Combinatul de Vinuri „Cricova” — Attraction in Cricova

We visited the Cricova winery, with tour and at the end, we tasted 3 types. The place is amazing, there are 120 km of underground streets. You can reach Chisinau, also from one exit. The place looks good, it is impressive to see that many botles of wine, learn how it is made, etc. I will like to point out the CONS: Every tour should start also with a small tour outside, through the grapes site, to see from where it starts

Going back to the inside, i would see that those small trains used for travelling, are going too fast. The drivers are crazy! And they drive with the lights off, in those semi-dark tunnels!! When i asked why they do not turn the lights on, they said that to not blind the other crazy fast-driving driver that comes from the other side.

At the cinema, we asked for the movie to be in romanian, but there were also some russian speaking with us. I asked for subtitle, they asked me what language: i answered russian or english and they responded almost aggresive, that they cannot add subtitles during the play. If that is so, maybe cricova should upgrade something on this part. It is absurd! The foreigners had to wait the entire movie, without understanding something, because of lack of hardware or the lady was too confortable to do it.

The tasting part: after we had to wait to have some glasses chainged because of dirt (although the room was ''prepared'' for us), we only tasted 3 types: white, red and lacrima dulce. It's pitty that only 3, when they say that they make so many types of drinks.

Regarding the big package with food, it's just food, served into one room. Unbeliavable expensive food. Nothing fancy at all, just the price i do not recommend.

At the underground store they have, i wanted to buy they same type of lacrima dulce, and they said they have only 2 botles which were already sold. I asked them for a botle..since it is the factory,they made it there, and because of birocracy, they said they can't provide.

Bottom line: Cricova is an impressive place, but unfortunately the employees are not treated/payed well, because they really seem not to care. I guess the Cricova management has this bad attitude because they have lots of visitors, and they think it is ok to...

To truly understand my experience with Cricova, you need to hear the full story.

We arrived just 6 minutes late for our scheduled tour due to Moldova’s unpredictable traffic. To make up for it, we tried calling Cricova multiple times, hoping they might wait just a couple of minutes for us. Unfortunately, no one answered the phone, and instead, we were told to come back four hours later—despite the fact that we could literally see the tour group leaving right in front of us.

So, we returned four hours later… only for our rescheduled tour to start 10 minutes late. Ironically, this was the same flexibility they refused to extend to us.

Our tour guide (I believe her name was Christine) was, frankly, disappointing. She came across as annoyed and unwelcoming, treating us more like a source of profit than guests. Her delivery felt scattered, unrehearsed, and at times even disrespectful to Moldovan culture.

The tour itself was equally disorganized. Groups were mixed together in a confusing way, there was little structure, and instead of engaging storytelling or unique insights, we were shown a cheap, uninspiring video that was presented as a “movie.” The experience felt rushed, impersonal, and profit-driven from start to finish. Even in the gift shop, we were hurried along rather than encouraged to browse. To top it off, they charged 150 MDL just to rent a blanket—another sign that the focus here is more on extracting money than creating a welcoming experience.

My overall impression: Cricova seems to prioritize profit over genuine hospitality or cultural appreciation. If you’re looking for an authentic, welcoming winery experience in Moldova, I would strongly recommend Milestii Mici or Castel Mimi instead—both were far superior and left us with truly memorable...

​Cricova is a renowned winery in Moldova, famous for its massive underground cellars and a vast collection of wines. Here's a breakdown of what makes it so special Cricova is located in the town of the same name, about 15 kilometers north of the capital city, Chișinău. ​The winery's most distinctive feature is its "underground city" of wine cellars. These are former limestone mines that have been converted into an extensive network of tunnels, stretching for an estimated 120 kilometers (75 miles), with about 80 kilometers used for wine storage and maturation. ​The tunnels are so large that visitors can drive through them, and the "streets" are even named after different grape varieties like Cabernet, Feteasca, and Sauvignon. ​The constant temperature of 10-12°C (50-54°F) and high humidity (97-98%) in the cellars provide ideal conditions for aging wine. Cricova is a major producer of a wide range of wines, including red, white, and rosé. ​They are particularly known for being the first winery in Moldova to produce sparkling wine using the traditional French method (Méthode Traditionnelle), which involves a second fermentation in the bottle. ​The winery produces wines from both local Moldovan grape varieties like Fetească Neagră, Fetească Regală, and Viorica, as well as classic international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Grigio. ​Some of their notable products include Amplius, Cuvée Prestige, and Rose de Cricova. Cricova offers various tours that allow visitors to explore the underground city, learn about the winemaking process, and, of course, enjoy wine tastings. ​Some tours even include meals served in beautifully decorated tasting rooms within...