Asconi

The estate and its history

Asconi started in 1994, shortly after independence, as a family business and has remained one. According to a report by BKWine, several family members are involved: the father leads the team of winemakers, a son manages the vineyards and the mother runs the restaurant kitchen. The house is strongly export-oriented: according to the same source, 99% of production goes abroad.

According to the national wine office ONVV, Asconi has more than 500 hectares of vineyards, planted over more than ten years, near the village of Geamăna in the Anenii Noi district, about 10 kilometres from the winery. The family's principle is that a winery should grow its own grapes.

The cellars and the wines

French varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay dominate, but the house is putting more and more emphasis on Fetească Albă and Fetească Neagră. Most red wines age in 225-litre barrels, mainly of American and Hungarian oak and to a lesser extent French. The white wines are mostly made in a fresh style; Chardonnay and Riesling are partly aged in wood. The best-known label is the Sol Negru range, which includes a Fetească Neagră and a Cabernet Sauvignon. Asconi also makes ice wine, including one from Cabernet Sauvignon.

Visiting and tasting

The estate is open all year round. Tours with tastings take place daily by reservation, for a minimum of two people, in Romanian, English or Russian. The restaurant serves Moldovan cuisine; booking is not compulsory but is advisable at weekends. Since 2019 there have been guest cottages on the grounds, and there is a wine and souvenir shop. On Ziua Națională a Vinului, the national wine festival in October, there is a special programme. Nearby are Suruceni Monastery and the history and ethnography museum in Văsieni. By car it takes about three quarters of an hour from Chișinău.