Château Vartely Winery awarded as “The most original practice in wine tourism” at the International contest in Italy - ANTRIM - National Inbound and Domestic Tourism Association of Moldova

Château Vartely Winery awarded as "The most original practice in wine tourism" at the International Iter Vitis and Phoenicians Route Awards Ceremony

The Château Vartely Winery – which is part of the Wine Routes of Moldova, the first Moldovan route to be certified as European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe has been selected as a winner in the “Most original wine tourism” category at the International contest powered by ITER VITIS and Phoenician Route. The contest took place on October 23, at the Palazzo Pannitteri in Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy.

The award aims to support and reward projects and innovation for the enhancement of cultural and oenological heritage and the promotion of responsible, experiential, creative, and sustainable tourism.

“We are proud that Château Vartely is a member of our association. The fact that they use innovation in diversifying the wine tourism product was recognized and awarded at the international competition dedicated to wine tourism, is further proof of the high quality and diversity of local tourism offer. Being the most representative association in the incoming and domestic tourism industry, ANTRIM is also a partner of the wine industry – an important part of our tourism product” stated Natalia Țurcanu, Executive Director, National Inbound and Domestic Tourism Association of Moldova (ANTRIM).

The award for “The most original practice of wine tourism” was offered for the barrique video projection that takes place in the hall where the wine is matured in oak barrels. The unique light show tells the legend of winemaking, using the barrels as the screen. The show takes over the entire surface of the cellar and its spectators, making them a part of the legend.

”To keep up with the development of new technologies, together with the young artists from the Artcor: Oxana Capatina and Karen Grigorean, we launched for the first time an augmented reality projection that aims to reproduce, through special effects, the legend of winemaking. We thank ANTRIM for the opportunity to participate in a competition of such caliber, which successfully rewards the work of those involved in this project” was mentioned by Valeriu Mihăluță, General Manager, Château Vartely.

“Combining the latest innovations with wine legend and local traditions, the short video projection adds value to the wine tour and manages to capture the attention of visitors of all ages at our winery. Also, to be closer to our guests, in 2020 Château Vartely has opened a wine bar in the central area of the capital” mentioned Oleg Casian, Tourism Manager, Château Vartely.

The “Wine Routes of Moldova” route includes 7 unique wine and gastronomic itineraries, 30 visits to wineries, wine cellars, dozens of cultural-tourist events and numerous cultural, historical and gastronomic experiences and includes a total of 1,560 km of circuits in the three wine regions with Protected Geographical Indication, being marked with approx. 450 tourist road signs, promoted through catalogs, brochures and maps, but also by hundreds of appearances in specialized international publications, including “Lonely Planet”, one of the most prestigious editions in the world.

Within the ITER VITIS program, the National Inbound & Domestic Tourism Association of Moldova will initiate programs for the development of authentic wine experiences, new itineraries for foreign and local tourists and will promote these offers in the international press and exhibitions.

This activity was possible with the support of the Moldova Competitiveness Transition Activity for light and tourism industries (MCTA) funded by the USAID Project for Economic DEVELOPMENT, Governance and Business Growth in Europe and Eurasia (EDGE).