My first encounter with Mimi was during my initial visit to Chișinău, where I was seduced by the enchanting rosé that left me sighing for more. I wanted to take it back to my homeland, only to discover it wasn’t easily found in wine shops. However, fate had a different plan when I returned to Moldova shortly after, landing me right in the vineyards where the rosé I had fallen in love with was produced. On a scorching day, a visit to the Château couldn’t have been a better idea. As we began to uncover its stories, the visit transformed like old wine: from ‘pleasant’ to ‘even more delightful,’ culminating in a feast straight out of a fairy tale. But first, let’s start with another story—the story of Constantin Mimi.
CONSTANTIN MIMI: HERITAGE, PASSION, AND THE SCIENCE OF WINEMAKING
The last Governor of Bessarabia, Constantin Mimi, initially prepared for a career in law, but Bacchus ignited a deep and enduring passion for viticulture that he began cultivating in 1893 on the estate he inherited from his Greek parents. Not content with just this, he traveled to Montpellier, France, to learn the methodologies of viticulture and the French techniques of winemaking. Armed with knowledge, he returned to the heart of his vineyard in Bulboaca, applying everything he had learned—not just there, but throughout Moldova whenever he had the chance.
In 1901, Constantin Mimi began constructing the Château that stands today in Bulboaca. Over the course of 115 years, the estate has witnessed many historical twists, yet Mimi's love for viticulture has remained steadfast. Moldova owes him the introduction of the Aligoté grape variety, a highly productive and resilient cultivar he brought from France. Perhaps more importantly, thanks to Mimi, Moldova still produces wine today. When the Russian Empire once decreed the destruction of all vineyards, it seemed the fate of winemaking was sealed.
However, destiny had other plans. At a wine competition organized by the Russians, the wines produced by Mimi emerged victorious, proving that history was meant to defy domination. This marked just the beginning of Mimi's journey, as he would continue to gain global recognition—winning a gold medal in 1911 at a competition in Turin, where wines from across Europe competed.
THE WINES OF MIMI TODAY: A LEGACY CONTINUES
With his passion, a successful career followed. Mimi eventually became the Governor of Bessarabia before relocating to Bucharest as the Director of the Romanian National Bank. However, his most significant legacy remains the Château in Bulboaca, along with the science of viticulture and winemaking profoundly influenced by his studies in France.
Today, Mimi's story continues through an ambitious project aimed at preserving the innovative spirit of the Governor while transforming the Château into a spectacular wine resort. This resort will offer accommodation, high-level gastronomy, a wine spa, and an impressive event space, all alongside an exploration of Mimi's cellar, which still houses wines from 1933!
Since 2010, the winery has undergone a substantial modernization process, and restoration of the Château began in 2011. A significant part of it was still under renovation when we arrived, yet that didn’t deter Cristina Frolov, the director of Casa Mimi and a representative of the family that currently owns the Château, from warmly welcoming us and personally guiding us through the captivating history of the estate.
Her storytelling was so enchanting that we found it hard to leave. The Château felt like a place that resonated with me. The wine, even more so. As for the charming and idyllic room prepared for our tasting, it instantly nourished my writer’s soul with countless possible stories. Ultimately, however, nobility obliges, and I had to part from the Château to be a princess among lavender fields—though not before gracefully collecting four different bottles of Mimi wine, the maximum allowed by customs at Albița.
THE MAGIC OF MIMI’S WINES, CELEBRATED IN DIFFERENT NOTES
The tasting at the Château followed a delightful narrative: it began with a crisp Fetească Albă bursting with freshness, featuring notes of peaches and pears. This was followed by the rosé Cabernet Sauvignon I had fallen in love with during my first visit, and it concluded triumphantly with the estate's flagship, the mature Roșu de Bulboacă, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Alongside the wines tasted, I also brought home a bottle of Mimi Pinot Gris from the Château’s shop, recommended by Cristina. I would have loved to add a bottle of Mimi Chardonnay, but I was already exceeding the legal limit of four bottles, and the customs officers at Albița aren’t particularly friendly.
Mimi wines are not yet available on the Romanian market, but I hope it won’t be long before they are, as every wine I tasted was enchanting, especially the first two. The sophisticated and refined rosé from Mimi left you yearning for more, perfectly embodying the story of Constantin Mimi and the Château in Bulboaca. I eagerly await my return in the fall when it transforms into a true universe of magical elixirs: at Mimi, wine remains noble, always at home.
Comments