Winetours Moldova provides interviews about interesting people, working in hospitality and wine tourism in Moldova. Finds out their story, their thoughts about wine, guests they meet and challenges they face.

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This week our guest of The Friday VINterview is Vlad Tcaci, tehcnologist in divin at the Wine and Divin Factory "Barza Albă".

           Barza-Alba-Excursii        Barza-Alba-colectie

Since when are you working in wine tourism?
I work in this field about 10 years.

When and how did you get to work at the factory Barza Albă?
I think I inherited from my father,he was one of the leading technologists at this winery. I am working here, at "Barza Albă" since I was 19 years old.

Please make a brief presentation of the company Barza Albă?
"Barza Albă" is famous for its high quality products. It produces a wide range of strong drinks, from "brandy" to the oldest and most distinguished "divin" in Moldova, the 50 years old divin "Prezident". THe company released the first vintage "divin" "Bucuria" in 1963. Also the company first released a matured "divin", it was back in 1963 and it was the divin "Bucuria".

What special qualities have your products and why consumers choose Barza Albă?
Basically, there are high quality products with perfect taste, with flavors of oak, dried fruits, spices, long aftertaste and of course, the design of the bottles.
 
Please describe the guest experience at  Barza Albă.
After a visit to our company, people remain with only positive emotions, many discover something new, fall in love with this noble beverage, find or choose a particular brand or taste. Just here they learn to properly understand, to taste and consume properly this exceptional product.
 
What’s the oldest bottle in the collection of the winery?
We have a small "Gold Reserve", as we call it. It has distillates from 1953, 1956, 1964 and 1967.
 
What is the most awarded product produced by Barza Albă? Is it still available for tasting?
Almost all our brands hold numerous medals and distinctions. It should be noted that the divin "Codru", launched in 1974, won a huge amount of gold and other valuable awards. It is available for tastings, as well in stores.

  Barza-Alba-divin      Barza-Alba-colection

Are there any places at the winery, where only very special guests have access?
No, there are no such places. We do not make exceptions and limitations to our guests.  All our visitors are treated equally and they get the same hospitable experience.

What remarkable personalities visited Barza Albă? And from which most distant and exotic countries you received guests?
Our company was visited by numerous prominent artists and politicians, including the President, ambassadors and consuls from various countries. Being a major attraction in Balti city, almost every official delegation visiting the northern capital of the country, has on agenda a visit to the Barza Albă. Here we welcomed guests from all over Europe and China, Korea and Canada, certainly the most numerous are from the CIS countries.

What fascinates you in your work at the company Barza Albă?
I consider myself an expert in this area and I am delighted to communicate with people, to relate about my knowledge, about feelings and moments that I live in the process of creating a product.

Have you had guests with exceptional requests? Or maybe you had a curious situation, which you can share with us?
Once I had a delegation of Orthodox clergy, most of which were from Georgia. The guests were curious enough! In gratitude, they sang in Georgian a sort of  "Happy Birthday" song. It sounded very beautiful. In the guest book of the company they have left positive reviews and drawings with the insignia of monasteries and churches they represented. It was impressive and a memory for a long time.

Do you prepare new offers or services for next season or some surprises for your guests in the near future?
Divine is a product that does not support substantial changes. In the future, we want to offer our customers a special tasting experience, comparable with international master-classes, we will prepare a serie of trainings with awarding certificates or diplomas of completion of tasting courses.

 Barza-Alba-divin      Barza-Alba-degustare-divin

Do you recall, when you tasted wine first and what was it?
Frankly, it has happened when I was a kid, I was 15-16 years old, I "borrowed" from my father a 3-liter jug from the ​​wine cellar, and together with my friends we tasted that fine wine. Of course I remember this feat very well, because it followed a severe punishment.

If you had to pick one red and one white wine, what would you choose?
Of course I would choose a Riesling or Merlot, however, given the profile of our products, I remain faithful to the divin. For a party I would choose a 7 years old divin - "Balti" and for private tasting I would choose the 40 years old divin XXO "Dragos-Voievod".

Do you have a passion for something, a hobby, except the wine tourism, of course? 
Yes, I love to knit, especially gloves, grandmother taught me ... Just kidding! I like skiing, cycling alone, I do alone my homemade wine, everything I do I do with passion. I love my family and my profession, they are my main passions!

Winetours Moldova thanks you for your time and wish luck to the entire team from Divin Factory Barza Albă!

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