Fine Wine recommends: Viorica Carpe Diem
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My first visit to a winery in 2025, coincidentally or not, turned out to be at Casa Vinicolă Luca / Carpe Diem, in Cricova. I went to taste two standard wines, from the local Viorica variety, a white and an orange.
Beautiful wines in face and soul, outside and inside.
Viorica is an aromatic variety, created in Moldova, in 1969, by hybridizing the Seibel 13-666 variety, with the Italian Aleatico. Both parents are red varieties.
Area occupied in the Republic of Moldova with Viorica (registered in the RVV on 30.12.2023): 265.8 ha, including 73.93 ha recorded for the production of wine products with IGP (unofficially – 152.7 ha). For curiosity, it should be mentioned that Viorica can also be cultivated in other countries, such as Ukraine, Russia, the Czech Republic, Hungary or Bulgaria.
It should not be confused with the name of a Soviet-era wine blend consisting of Fetească Albă, Rkațiteli, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. Viorica inherited the paternal character of Aleatico – a red, Italian, fragrant variety.
Straw-yellow in color, with greenish reflections, it has intense aromas specific to the Muscat variety: white flowers (acacia, jasmine flowers, linden flowers). Also, hints of thyme, basil and other dried aromatic herbs can be felt.
Last year, Ion Luca won the title of “most skilled winemaker of the year”. He reveals something from the inner kitchen of success:
“This is the second year that I have been using the new press — a Pera – Pellenc — which has demonstrated some incredible results, especially with Viorica”.
“Due to its construction, this pneumatic press provided a good juice flow during pressing, with minimal contact with oxygen. With good turbidity, high yield, without compromising on quality”, says Ion Luca.
The equipment was purchased as part of a grant project at the Organization for Entrepreneurship Development. “I spent a year researching which press was the most suitable for me. The choice was for Pera-Pellenc and I do not regret the purchase for a second”.
With the new equipment, they also experimented with Orange: a white wine, produced according to the technology of red wines, with long maceration on the vine.
Both wines are limited edition, 1900 bottles at Orange and 5100 bottles at Viorica Alb. Both were gold medalists at international competitions. You can find them at the best price at the Carpe Diem wine shop.
