Are Moldovan wines becoming the next big discovery on the French market?
It was around this question that Maison Tanase Wine & Spirits had the pleasure of hosting a masterclass at INSEEC Bordeaux, one of France’s leading business schools in Wine Business, Marketing and Commercial Development.
During two hours, 21 students stepped into the shoes of buyers, importers, marketing managers and future decision-makers in the wine industry, in order to understand how a still little-known country is gradually building its place on the global wine market.
Far more than a tasting session, this meeting had a clear ambition: to provide a concrete vision of international wine trade, raise awareness about the challenges of developing an emerging wine origin, and show how to create value around a still under-discovered product.
Through this intervention, Maison Tanase continues a mission that is especially close to its heart: bringing Moldovan wines to France, while building bridges between producers, wine professionals and tomorrow’s consumers.
Why is a leading business school interested in Moldovan wines today?
Consumers are now looking for more than just a well-known appellation. They want new origins, rare grape varieties, authentic producers and stories that give meaning to what they drink.
In this context, Moldova is attracting increasing attention.
With more than 5,000 years of winemaking history, one of the oldest viticultural heritages in Europe and steadily improving quality, the country is gradually positioning itself as a high-potential origin on international markets.
This evolution represents a powerful case study for business students:
- How to build awareness for a still unknown wine country?
- How to convince an importer to list a new origin?
- How to build a brand, tell a story and create real perceived value?
These are exactly the questions that now define careers in Wine Business.
It is precisely around this reflection that Maison Tanase designed this masterclass.
The chosen theme perfectly sums up the ambition of the session:
“Moldova: how an emerging wine country builds its place on the global wine market.”
Expertise built between Bordeaux and Moldova
Based in Bordeaux, Maison Tanase Wine & Spirits is a human-scale company specialized in the selection and distribution of French wines, champagnes, premium spirits and a curated selection of Moldovan wines.
Founded by Victor Tanase and developed alongside Julia Brad, the company was built on a dual identity.
- On one side, a strong base in Bordeaux, the world capital of wine, offering direct access to the finest French terroirs.
- On the other, Moldovan roots, deep knowledge of the local vineyard landscape, and long-standing relationships with some of the country’s most respected producers
This dual culture is one of Maison Tanase’s key strengths today.
The company does not aim to import everything. Every cuvée is carefully selected on site, after numerous tastings and direct meetings with producers.
The goal is simple: bring to the French market only wines that best represent the excellence of Moldovan viticulture.
Today, this selection is available both to private customers and professionals via the Maison Tanase online shop, its Bordeaux showroom, and its partner network in France.
Moldova: a historic vineyard attracting a new generation of professionals
Often described as “Europe’s best kept secret”, Moldova has one of the highest vineyard densities in the world. Wine has been part of its culture for thousands of years.
After decades focused on Eastern markets, the country has deeply transformed its wine industry.
Wineries are now investing in modern equipment, reducing yields, adopting a quality-driven approach, and winning numerous international awards every year.
But what truly makes Moldova stand out is its grape varieties.
Alongside well-mastered international grapes, the country has preserved several indigenous varieties offering aromatic profiles that cannot be found anywhere else.
Names such as Viorica, Rara Neagră or Feteasca Neagră are still relatively unknown in France.
Yet they perfectly match today’s consumer expectations:
- discovering new origins
- experiencing something different
- choosing authentic wines
- accessing strong value for money
For INSEEC students, this masterclass was therefore much more than a tasting. It was a real immersion into the strategy behind an emerging wine origin.
6 wines to tell the story of Moldova
A tasting can reveal aromas. But it can also tell a story.
For this masterclass, Maison Tanase built a tasting journey around 6 premium wines and spirits from 3 iconic producers, each showing a different facet of Moldovan know-how.
The objective was not to taste 6 bottles. It was to understand how a wine origin builds identity, highlights its grapes and responds to international market expectations.
Students discovered 3 complementary visions of Moldovan wine:
- The Aurelius estate, showcasing a pure expression of Viorica, an emblematic indigenous white grape.
- Château Purcari, whose blends illustrate the meeting of native and international grape varieties. Viorica x Muscat Ottonel shows how a local grape can appeal to a broader audience through balance.
- Rara Neagră x Saperavi highlights the richness of Moldovan heritage combined with the power of a great Georgian grape.
- Then the famous Freedom Blend, made from Rara Neagră, Saperavi and Bastardo, showing that a wine can also carry a message and a story.
- The KVINT universe, a historic house known for wines and spirits made from wine. Pastoral, a soft red wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Finally, Kvint Brandy 5 years, often compared to a premium cognac for its elegance and complexity, expanded their understanding of Moldovan expertise.
Each tasting became the starting point for key questions:
- How should this wine be positioned on the French market?
- What type of consumer is it targeting?
- What storytelling can create value around it?
So many questions that would become central in the second part of this masterclass.
Thinking like an importer, buyer or marketing manager
The final part of the masterclass changed the pace. Students were no longer tasters. They became decision-makers.
The challenge was simple and concrete:
“You are a wine importer, buyer or marketing manager. You have just added a Moldovan wine to your portfolio. How would you launch it on the French market?”
In a few minutes, they had to think like professionals:
- Who is the target consumer?
- Which distribution channel?
- At what price?
- How to tell its story? What are its strengths?
- What could limit its success?
- What could be the barriers to its development?
And above all:
How do you turn an unknown grape into a real business opportunity?
This exercise brought tasting closer to real market dynamics.
Because in wine, a great product is never enough.
You also need branding, storytelling, positioning and market understanding.
The future decision-makers of the wine industry were in the room
Today they are students. Tomorrow they will likely be:
- buyers for retail chains
- wine shop managers
- sommeliers
- CHR professionals
- importers
- export managers
- product managers
- marketing managers
In other words, the people who will shape tomorrow’s wine market.
For Maison Tanase, this is essential. Introducing Moldovan wines to this new generation means building future visibility on the French market.
Because trends are changing. Consumers increasingly want:
- original grape varieties
- authentic wines
- meaningful stories
- new wine regions
- strong value for money
On all these points, Moldova has remarkable strengths.
Training future decision-makers means investing in the future. Each student attending this masterclass may one day become the person who lists a Moldovan wine in a wine shop, a restaurant chain, a retail network or a wine list. Major market trends often begin in a classroom.
More than a tasting: a transmission mission
At Maison Tanase, we believe that promoting a wine origin is not only about selling bottles. It is also about sharing knowledge.
Explaining a country’s history. Presenting its grapes. Understanding its evolution. Sharing the realities of international trade. Creating dialogue. Asking questions. Encouraging reflection.
This is the approach behind every intervention.
After a first successful experience with wine-focused students, this INSEEC Bordeaux masterclass confirms the growing interest of French business schools in Moldovan wines and emerging wine markets.
We aim to continue this journey with other institutions, convinced that curiosity, international openness and knowledge of new wine origins will be key skills for future professionals.
A project supported by Buy Diaspora
This masterclass is part of the Buy Diaspora project, an initiative supported by Invest Moldova Agency, the Government of the Republic of Moldova and UNDP Moldova.
Its objective is to strengthen the presence of Moldovan products on international markets by leveraging the expertise of the Moldovan diaspora.
For Maison Tanase, this partnership supports a long-standing mission: bringing the best Moldovan wines and spirits to France while creating new commercial opportunities for producers.
A rigorous selection of Moldovan wines available in France
Moldova is not limited to a few producers. The country has dozens of estates and thousands of references.
At Maison Tanase, we made a different choice. We do not import everything. Our selection is deliberately strict.
Originally from Moldova, Victor Tanase and Julia Brad regularly return to their country to meet producers, taste new cuvées, and follow the evolution of the estates with which they maintain close and privileged relationships.
Each wine is chosen for its quality, identity, market potential and ability to represent the best of Moldovan viticulture.
Today, this selection is available to:
- private customers via our online shop and Bordeaux showroom (13 avenue de Labarde)
- professionals: wine shops, restaurants, hotels, wine bars and companies
- distributors and importers looking for differentiated wines
And what if it was your turn to discover Moldovan wines?
INSEEC students discovered a new wine origin. They tasted unfamiliar grape varieties. They thought like buyers, importers and marketers. They understood that a great wine is not only about quality: it tells a story, reflects a terroir and meets market expectations.
At Maison Tanase, we are convinced that Moldovan wines have a real place in France. Not because they are different, but because they respond to today’s expectations: authenticity, originality, quality and strong value for money.
So the real question is no longer:
“Do Moldovan wines belong on the French market?”
The real question is:
“Who will be the first to introduce them to their customers?”
Professionals: let’s bring Moldovan wines to your clients
Are you a wine shop, restaurant, wine bar, hotel or company?
Maison Tanase organises tastings, masterclasses and events around Moldovan wines directly in your venue.
Each session is fully tailored to your audience.
Beyond Moldovan wines, Maison Tanase also offers a wide selection of French wines, champagnes, cognacs and premium spirits from top terroirs.
One partner, a curated selection, a tailor-made approach.
Contact us: contact@maisontanase.com | +33 (0) 5 64 72 22 57
Discover our selection
Whether you are a wine enthusiast or a professional, Maison Tanase offers a curated selection of Moldovan wines available:
- via our online shop
- in our Bordeaux showroom (13 avenue de Labarde)
- in small or large volumes for professionals (contact@maisontanase.com & +33 (0) 5 64 72 22 57).
“Great wines are not only born from great terroirs.
They are also born from encounters, passionate people, and the desire to share them.”
FAQ
What is the best Moldovan wine?
There is no single best Moldovan wine.
Moldova offers a wide diversity of terroirs, grapes and producers.
At Maison Tanase, we select only the cuvées that best represent excellence, including estates such as Aurelius, Château Purcari and KVINT, regularly awarded internationally.
Where can I buy Moldovan wines in France?
Maison Tanase wines are available:
- via our online shop
- in our Bordeaux showroom
- for professionals via direct contact: contact@maisontanase.com & +33 (0) 5 64 72 22 57.
What are the main Moldovan grape varieties?
Moldova has several unique indigenous grapes, including:
The most emblematic include:
- Viorica (aromatic white grape)
- Rara Neagră (elegant red grape)
- Feteasca Regala and Feteasca Neagră
These grape varieties represent one of the great treasures of Moldovan wine heritage.
Are Moldovan wines internationally awarded?
Yes.
They regularly win awards at major competitions such as:
- Decanter World Wine Awards ;
- Concours Mondial de Bruxelles ;
- Mundus Vini ;
- Berliner Wine Trophy ;
- Challenge International du Vin.
These awards reflect the steady and continuous improvement in the quality of Moldovan wines.
Can professionals host a Moldovan wine tasting?
Absolutely.
Maison Tanase supports wine shops, restaurants, hotels, bars and companies with tailored tastings and masterclasses.
Each session is tailored to the audience, the objectives, and the participants’ level of knowledge.
Further reading
👉 Discover our selection of French and Moldovan wines
👉 About us
Special thanks to Domitille Thebaud (INSEEC MSc International Luxury, Wine & Spirits) and photographer Florin Tugui.
