The contest was sponsored by the OIV, and featured nearly five hundred samples of wines and spirits from around fifteen different countries.
During his stay, Jean-Marie Aurand met with the Moldovan Minister for Agriculture and the Food Industry, Eduard Grama.
The latter expressed his desire to strengthen ties between his country and the OIV, while Moldova has committed to a major modernisation programme for the vitivinicultural sector. The Minister reported on the investments that had been made in vinification equipment, as well as in vineyards, with the aim of improving wine quality; he was also pleased to report the positive results obtained in exports as a result of a highly dynamic promotion strategy for Moldovan wines, led with the involvement of the Office of Wines, as well as the diversification of market outlets.
Moldova produces an average of 1.5 million hectolitres of wine per year, of which 80% is exported.
The Director General was pleased with the positive collaboration that exists between the OIV and Moldova, which was demonstrated last year when the Director of the Office of Wines was elected to the presidency of an expert group, and reiterated his commitment to an even more active participation of Moldovan expertise within the Organisation’s scientific bodies.