An overnight at a family winery

Towards the end of our tour of Moldova, we spent a night at Et Cetera Family Winery, where accommodation, wine tasting and vineyard views combined.

The winery was founded in 2002 by husband-and-wife team Alexandru and Olga Luchianov. What began as a small family venture has gradually evolved into a thriving wine estate with a recently expanded 90-seat restaurant, guest accommodation, extensive landscaped grounds and an inviting outdoor swimming pool. It has naturally become a popular venue for celebrations and events and as we left, preparations were underway for a large birthday party and wedding.

The Accommodation
Guests stay in either the Aero Hotel or the Wine Hotel, where rooms are named after grape varieties rather than being numbered. We stayed in Fetească Neagră, one of Moldova’s most important indigenous red grapes, in the eight-room Wine Hotel.

Our ground-floor room was comfortably furnished with a double bed, complete with a single duvet and two pillows each. Bedside tables, reading lights and conveniently placed charging points were provided, along with an armchair and a blue-painted bureau which had little use. Storage was limited, and as there was nowhere to open suitcases, we used a chair and the floor.

Facilities included a television, slippers, two complimentary bottles of water and reliable free Wi-Fi. There was no fridge, and despite several attempts, we couldn’t persuade the air conditioning to cool the room below 25°C.

The spacious bathroom featured a walk-in shower with excellent water pressure and plenty of hot water. Complimentary toiletries included Et Cetera-branded soap, shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. The basin sat atop a repurposed Singer sewing machine, adding character, while a conveniently positioned mirror and power socket made using the hairdryer straightforward.

The Breakfast
Breakfast, served from 8.30am, was presented buffet-style along the restaurant bar. While the selection was reasonable, the presentation was a little disorganised, with no labels or explanations of what was available. Items included granola, a runny yoghurt served in a jug, slice pork and salads including hummus and bread. Cottage cheese-filled crepes appeared later during service. Having seen eggs being served to an adjacent table, I ordered an omelette, and was told it would take around 20 minutes, and despite the restaurant being quiet, it took that long. The result was attractively presented, though I would happily have traded style for speed. On the positive side, the Americano coffee served with hot milk was excellent.

The Winery and Tasting
Olga personally guided us around the winery. Unlike the wineries we’d visited which make use of naturally cool underground limestone cellars, Et Cetera stores its wines in a temperature-controlled above-ground facility. From 23 hectares of vineyards, the estate produces approximately 100,000 bottles annually, much of which is consumed through its own restaurant and hospitality business.

The tasting took place in the recently expanded restaurant, where we sampled three wines, all poured generously and accompanied by bottled water:

 Apollonia – a dry Chardonnay named after the couple’s daughter
 Rosé – made from Fetească Neagră grapes and fermented in stainless-steel tanks
 Carménère – a smooth red wine made from the distinctive Bordeaux variety that has become increasingly popular in Moldova.

To accompany the wines, Olga served Plăcintă Miresei (Bride’s Plăcintă), a special oversized and intricately layered pastry traditionally served at Moldovan weddings.

We asked about the winery’s unusual name. The official explanation is that Et Cetera symbolises an endless journey of discovery, where there is always more to learn. Olga, however, shared a more amusing version. During a wine-fuelled brainstorming session with friends, Alexandru filled a flip chart with potential winery names. As ideas began to dry up late in the evening, someone simply wrote ‘etc.’ The following morning, while reviewing the suggestions, Alexandru realised that Et Cetera was his favourite.

The winery’s labels were among the most distinctive we encountered in Moldova. The Apollonia label is split into three separate sections, while the Carménère sports a deliberately minimalist white design. Particularly memorable was the Naughty Boys range, featuring a stylised profile of Alexandru aimed at giving the wines a youthful, mischievous personality. They also produce wines under its Aeroplane label, a nod to Alexandru’s passion for aviation as the estate even boasts its own small airstrip.

One of the delights of this winery, was that unlike many of Moldova’s larger wineries, the estate is surrounded by the vineyards that produce its wines. Looking out across the vines while enjoying a glass of chilled wine created a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere.

During our tour of Moldova, we toured and tasted at several wineries which I have also reviewed:

ASCONI Winery – https://asconiwinery.com
Mileștii Mici Winery – https://www.milestii-mici.md/ro
Cricova – https://cricova.md/ro
Kari Garni – https://www.karagani.md/
Château Purcari – https://www.chateau-purcari.com
Castel MIMI – https://castelmimi.md
We also visited the Barza Albă Distillery – https://barzaalba.md/en