Asconi is the largest independent wine producer in Moldova with a number of well-established brands, such as Vitis Hincesti - which had 6 of its brands named on the list compiled by the Moldovan Wine Agency released this week. Asconi operates ten wineries within 40 miles of the Moldovan capital Chisinau.
Moldova has built on viticulture better than most countries in the Soviet block. It is the same latitude as the Burgundy region of France with a climate tempered by the Black Sea and calcium-rich soils.
However, the country is dependent on Russia, which buys 80 per cent of all Moldovan wine. And, according to the Dionis Club magazine, Asconi is the most recognised Moldovan brand in Russia. It accounts for about 10 per cent of Moldovan wine sold in the country.
Moldova's share of the total Russian wine market was 70 per cent in 2000, but in 2003 fell to 63 per cent, and is now more like 50 per cent. According to Pavel Shapkin, chairman of Russia's National Alcohol Association, Russian consumers who wish to buy better bottles of wine assume they must look to other countries of origin.
"Moldovan wines have a reputation as being popular with low-income consumers, who pay around RUR70-80 ($2.30 -2.60) for a bottle but have no hope of paying any more," he explained. "For a producer from Moldova to sell his wine at, say, RUR200 a bottle, the same as a bottle of Spanish wine would require a huge improvement in quality".
Alarmed at this trend, the government of the Republic of Moldova last year announced it was to create a fund to subsidise new vineyard plantations as an attempt to protect the country's share of the Russian market against European and New World producers. Asconi expect to be awarded $680,000 from this for the 925 acres of vineyards that it planted earlier in 2003.