The event took place from September 4 to 6 in the courtyard of the National Museum of the History of Moldova and brought together producers and connoisseurs of artisanal wines, sommeliers, tasters, and enthusiasts. For the first time, the artisanal wine festival was extended from two to three days due to growing interest from the artisanal wine community. This is the only event in the country dedicated exclusively to small winemakers, and one of the few opportunities for the public to meet all of them in one place, outside their production facilities. Arcadie Foşnea, President of the Council of the Association of Small Winemakers of Moldova, noted that artisanal wine signifies creative freedom as well as a responsibility to preserve the wine's quality and distinctiveness. "In a world where wines are becoming increasingly standardized, we believe there is a place for wines that tell their own stories. And there are many such stories in Moldova: we have diverse 'terroirs,' local grape varieties, traditions, and, above all, a new generation of producers who boldly experiment and create their own style. The festival is dedicated to them, to the families who work together, and to the people who pour their passion into their craft," he said. The expansion of the artisanal wine festival is also supported by the growth of the Association of Small Winemakers of Moldova, which currently has 65 members, and the wines it produces are becoming increasingly prominent in both the local and international markets. During the artisanal wine festival, it was noted that wine and the experiences associated with it have become an increasingly important part of promoting Moldova as a tourist destination in recent years. Anna Sandra, Acting Director of the National Tourism Office, emphasized that wine, gastronomy, culture, and heritage are what define Moldova as a tourist destination. "Behind every bottle lies a tremendous amount of hard work, as well as the people, history, and traditions embedded in the wine. These are the stories we take pride in when we travel abroad, and which we want those who visit our country to discover for themselves," she noted. One of this year's highlights was the National Blind Wine Tasting Competition, organized by the Association of Small Winemakers of Moldova in collaboration with the Moldovan Sommelier Association. Seven teams participated in the competition, consisting of sommeliers, certified tasters, wine professionals, and wine enthusiasts—including families in which a passion for wine has been passed down from generation to generation. Participants were tasked with evaluating and identifying eight wines, with five minutes allotted for each sample. The competition was conducted according to the principles of international blind tasting competitions. The teams that took the top three places received a bottle of wine, a certificate of participation, and a trip with a tasting at a small winemaker's cellar in Ungheni. Over the course of three days, the educational portion of the festival continued with three guided wine-tasting master classes. Participants had the opportunity to sample signature wines made from local and international grape varieties, as well as take part in a vertical tasting, during which wines produced from the same grape variety in different years were compared. The 5th anniversary festival will take place from September 3 to 5, 2027. The Association of Small Winemakers of Moldova was founded in 2010 and currently has 65 members who collectively cultivate more than 500 hectares of vineyards, producing over one million bottles of wine per year. The wines are exported to 25 countries, and in 2025, the value of these exports exceeded $1.17 million, nearly double the figure from 2020. Between 2020 and 2025, the association's member wineries won 649 medals at specialized competitions in the country and abroad. // 08.09.2026 — InfoMarket.