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Cricova Wine Shop: A Gateway to Moldova's Underground Wine City

Discover Moldova's winemaking heritage at the Cricova Wine Shop, offering a curated selection from the legendary underground cellars.

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Located in Chișinău, the Cricova Wine Shop offers a curated selection of wines from the legendary Cricova winery, known for its vast underground cellars. It's a perfect starting point to explore Moldova's rich winemaking heritage and discover unique sparkling wines.

A brief summary to Cricova - Wine Shop

  • Strada Alexei Şciusev 96, Chișinău, Sectorul Buiucani, 2012, MD
  • +37322220377

Local tips

  • Consider booking a tour of the Cricova winery in advance to fully experience the underground cellars and wine production process.
  • Try the Cricova sparkling wine, a local specialty produced using traditional methods.
  • The shop is a good place to purchase authentic Moldovan wines as souvenirs or gifts.
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Getting There

  • Public Transport

    The Cricova Wine Shop is located on Strada Alexei Şciusev in the Buiucani sector of Chișinău. From the city center, you can take a trolleybus, bus, or minibus (rutiera). Public transportation tickets cost around 6 MDL. Check local transit apps like map.md or Moovit for the most accurate routes and schedules.

  • Taxi/Ride-sharing

    Taxis and ride-sharing services like Yandex Go and iTaxi are readily available in Chișinău. A short taxi ride from the city center to the wine shop should cost approximately 50-80 MDL, but fares may vary. It's advisable to use a ride-sharing app to ensure a fair price or agree on the fare with the driver beforehand.

  • Walking

    If you are already in the Buiucani sector or nearby, walking to the Cricova Wine Shop is a viable option. Use a map app for directions. Note that Chisinau can have heavy traffic, so be mindful of pedestrian safety.

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Discover more about Cricova - Wine Shop

The Cricova Wine Shop in Chișinău serves as an introduction to the renowned Cricova winery, a true Moldovan treasure. While the shop itself offers a retail experience, it represents the gateway to the Cricova cellars, the second largest in Moldova, boasting 120 kilometers of labyrinthine roadways. These tunnels, carved out since the 15th century as limestone mines, were transformed in the 1950s into an underground wine emporium. A visit to the Cricova Wine Shop can lead to a deeper exploration of the Cricova winery, which is more than just a storage facility; it's an underground city. The cellars maintain a constant temperature of around 12°C (54°F), ideal for aging wine. The oldest wine dates back to 1902, and the collection comprises approximately 1.3 million bottles. Legend has it that cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin once spent two days exploring the cellars, and Vladimir Putin celebrated his 50th birthday there. Cricova is particularly known for its sparkling wines, produced using the traditional French method (Méthode Traditionnelle). They even produce a unique sparkling red wine from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The "Grand Cellars of Cricova" house a remarkable collection, including wines seized from Hermann Göring after World War II. Visiting the shop provides a taste of Moldova's winemaking history and a chance to acquire a bottle (or more) of Cricova's finest.

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