🥃 Divin
Moldovan wine brandy, GI «Divin»: the distillate is aged in oak for at least 3 years; VS, VSOP, XO and XXO grades; 40–44% ABV. Made from Moldovan grapes, with no rectified alcohol or flavourings.
Divin is a Moldovan wine brandy, a cask-aged grape spirit, and the geographical indication «Divin»: the name may be used only for a drink made from wine distillate aged in contact with oak for at least three years. The whole cycle, from growing the grapes to bottling, must take place in Moldova, and the finished Divin is 40–44% vol.
The rules are set out in a specification approved by Moldova's Ministry of Agriculture in 2012 and updated in 2024 under the Law on Vine and Wine No 57/2006. By the age of the youngest distillate in the blend, Divin has four grades: VS from 3 years, VSOP from 5, XO from 7 and XXO from 20 years.
The distillate is made from dry wine of Moldovan grapes, mostly white varieties: Aligoté, Rkatsiteli, Fetească Albă, Alb de Suruceni, Bianca and Sauvignon; red grapes are allowed if typicity is kept. Sulphur dioxide is banned in wine for distillation, which must be finished by 1 May of the following year. The distillate, at 62–72% vol., is aged in oak casks of 200–1,000 litres. Rectified alcohol and flavourings are prohibited; sugar syrup and caramel are allowed.
In the EU, «Divin» has been protected since 18 October 2016 by a decision of the geographical indications sub-committee under the EU–Moldova Association Agreement. The first wine distillate plants opened in Călărași (1896), Tiraspol (1897) and Chișinău (1898).
Why it matters to you. The word «DIVIN», the grade (VS, VSOP, XO or XXO) and the brand name must sit in the centre of the main label. The grade is set by the youngest distillate, so XO means at least 7 years, not an average age. WHO: there is no safe level of alcohol.
Facts
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40–42% vol. (VS, VSOP); 40–44% (XO, XXO) |
|---|---|
| Minimum maturation | 3 years in contact with oak; VSOP 5, XO 7, XXO 20 years |
| Raw material | dry wine from grapes grown in Moldova; mostly white varieties |
| Distillation method | double, direct or continuous; distillate at 62–72% vol.; finished by 1 May after harvest |
| Cask type | oak casks of 200–1,000 l or tanks with oak staves (first 5 years only) |
| Legal basis | Law No 57/2006; «Divin» GI specification (2012, revised 2024); EU–Moldova Decision No 1/2016 |
How it connects to Wine
🥃 Divin → affects → 🍷 Alcohol and health → kind of → 🍷 Wine
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Divin → kind of → 🍇 Grape brandies → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Wine label
- Made from
- 🍇 Aligoté, 🍇 Rkatsiteli, 🍇 Fetească Albă
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Brandy, 🍇 Grape brandies
- Where it is made
- 🗺️ Moldovan wine
- Similar and different
- 🏷️ Moldovan IGP regions, 🥃 Brandy, 🥃 VS, VSOP, XO, 🥃 Cognac
Frequently asked questions
Is Divin the Moldovan answer to cognac, and can I find it in UK shops?
Divin is Moldovan brandy with its own geographical indication, not cognac, which is a French appellation. Its name has been protected in the EU since 2016 under the EU–Moldova agreement.
How do I read VS, VSOP, XO and XXO on a bottle of Divin?
They show the youngest distillate in the blend: VS from 3 years, VSOP from 5, XO from 7 and XXO from 20. So XO means at least 7 years, not an average.
Which words must be on the front label of Divin?
The word «DIVIN», the grade and the brand name, all in the centre of the main label.
Does Divin contain added alcohol or flavourings, as some cheap brandy does?
No: rectified alcohol and flavourings are prohibited. Only sugar syrup and caramel are allowed.
What can I drink instead of Divin if I cannot find it?
Another aged wine brandy such as Armagnac, served neat in a snifter or tulip glass at room temperature.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden vessel made of oak staves in which wine matures, picks up new aromas and slowly takes in air.
- 🥃 Cognac — French AOC grape spirit from the Charente: double-distilled and aged at least 2 years in oak.
- 🏷️ Moldovan IGP regions — Moldova's four protected wine indications, three of which are wine areas.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Weinbrand · 🥃 Pisco · 🥃 Armagnac · 🥃 Brandy de Jerez · 🥃 Cognac · 🥃 Törkölypálinka
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- MAIA (Republic of Moldova), Order No 20 of 29.01.2024 and Specification (Caiet de sarcini) of the GI «Divin»
- Decision No 1/2016 of the EU–Moldova Geographical Indications Sub-Committee of 18.10.2016 (OJ L 335, 9.12.2016)
- Law No 57/2006 on vine and wine (Republic of Moldova)
- AGEPI: Divin protected as a geographical indication in the EU (2016)
- Wine of Moldova (ONVV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)