Wine & Food

On the table in Ștefan Vodă there's almost always mămăligă, a firm cornmeal porridge. It sits on the plate like a golden dome and recalls polenta, only coarser and drier, served alongside brânză, a salty sheep's cheese, and often a spoonful of smântână, sour cream, which softens the sharpness of the cheese. This simple combination has barely changed over the centuries.

With grilled meat, the wine changes. Mititei, small grilled rolls of seasoned ground meat, call for tannin and power. That's exactly what Negru de Purcari delivers: its dense, oak-spiced tannin binds the fat of the rolls, while the dark fruit picks up the smoky flavor from the grill. A lighter wine would simply disappear next to this meat.

Sarmale, cabbage or grape leaves stuffed with rice and meat and braised in a rich tomato sauce, need acidity more than power, though. Here Rara Neagră shows its strength: its high acidity cuts through the sauce without overwhelming the delicate flavors of the filling. Its light body also leaves room for a second and third helping.

To finish, a plăcintă often comes to the table, a thin, folded pastry filled with pumpkin, cheese or cherries. It's baked until the edges turn crisp. Wine rarely suits it; a strong coffee or a small shot of spirits works better. Anyone visiting Ștefan Vodă learns this quickly. A good wine here never stands alone at the table, but is always thought of alongside a particular dish.