Et Cetera
Et Cetera winery in Crocmaz
Small winery run by two brothers in the south, with guest rooms, a pool and oak-aged wines
46.4550° N · 29.9860° E128 km from Chișinău
Photo: Nicolai_Chirnev, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Et Cetera is a small family winery in Crocmaz, in the Ștefan Vodă district in south-eastern Moldova. The story began in 2002, when Alexandru Luchianov bought land there; his brother Igor joined him later. The house combines its own wines with a restaurant and six guest rooms.
The estate and its history
Crocmaz lies in the south-east of the country, not far from the Dniester and the Purcari wine estate. In 2002 Alexandru Luchianov bought land here to plant vineyards; in 2006 his brother Igor joined him. What began as a family adventure got its own winery in 2009. According to WineTourism.com, it has about 24 hectares of vineyards, a modest scale by Moldovan standards.
The vineyards lie in the Ștefan Vodă wine region, the same protected geographical indication as nearby Purcari, where the proximity of the Black Sea and the Dniester tempers the climate. The grapes are harvested by hand.
The cellars and the wines
Et Cetera works mainly with international varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Carmenère, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. According to the national wine office ONVV, the grapes are grown organically and the wines age in oak barrels. The range includes red, white, rosé, sparkling and sweet wines. Well-known labels are the Carmenère from the Aeroplane range, the white Cuvée Blanc and a Merlot in the Premium range.
The house also makes orange wine, fortified wine and spirits. The red grapes ferment in stainless steel, the white ones in oak barrels.
Visiting and tasting
Tours with tastings take place daily by reservation, in Romanian, Russian and English. According to WineTourism.com, a visit lasts about an hour and a half, with tastings from the barrel and snacks to go with the wines. There is a restaurant, a hotel with six rooms, a swimming pool, a terrace, a picnic area and a playground. The estate also hosts weddings, corporate events, workshops and photo shoots, so in high season it is wise to book a room or table in advance. If you are staying in the south, Et Cetera combines well with Château Purcari, a fifteen-minute drive away. From Chișinău it is about 130 kilometres by road; allow just over two hours.
