Cricova – Moldova’s Underground Wine Empire

Imagine a hidden world underground, where the air is filled with the aroma of wine and tunnels stretch on forever… Welcome to Cricova, one of the largest and most impressive wine cellars on the planet. It’s a place where history, culture, and winemaking craftsmanship intertwine. A true underground wine empire has been created here. I was fortunate to visit here myself, and I’m eager to share my impressions with you.

History of Cricova

It all began in 1952. Moldova faced a problem: conventional warehouses for storing and aging wine weren’t producing the desired results—the drink was losing its flavor and aroma.

Two talented winemakers, Petru Ungureanu and Nikolai Sobolev, came up with an unconventional solution to this problem. They proposed using underground limestone mines, formerly used for quarrying building stone. These caves proved ideal: they offer constant humidity, temperature, and silence.

Soon, the wines made under these conditions showed amazing quality: rich aroma, intense taste and the ability to be stored for many years.

Architecture and Unique Features

Over the years, the caves have transformed into a vast underground labyrinthine complex. Each gallery and hall maintains an ideal temperature (10–12°C) and humidity to this day. This ensures the preservation of millions of bottles—from rare 19th-century wines to modern masterpieces.

Today, the Cricova cellars cover an area of ​​approximately 53 hectares, and the tunnels, converted into streets, have a total length of approximately 120 km. It’s simply incredible! I couldn’t believe my eyes! The cellars, just like a real city, have named streets, traffic lights, and road signs. Have you ever seen anything like this underground? The streets are named after the different wine varieties stored there. For example, Sauvignon, Cabernet, Riesling, and so on. Electric cars are used to navigate the streets.

Wine Traditions of Cricova

The Cricova cellars house not only millions of bottles, but also the most ancient winemaking traditions. It was here that the foundations of sparkling winemaking in the country were laid.

Cricova became the first company in Moldova to produce sparkling wine using the famous “Méthode Traditionnelle” method, invented by the monk Pierre Pérignon. This method involves secondary fermentation in the bottle, making the wine particularly refined and sophisticated.

Cricova Vineyards

The Cricova Winery is located in a picturesque part of Moldova, near the Codrii Nature Reserve and the Orheiul Vechi Historical Complex. The mild climate, abundant sunshine, and fertile soil create excellent conditions for growing grapes. Cricova’s vineyards cover over 1,000 hectares and are located in various regions of the country. In the south, they primarily grow red varieties (Cabernet, Merlot, and Pinot Noir), while in the center, they cultivate white varieties (Pinot, Sauvignon, Rkatsiteli, and Aligote).

Cricova also has organic plantations where local varieties – Feteasca Neagra, Feteasca Regala and Viorica – are grown, preserving their natural flavour and the characteristics of the region.

National Collection

The Cricova cellars house a true treasure: the wine collection (Oenoteka), which has existed there since 1954. Today, it contains over a million bottles from around the world, each with its own unique story.

The crown jewel of the collection is the red dessert wine “Easter Jerusalem”—the only surviving bottle from a 1902 batch. Also on display is a unique liqueur from the same year, Becherovka, made with 27 herbs.

The collection is constantly expanding: wines are acquired through exchanges, purchased abroad, or given as gifts. But Cricova’s own wines are a source of particular pride, winning awards at international competitions and proudly representing Moldovan winemaking. Incidentally, you can rent storage units for your wines. If you want your wine stored in ideal conditions, you should contact Cricova. The rental fee is €500 per year.

Tour of the Cricova cellars

We embarked on a true adventure in an electric car through the labyrinthine Cricova cellars, located at depths of 60 to 100 meters. The guided tour lasted approximately two hours, during which time we made four stops and immersed ourselves in the world of winemaking.

We toured the production facility and learned how wine is made, visited an underground cinema (at a depth of 80 meters) where we watched an interesting film presentation, visited a museum, and even peeked into a real church located right underground. And, of course, the tour concluded with a tasting.

You can view prices and book a tour HERE.

Cricova Wine Tasting

The underground complex contains several large, spacious rooms used for tastings. The rooms are decorated with stained glass windows, tapestries, and wooden sculptures created by Moldovan artisans. It all feels like a veritable underground museum, making the tasting atmosphere even more special.

During the tasting, we were offered seven different wines to fully appreciate the flavors of Cricova. A snack platter was also prepared—assorted cheeses, dried fruits, and cookies. The tasting was very generous, and we left pleasantly intoxicated.

Cricova Underground Shop

Naturally, the tour ends in a specialty store where the entire Cricova range is on display. The sales staff will be happy to help you choose the right drink! Since we were flying with Airbaltic, our luggage didn’t allow us to buy wine at the store, but we did bring some for the road. We did manage to do our shopping at the airport duty-free shop. They also have a good selection of Cricova wines.

If you’re planning a trip to Chisinau, I highly recommend taking an underground journey that will leave you in awe of the craftsmanship of those who have created an entire underground wine empire.

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