For years after Moldova won independence, its vineyards continued as they had for decades, churning out the sweet, syrupy wine beloved by Russian drinkers and sending it east.
Then came Russia’s wine embargo, inflicted by Moscow to punish the former Soviet republic for its increasing ties with Europe.
Facing ruin and saddled with wine that repulsed European palates, Moldovan vintners swiftly changed course, returning to the traditional dry varieties they had produced before they were swallowed up by the Soviet Union. “Now our wine wins awards all over the world,” says Olga Rosca, foreign affairs adviser to Moldova’s President Sandu. “Maybe Putin is the best thing that happened to it.”
Moldova’s efforts to disentangle itself from Russian influence and domination have not always gone so
Source link : https://www.thetimes.com/world/russia-ukraine-war/article/russia-accused-of-dirty-tricks-to-dash-moldovas-eu-membership-hopes-bwvp60028
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Publish date : 2024-10-11 16:00:00
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