dishes using locally-sourced ingredients: an elegant parmesan soup, grilled chicken and vegetables, a range of savory and sweetened brie appetizers, pumpkin-cream soup, homemade cookies, bread, honey and preserves. All the while, the third generation of Luchianov girls – perhaps Et Cetera’s next group of winemakers – tinkered about outside. They rode a scooter, created chalk masterpieces, hugged the family kitten, Tom, and napped as their grandparents looked on. As Daniela so aptly said one night over dinner, “This isn’t our job; it’s a lifestyle.”
Since Et Cetera is one of a few wineries in the developing southeast of Moldova, we felt lucky to have seen the winery in its early days, before the region booms. Over the course of three days, we’d chat with the Luchianovs to get a feel for what inspired them to open a winery. Those were the kind of conversations that would inspire most anyone to open a winery or start a small business. However, lest I make it all sound too romantic and carefree, let me say that I’ve rarely seen a more hard-working team. Though the operation looks picturesque to guests, behind the scenes the family works like a colony of bees. Their motivational words follow, in interview format, lending our dinnertime and vineyard-side conversations a more authentic air.
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Tricia: How did your family decide to open a winery?
Alex: For me, opening a winery was a hobby and a dream. The idea was born for me when I was working in the United States, where I started taking an even greater liking to wine, thanks to some friends from the UK. At one point, I thought to myself, “Moldova is a wine country… I’ll come back home!” I then practiced for seven years before we opened the winery.
Igor: I also fell in love with wine when I was working in the United States. In Moldova’s villages, everyone makes home-style wine. We planted the vineyards in 2003 using grape plants from Italy, Romania and Georgia, and had our first harvest in 2005. We produced 3,000 bottles, even without the technology we have now. We only had one pump and one tank. We then built the winery in 2009. Next year, we’re planning to build a hotel on the grounds, since right now, there’s only one hotel situated between the capital of Chisinau and the city of Stefan Voda.
Tricia: What do you most enjoy about running Et Cetera?
Igor: Our guests say they feel so good here – like they’re at home. They say, “You must be the happiest people in the world. It’s like heaven here.” It is absolutely a lot of fun. They have so many questions for us, and it’s fun answering them. Because this business is a hobby for us, it’s a pleasure.
Daniela: This isn’t our job – it’s a lifestyle. It’s our work, but it doesn’t feel like work because we enjoy it! I get to meet lots of interesting people, and share a part of me. There’s always this feeling of adrenaline, because everything is new.
Tricia: Why the name, ‘Et Cetera?’
Daniela: The name describes our journey. We started with just an idea, and step by step, slowly… we’ve grown.
Tricia: What makes Et Cetera special?
Igor: What makes Et Cetera special is our wine’s quality. If it doesn’t meet quality standards, it doesn’t go to market. We’re also one of the only wineries in Moldova that’s situated in the heart of a vineyard. From the winemaking, to the cooking, and constructing, everything’s being family-run too.
Also, the world needs to know about Moldova. We’re something new – something that’s exciting to discover!
As I stared out into Et Cetera’s 50-hectares (about 120 acres) of vineyards, visions of Napa Valley, even Burgundy came to mind. Interesting enough, Moldova shares the same latitude as Burgundian wine country. The area’s climate is tempered by the Black Sea.
Shawn and I pose with Daniela Luchianov, chef extraordinaire, and one of Et Cetera’s visionaries. I wish we lived closer, for I greatly enjoyed shadowing with her in the kitchen as she whipped up elegant soups, tempting baked goods, and pretty appetizers.
A septet of Et Cetera wine – everything from Sauvignon Blanc and Traminer, to Merlot and the regional Fetească Neagră varietal.
Fun and family. On the left, the Luchianov patriarch and two of his granddaughters; on the right, the Et Cetera staff shares a laugh before a wine-tasting group arrives.
The family’s kitten, Tom, goes on an excursion in his vine-studded backyard.
Talking to the grapes.
Shawn with a pretty – and delicious – Rosé.
It was fun hearing Daniela’s visions for the Et Cetera grounds. I think this spot is slated to be studded with lavender plants.
Et Cetera’s winemaker, Alex Luchianov, with his father at his side, checks the status of the grapes to determine when they’ll be harvested.
Alex and his family: wonderful Olga, who was such a treat to correspond with as we made our plans to visit the winery, and their darling daughter.
Igor, Daniela and their beautiful girls.
A young Luchianov family member’s chalk masterpieces, and Christa, the winery’s spirited resident dog.
Mother and daughter, each having fun with their respective props.
Family members construct a storage building to house farm equipment. They’re applying stone on the exterior to make it look more traditional. There are plots of vegetables just around the corner. Daniela, Shawn, and I made a wonderful pumpkin creme soup, using a pumpkin from the garden.
While traversing Moldova, we glimpsed several hand-woven wall hangings featuring vibrant floral scenes. This one was made by Igor and Alex’s grandmother. I appreciated how they had it made into upholstery for the wing chairs in the Et Cetera dining room.
In addition to wine, the Et Cetera family makes homemade jam and honey. The cherry and peach varieties were some of our favorites.
A Luchianov family member cooks up grilled vegetables and fish stew in the open air.
Balls of dough soon to be rolled into stretchy sheets that will create Plăcintă, a Moldovan favorite.
In all, about 8 layers of these sheets will combine to make a savory, flaky pastry.
The ladies brush on butter, and cut off excess dough from the iron pans’ edges.
Next comes a crumbled soft cheese and egg filling.
Judging by the smiles on others’ faces, the Plăcintă was perfect. The dough contained gluten, alas I had to abstain, but I enjoyed a glass of Rosé along with the festive group.
Shawn poses with the Plăcintă queens, after toasting to a successful batch.
During our three days at Et Cetera, a few groups of domestic and international visitors stopped by. This cluster came from a Chisinau art gallery/framing shop, to participate in a team-building activity that found them bottling Cabernet Sauvignon to celebrate the upcoming anniversary of their business. In keeping with its theme, they had asked an artist – who paints with wine – to make the bottle’s anniversary label. The bottles with the customized labels were to be given to clients as a thank you-gift.
Daniela presents more tempting desserts, such as these piping-hot oatmeal raisin cookies. Sometimes my waistline gives thanks that I just can’t touch the gluten-filled stuff! :)
Off to explore the building where the fermentation and bottling takes place. In the foreground are harvesting baskets. We visited just in between the white-grape harvest and upcoming red one.
Kitten Tom gets some loving attention, and on the right, fermentation tanks, made in Moldova.
Winemaking brother Alex chats with the group before they go inside to bottle the wine.
Tools of the trade: fermentation tanks, and grape clippers with wine-colored handles.
The excitement in the air was palpable as we awaited the first droplets of wine. Et Cetera’s wine-bottling equipment hails from Italy.
Et Cetera labels wait to adorn bottles. If you look closely, you’ll see the red dot on the outline of Moldova, signifying where we were.
With the bottles now filled with ruby-red goodness, the guests, guided by Mr. Luchianov, heat-seal the foil topper. Next, the team carefully boxed the bottles.
Celebrating a successful bottling mission, and a glorious autumn afternoon.
Where in the World?
Planning Pointers:
- To get to Et Cetera Winery, you have a few options. Contact Et Cetera Winery via their website, or by email { tourism@etcetera.md } and they will organize the visit for you, or coordinate with a tour organizer that works within the country. If you’re feeling more adventurous, it is also possible to access the winery via minibuses headed to Odessa. We made this trip, in reverse, hopping on a bus originating in Odessa and headed to Chisinau. The stop nearest the winery is called Kaplani or каплань. Next year the family anticipates building an on-site hotel, but for the moment, it’s possible to spend a day at the winery. They can recommend other lodging options in the region. Whatever transportation option you choose, the family asks that you please coordinate your visit with Et Cetera in advance. The journey from Chisinau to Et Cetera by car takes about 2 hours.
- To view bus routes and schedules throughout Moldova, visit the following transportation website (in Romanian-Moldovan).
- To learn more about Moldova’s wine history, visit the Wine of Moldova brand site.
- Need more inspiration? This link contains an index of all my posts from Moldova.
Disclosure & Thanks:
Our visit to Et Cetera Winery was supported by the Luchianov family to which we extend thanks.
To Daniela and Igor, Olga and Alexandru, and their parents, we send out an extra special thank you, or mulțumesc, for allowing us to tell such a fun story.
Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell. All Rights Reserved. Video footage is courtesy of my husband, Shawn.
Filed under: Featured, Food and Wine, Travelogues Tagged: autumn, culture, Et Cetera Winery, foodie, grape harvest, Moldova, Moldovan wine, Partners, photography
