Château Vartely is a winery established in 2004 and situated near the ancient town of Orhei in central Moldova. From a mighty 250 hectares of vineyards in the southern and central regions, it produces around 2.5 million bottles a year of the regular European varieties, but more importantly, it is pioneering indigenous varieties like Feteasca Albã (white) and the red Rara Negra. This is a blend of Rara Negra with Syrah and Merlot and was aged for 12 months in oak. Aromas of black fruit, leather and cherries with some old-fashioned, old-world charm, but none the worse for that. Characterful and very interesting.