I was lucky enough to have a high-school history teacher—only one mind you—who not only taught his subject very well but also had the good sense to insist that students purchase a historical atlas of Europe. Just flipping through the pages from antiquity to the present, one could readily see how some geopolitical entities—kingdoms, principalities and the like—seemed to bounce around like well-launched pinballs in a pinball machine. The Republic of Moldova is one of those countries, having been a part of other political entities at different times. Suffice it to say, that today the country is independent. Moldova, as my title suggests, is a wine-producing country and, as our readers will already know, an old one at that!
I had the good fortune of attending the Wine of Moldova event that was held at Tokyo’s Meiji Kinenkan, which bills itself as a “19th-century event space with gardens,” as per Google Maps. The numerous pictures that I will include over the next few weeks should give our readers a good idea of what an impressive venue this is.
I will focus on two examples of their wines, one a blend using international varietals and the other employing an indigenous grape. These entries will comprise Parts 2 and 3 of the series. The final entry will focus on an apple brandy.
Drinking Japan 