Equinox Vineyard
Our vineyard during fall and winter.
Our first vineyard was planted in 2002 and produced our first vintage in 2004. This Cabernet Sauvignon was proudly released in 2006. Equinox focuses on crafting small quantities of high quality wines, and thus has poured its energy into developing its vineyards. The vines are located near the village of Olaneshti, a place which locals call Luchineasa and a region known for its excellent wines. Taking advantage of Olaneshti’s rich winemaking tradition, Equinox uses the facilities of neighboring wineries. Our vineyards sweep across 4 hectares and are cared for with great attention to detail, allowing for the production of exquisite wines.
Eighty-seven percent of our vineyards are planted with red wine grape varieties. The traditional red varietals of this region are Rara Neagra, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec. However, the
region also offers exceptional conditions for both Shiraz and Carménère, varietals which are new to Moldova. The most common white varietals are Chardonnay, Feteasca Alba and Feteasca Regala.
Equinox presently produces approximately 8000 bottles of fine wines per year. Our wines are served primarily in Chisinau’s best restaurants. In addition, we began exporting to Ukraine in 2009, where Equinox wines are distributed in their Hotel, Restaurant and Catering sector.
The quality of a wine originates in the vineyard, with winemaking techniques only meant to maintain this. In order to achieve a wine of remarkable quality, much work and care must be given to the vineyard. Equinox devotes great attention to canopy management, optimizing the yield of each vine and optimizing the vigor of the vines, among other things. We also are experimenting with organic horticultural practices. We are in transition to get certified and produce only organic wines.
What makes Equinox wines stand out is the location of our vineyard, which is perfect for growing the best quality grapes. The vineyard’s layout ensures synergy and harmonious coexistence with the
surrounding nature, which results in wines reflecting the unique character of this land. We planted our vines more densely in order to obtain a greater canopy surface per hectare and to intercept more sunlight per hectare. This optimizes the ripening of the grapes and allows the berries to accumulate not only more sugar, but also more flavor and taste. The development of the vines is closely observed throughout the growing season, and decisions as to the work done in the vineyard are modified accordingly in order to have balanced vines that produce the best grapes and best wines.
