Try to link up all the wine bars on a walk through Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, and you might find yourself in need of a glass of pickle juice. (That’s the local hangover cure.)

While many western wine drinkers are unfamiliar with Moldovan vintages, the tiny Eastern European country is a heavy hitter, and wine has been made here for at least 5,000 years. Using a blend of Caucasian, European and local grapes, Moldovan vintners bottle everything from dry, velvety reds to dessert-friendly ice wines.

Attend the festivities for National Wine Day to try a little bit of everything with an enthusiastic crowd of locals.

Why go: Learn to say “noroc!” — that’s cheers — over a glass of Moldovan wine.

International tourist arrivals in 2017: 145,000

Read about a record-setting, underground wine labyrinth in Moldova that houses Putin’s personal bottles.