Top 10 Distilleries in Moldova
Moldova is one of the most densely vineyarded countries in the world relative to its size, and the distillation of wine into brandy is a natural extension of a viticulture tradition that dates to antiquity. The country's primary distilled spirit is divin — the Moldovan term for brandy, derived from the French divine, emphasising quality and elegance — produced by ageing distilled wine spirit in Limousin or Caucasian oak. The Moldovan brandy tradition draws technical inspiration from Cognac, and Moldovan divin has historically supplied a significant share of the Soviet and post-Soviet brandy market, with some of the best examples rivalling French equivalents in quality if not in international recognition.
Moldova's distillery landscape was largely developed during the Soviet era, when the country's wine industry was oriented toward mass production for the Soviet market. After independence in 1991, the industry went through a painful contraction followed by gradual quality improvement and market reorientation. Today Moldova's best distilleries are producing divin of genuine refinement alongside traditional local spirits such as rachiu (fruit brandy) and various grape-based intermediary products. Browse Moldovan distilleries on the map to understand how the country's wine geography — the Codru, Ștefan Vodă, and Valul lui Traian zones — shapes its spirits production.
1. Barza Albă (White Stork), Bălți, Moldova
Barza Albă (White Stork) is one of Moldova's most historically significant divin producers, operating in Bălți in the country's north. The distillery traces its origins to 1893 and has been producing brandy continuously — despite the disruptions of two world wars, the Soviet collectivisation of the wine industry, and post-independence market upheavals — ever since. Its divin expressions, ranging from three-year-old blends to extended-aged premium releases, are the product of wine distillate matured in Romanian and Caucasian oak. The White Stork brand is among the most recognisable Moldovan spirits in Eastern European markets and has been attempting to expand export distribution in Western Europe.
2. KVINT Distillery, Tiraspol, Transnistria
KVINT (Cognacs, Wines, and Tobacco of Transnistria) is based in Tiraspol, the capital of the breakaway Transnistrian state that controls the eastern strip of Moldova along the Dniester River. Despite the complicated political status of Transnistria — it is not recognised as an independent state by any UN member — KVINT has continued to produce brandy (also labelled as cognac under a legal framework separate from EU regulations) and has maintained an international export presence. KVINT's aged brandy expressions — particularly the ten-year and fifteen-year divin — have received genuine praise from brandy specialists and represent the continuity of Soviet-era spirits craft at a high level.
3. Cricova Winery and Distillery, Cricova, Moldova
Cricova is famous primarily for its extraordinary underground wine cellars — a network of former limestone mines beneath the town of Cricova, with over 120 kilometres of wine-storage tunnels — but the operation also includes distillation facilities producing divin from the estate's grape production. Cricova divin, aged in old oak in the cool underground cellars, develops at a different rate than surface-warehouse brandy, and the results are wines of notable elegance and minerality. The Cricova cellar complex is one of Moldova's premier tourist attractions, and the divin tastings offered as part of the comprehensive cellar tour are among the highlights for visitors.
4. Château Purcari, Purcari, Stefan Vodă
Purcari is one of Moldova's most internationally celebrated wineries and has been producing wine on its Ștefan Vodă estate since 1827. The winery produces brandy from its own grape distillate alongside wine, and the estate's unique terroir — close to the Dniester River, with a climate influenced by the proximity of the Black Sea — creates distinct raw material for distillation. Purcari divin is aged in French and Caucasian oak and released as a premium product primarily in the domestic and Romanian markets. The winery's elegant visitor facilities and historical wine heritage make it a logical stop on any Moldovan wine and spirits tourism itinerary.
5. Dionysos-Mereni, Mereni, Anenii Noi
Dionysos-Mereni is a Moldovan producer focusing on both wine and divin production from grapes grown in the Codru zone of central Moldova. The Codru zone has a more continental climate than the southern wine regions, with colder winters and warmer summers creating stress conditions that concentrate fruit in the berries. Dionysos-Mereni's divin is produced from classic Cognac grape varieties — Ugni Blanc, Colombard, and Folle Blanche — that the distillery has planted specifically for brandy production, following French practice more closely than most Moldovan producers who rely on multi-purpose wine grape varieties.
6. Milestii Mici, Milestii Mici, Moldova
Milestii Mici is Moldova's largest wine cellar system by volume — it holds the record for the world's largest wine collection as recorded by the Guinness World Records — and alongside its wine production operates distillation of wine spirit for divin. The underground cellars, again converted from limestone mines, provide a uniquely stable temperature environment of approximately 12-14°C throughout the year, which moderates the ageing process and produces brandy of considerable delicacy. Milestii Mici's premium divin expressions have been recognised at Eastern European spirits competitions and are sold through the distillery's own shop and via specialist importers.
7. Vinăria Bostavan, Hîncești, Moldova
Bostavan is a Moldovan wine producer and brandy maker whose winery is located in the Codru zone near Hîncești. The company produces wine and divin from internationally recognised varieties including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot alongside native Moldovan varietals. Bostavan's brandy program focuses on well-aged expressions marketed to the premium domestic and export market. The company has been one of the more active Moldovan wine and spirits brands in developing European Union market distribution and has benefited from the EU-Moldova Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement that removed tariff barriers on agricultural exports.
8. Casa Mare, Zgărdești, Florești District
Casa Mare is a family-run Moldovan winery and distillery in the northern Florești district, operating a boutique production that positions it at the artisanal end of the Moldovan spirits market. The estate produces rachiu — traditional Moldovan fruit brandy — alongside wine-based divin, and the fruit brandy expressions (made from plum and quince grown on the estate) reflect a traditional local spirits culture that predates the formalisation of divin production. Casa Mare has invested in eco-tourism and hospitality, and the property's accommodation and farm-to-table dining make it a destination for visitors seeking an authentic Moldovan rural experience alongside spirits tasting.
9. Vinăria Din Vale (Winery from the Valley), Cricova Region
Vinăria Din Vale is a smaller artisan producer that has made a commitment to organic grape growing and minimal-intervention winemaking and brandy production. The distillery produces small quantities of divin from organically certified grape must, using traditional copper pot still distillation to produce a more characterful, less refined spirit than the column-distilled mainstream production. The resulting brandy is marketed to the niche of consumers within Moldova and Romania who have begun applying natural wine philosophies to spirits, valuing character and provenance over technical perfection.
10. Chateau Vartely, Orhei, Moldova
Château Vartely is a modern Moldovan wine estate near Orhei with high-quality production facilities and an established export program. The estate produces a range of wines and has established a brandy production program using locally grown Feteasca Albă and Riesling alongside classic brandy grape varieties. The brandy is aged in Limousin oak and released in both standard and premium expressions. Château Vartely's visitor infrastructure — which includes accommodation, a restaurant, and comprehensive cellar tours — makes it one of the most accessible and professional wine and spirits tourism experiences available in Moldova, and a gateway for international visitors discovering Moldovan spirits for the first time.