On the website of the company “Moldavian Standard” about the name of this cognac, it is said that the blending masters, choosing a name for a new drink, wanted to remind everyone of a happy time in life, a particularly successful year, a period when success was achieved. The color scheme in the design of the five-star divin (vintage cognac) corresponds to the name: a golden label with an ornate letter “Z”, a golden cork and a rich golden-amber color of the drink in a narrow bottle with an elongated neck look harmonious and stylish.
Historical reference. The Moldovan-French enterprise was founded in 1996 in the south of Moldova in Tvarditsa. Near a small town there were vineyards with a total area of 4,5 thousand hectares, this was the reason for choosing the area. The plant was built from scratch, the French company Distillerie Tessendier & Fils, whose cognac master is Jerome Tessendier, took direct part in the development of the project, and today it provides consulting services to the enterprise.
All equipment was brought from France. Immediately after installation, it was ready to work, without the usual process and trial period in such cases. The first wine materials were also French, despite the rich selection of Moldovan cognac grape varieties. The volume of investments in the Moldovan-French enterprise amounted to $18 million.
Cognacs “Moldavian Standard” are supplied to Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Kazakhstan, Israel, Canada, Australia and the United States. Initially, the plant’s products were export-oriented, they appeared on the domestic market only in 2012 and not all of them – only the Moldavian Standard divins, Grand moldaviens and Legenda Moldovei. The award that the company is proud of is the gold medal of the Proven Quality project of the Russian magazine Alcoholic Drinks. She went to Legenda Moldovei cognac, which is popular in Russia.
Production features
The company operates on a full cycle: it grows grapes, the seedlings of which were imported from France in 1998, produces distillates, ages spirits in oak barrels, cold-processes ready-made drinks using German equipment, and pours them into Italian-made lines. Since 2012, the quality of products has been controlled using a Japanese gas-liquid chromatograph, Moldavian Standard is the only enterprise in Moldova with such an instrument.
The spirits in the cellars are tested monthly, as different varieties and different yields develop in their own way, the development potential is determined by a special tasting commission.
The uniqueness of drinks and the company itself is in the international approach: in the combination of Moldovan and French spirits, in the constant control over the production of the Jerome Tessendie team. In addition to him, “Moldavian Standard” cooperates with the Italian professor Marino Demonti, who is the initiator of the production of grappa (Italian grape vodka) in Moldova.
Interesting facts and figures
In 1998, French grape seedlings were planted near Tvarditsa, in 2005 the vineyard area tripled, in 2010 the total area was already 500 hectares, and today it is 800 hectares, of which 300 are new plantings.
In addition to the “Golden Year”, the company produces 9 more cognacs, four types of grappa and three types of brandy.
There are more than a thousand five-hundred-liter oak barrels with spirits in the plant’s vaults. In general, the stock of spirits is 6 million liters.
Tasting features of the “Golden Year”
Cognac spirits are obtained from the grape varieties “Rkatsiteli”, “Aligote”, “Chardonnay”, “Riesling”, “Sauvignon”, “Fetyaske”. Their endurance is from three to seven years.
This is a cognac of deep golden-amber color, with a spicy aroma, in which you can hear notes of flowering grapes and astringency of autumn chrysanthemums. Harmonious taste with hints of oak and chocolate, aftertaste of medium duration with hints of smoked prunes.
The traditional strength is 40%, the recommended serving temperature is 21 ° C. Moldovan bartenders recommend cognac as a digestif, you can serve it with slices of sweet Golden apples.
