As everyone knows, I love my job. Almost every aspect of it is interesting, developing and rewarding. But I can’t deny that working with rural development in a wine producing country really adds to it. Last weekend, we did a day-trip to the south of Moldova, to the famous wine-growing region of Stefan Voda and Purcari, to visit a small grape producer. Over the past years, Moldova’s wine sector has faced a number of problems, especially related to various export bans, and we wanted to listen to this producer to better understand how the sector is doing at the moment. As always, I was very impressed by this farmers and his hard work to, despite many obstacles, pursue his business and even expand it. His main business was grape–growing (both wine and table grapes) but he was now setting up a small processing facility for wine production. Grape and wine production is relatively labour intensive compared with many other agricultural activities, so investments in the sector generate employment opportunities in rural areas.

It was a cold, winter day, and the snowy landscape was beautiful. It was wonderful to get out of the city and be out in the countryside for a while, even if it was off farm-season. And as most vineyard visit, this one ended with a glass of home-made wine and fresh-baked placinta (local pie). I am glad it was a Saturday, because while informative, these trips don’t really feel like work. But come to think of it, not much of it does.