There is something special about Moldova in early October.
The grape harvest is coming to an end, the vineyards are beginning to take on their autumn colors, and in Chișinău the center of the city prepares for one of the most anticipated celebrations of the year: National Wine Day.
In 2026, Moldova will celebrate the 25th edition of National Wine Day, bringing wine producers, local visitors and travelers together for two days of tastings, music, gastronomy, cultural experiences and stories about one of the country’s oldest traditions.
The celebration will take place on October 3–4, 2026, in the heart of Chișinău, with the main events centered around Great National Assembly Square and extending along Ștefan cel Mare și Sfânt Boulevard.
For anyone visiting Moldova at this time of year, it is more than a festival. It is a chance to see how wine fits into everyday life, tradition and hospitality in this part of Europe.
25 Years of National Wine Day
The 2026 edition is a particularly important one. It marks 25 years since the first National Wine Day celebration.
Over the years, the event has grown into one of Moldova’s best-known annual celebrations and an important part of the country’s wine tourism calendar.
For local winemakers, it is a chance to present their wines directly to the public. For Moldovan visitors, it is a weekend of celebration. And for international travelers, it offers a first taste — quite literally — of Moldova’s wine culture.
The main celebration will take place in central Chișinău, making it easy to combine the festival with a walk through the city, visits to local landmarks and an evening discovering Moldovan restaurants and cafés.
Where Will National Wine Day 2026 Take Place?
The main event will be held in:
Great National Assembly Square (Piața Marii Adunări Naționale)
Chișinău, Republic of Moldova
The celebration will also extend along Ștefan cel Mare și Sfânt Boulevard, creating a larger festival area in the center of the capital.
For visitors staying in Chișinău, the location is particularly convenient. The square is within walking distance of many of the city’s central attractions, so you can easily combine National Wine Day with sightseeing.
A morning spent exploring Chișinău can naturally lead into an afternoon of wine tasting and an evening surrounded by the atmosphere of the festival.
When Is National Wine Day 2026?
National Wine Day will take place over two days:
Saturday, October 3, 2026
Sunday, October 4, 2026
The organizers are preparing a program that combines wine, gastronomy, education and entertainment.
The full general agenda for 2026 has not yet been published, so some activities and performance details may still be added or updated closer to the event.
However, several elements of the program have already been announced, including the Wine School and the Taster’s Book experience.
The Wine School: Where Tasting Becomes a Lesson
If you want to understand what is in your glass rather than simply taste it, the Wine School is one of the activities to look out for.
The program offers guided tastings focused on different categories of Moldovan wines and gives visitors an opportunity to learn more about the country’s wine traditions.
The Wine School will operate on both October 3 and October 4.
October 3
14:00–14:45
A tasting dedicated to sparkling wines with Protected Geographical Indication.
15:15–16:00
A tasting of wines made from indigenous grape varieties, including new single-variety wines and blends combining local and international varieties.
16:30–17:15
A tasting dedicated to historic indigenous grape varieties.
17:45–18:30
“Divine Inspiration” – a tasting dedicated to DIVIN, Moldova’s protected geographical indication wine distillate.
October 4
The same schedule is currently planned for the second day:
14:00–14:45 – sparkling wines with Protected Geographical Indication
15:15–16:00 – indigenous varieties and selected blends
16:30–17:15 – historic indigenous grape varieties
17:45–18:30 – DIVIN tasting
For someone discovering Moldovan wine for the first time, these sessions offer something different from simply moving from one tasting stand to another. They provide context — the stories, varieties and traditions behind the wines.
The Taster’s Book: How Does It Work?
Visitors who want to explore a wider selection of wines can take part in the Taster’s Book experience.
The Taster’s Book includes:
- a 100% recyclable Tritan tasting glass;
- 10 wine tastings, valid throughout both days of National Wine Day;
- 2 additional tastings after completing the event feedback form.
The system gives visitors the freedom to spread their tastings across the two-day celebration.
You might taste a few wines on Saturday, return on Sunday, and continue exploring different producers and styles.
As with any wine event, responsible consumption is encouraged. If you are planning to take part in several tastings, make sure you have safe transportation arranged.
Do You Need a Ticket to Attend?
There is an important difference between visiting the festival and taking part in the organized wine tastings.
The official National Wine Day website currently offers the Taster’s Book through UNDE.IO and iTicket.md. The package is intended for visitors who want to participate in the wine tasting experience during the celebration.
The organizers have not yet published all final access rules for the 2026 edition. For that reason, travelers should check the official National Wine Day website before the event for the latest information.
The same applies to individual wineries participating in National Wine Day. Special winery events may have their own tickets, prices, schedules or advance reservation requirements.
Who Can Attend National Wine Day?
National Wine Day is designed for a broad audience.
You will find local residents, wine enthusiasts, families, international visitors, travelers curious about Moldova and people who simply want to spend an autumn weekend in the center of Chișinău.
Wine tastings and alcohol consumption are, naturally, intended for adults of legal drinking age.
Families can also visit the festival, although parents and guardians should check the specific age requirements for individual activities and winery events.
The central location also makes the celebration easy to combine with other activities in Chișinău.
What Can Visitors Expect at the Festival?
National Wine Day is not simply a collection of wine tasting stands.
The idea behind the celebration is to bring together several elements of Moldovan life: wine, food, music, traditions and people.
Visitors can expect to encounter:
- 🍷 Moldovan wine producers;
- 🥂 wine tastings;
- 🎓 educational wine sessions;
- 🎶 cultural and entertainment activities;
- 🍽️ local food and gastronomy;
- 📸 festive spaces and photo opportunities;
- 🍇 experiences connected with Moldova’s wine traditions;
- 🛍️ opportunities to discover and purchase Moldovan wines.
The exact artistic and entertainment schedule for 2026 is still to be announced.
That means the atmosphere of the festival will become clearer as the event approaches, and visitors should check the official program for the latest additions.
Wine, Food and the Moldovan Table
There is another important part of National Wine Day that should not be overlooked: food.
In Moldova, wine has traditionally been associated with the table. It appears at family celebrations, weddings, village gatherings and long meals shared with friends.
At a wine celebration, therefore, tasting the wine is only part of the experience.
Traditional Moldovan dishes, local cheeses, meat dishes, mămăligă, sarmale and plăcinte can all become part of the wider culinary experience.
For visitors from abroad, this is often where the country becomes easier to understand. Wine tells one story; food, conversation and hospitality tell the rest.
National Wine Day Does Not Stop in Chișinău
One of the most interesting things about visiting Moldova during National Wine Day is that the celebration extends beyond the capital.
Wineries around the country organize their own events during the same period. Depending on the winery and the final 2026 program, these can include guided cellar visits, tastings, traditional food, live music, workshops and cultural activities.
The official National Wine Day website includes a dedicated Wine Tours section, where winery programs for 2026 are being added as they become available.
For travelers, this opens up an interesting possibility: spend part of the weekend in Chișinău and part of it in the countryside, where the wine is actually produced.
Which Wineries Can You Visit?
Moldova’s wineries are very different from one another, and that is part of their appeal.
Cricova
Just outside Chișinău, Cricova is famous for its enormous underground galleries.
The tunnels form a subterranean wine city, with streets and avenues named throughout the underground network. For first-time visitors to Moldova, it is one of the country’s most distinctive wine experiences.
Mileștii Mici
Mileștii Mici is another legendary name in Moldovan wine tourism.
Its extensive underground galleries and large wine collection have made the winery famous far beyond Moldova. A visit offers an unusual glimpse into the underground world where wine is stored and aged.
Château MIMI
Château MIMI offers a different atmosphere, combining winemaking with architecture, gastronomy and contemporary tourism.
The estate has become a destination in its own right, particularly for visitors looking for a more complete wine and culinary experience.
Château Vartely
Located near Orhei, Château Vartely combines wine tourism with gastronomy and hospitality.
Its location also makes it possible to include a winery visit in a broader trip around the Orhei region.
Purcari
Further south-east, Purcari is one of Moldova’s best-known wine destinations.
Its long winemaking history and location in one of Moldova’s important wine-growing areas make it another memorable stop for wine travelers.
Each winery offers a different perspective. Some are about underground cellars, others about architecture, vineyards, gastronomy or history.
Together, they show why Moldova has become increasingly interesting for travelers looking beyond Europe’s traditional wine destinations.
How to Turn National Wine Day into a Wine Weekend
You could spend two days entirely in Chișinău.
But there is another way to experience the weekend.
Imagine arriving in Moldova on Friday evening and spending Saturday morning walking through the capital.
By the afternoon, you are in Great National Assembly Square, tasting Moldovan wines, listening to music, trying local food and discovering the atmosphere of the 25th anniversary celebration.
On Sunday, instead of staying in the city, you head into the countryside.
A winery tour takes you underground or into the vineyards. You hear how the wine is made, taste several wines where they were produced and sit down for a traditional meal.
Along the way, the itinerary can include monasteries, historic places, traditional villages or other cultural attractions.
Suddenly, National Wine Day is no longer just a festival visit. It has become a weekend spent discovering Moldova.
Why October Is a Special Time to Visit Moldova
There is a simple reason why National Wine Day feels particularly appropriate in October.
This is the season when Moldova’s vineyards are changing color and the grape harvest is coming to an end.
The countryside becomes quieter, the days are cooler, and the landscape takes on shades of gold, green and red.
For travelers, October offers comfortable conditions for exploring the countryside and combining several experiences in one trip.
A wine tour can become a day of discovering rural Moldova. A visit to a winery can be combined with a monastery or historical site. A traditional lunch can become part of the journey rather than simply a meal.
And after a day outside the capital, you can return to Chișinău and experience the festival itself.
A Different Way to Discover Moldova
For many international travelers, Moldova is still an unfamiliar destination.
That is precisely what makes a trip here interesting.
There are no endless crowds around the country’s wineries. Instead, visitors encounter small villages, family traditions, historic cellars, local food and people who are proud to tell the story of their country.
National Wine Day brings many of these elements together in one place.
It offers a first introduction to Moldova — but the wineries, countryside and traditions beyond Chișinău are where the story continues.
Discover Moldova Through Wine with Voyages Moldavie
National Wine Day is only the beginning.
If you are coming to Moldova for the celebration, why stop at the festival?
Go beyond Chișinău and discover the places where Moldova’s wine is made.
Walk through underground cellars, explore vineyards, meet local producers, taste Moldovan wines, enjoy traditional food and discover the landscapes and cultural heritage surrounding the country’s wineries.
At Voyages Moldavie, we create wine tours that bring together wine, history, culture, gastronomy and authentic local experiences.
Whether you want to visit Cricova, Mileștii Mici, Château MIMI, Château Vartely or Purcari, or combine a winery visit with monasteries, historical landmarks and other Moldovan attractions, we can help you build your journey around the experiences that interest you most.
https://voyages-moldavie.com/tours/chisinau-chateau-vartely-and-old-orhei-reserve-day-tour/
https://voyages-moldavie.com/tours/chisinau-city-tour-and-cricova-winery/
https://voyages-moldavie.com/tours/chisinau-cojusna-winery-tour/
https://voyages-moldavie.com/tours/excursion-to-castel-mimi-milestii-mici/
https://voyages-moldavie.com/tours/moldovan-wine-tour/
Come for the wine. Stay for the stories. Discover Moldova with Voyages Moldavie.
National Wine Day 2026 at a Glance
Event: National Wine Day of Moldova
Edition: 25th anniversary
Dates: October 3–4, 2026
Main location: Great National Assembly Square, Chișinău
Additional festival area: Ștefan cel Mare și Sfânt Boulevard
Wine School: October 3–4
Taster’s Book: 10 tastings + 2 additional tastings after completing the feedback form
Full general agenda: To be announced by the organizers
Event details, schedules, access conditions and winery programs may be updated by the organizers. Travelers are advised to check the official National Wine Day website for the latest information before visiting.