Moldavian NIIViW

Moldavian Research Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking (Moldavian NIIViW)

The Moldavian Research Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking (Moldavian NIIViW) is one of the oldest scientific and breeding institutions dedicated to viticulture within the former USSR. The origins of the institute date back to September 10, 1910, with the establishment of the Kostiuzheny Experimental Vineyard Field on the outskirts of Chisinau. It was founded to study ampelographic collections, implement grafted grape cultivation, and develop methods for phylloxera control. During the Soviet period, the institution transformed into a major research hub (known as MoldNIIViW and later as the "Vierul" Scientific and Production Association), accumulating advanced expertise from both Soviet and global viticultural science.

The primary directions of the institute's activities included the breeding of new resistant rootstock and scion grape varieties, the development of intensive nursery management technologies, the ampelographic description of the gene pool, and the improvement of vineyard protection systems. In the 1960s–1980s, a prominent school of grape breeders emerged within the institute. Under the leadership and co-authorship of researchers such as G. M. Karadzhi, I. P. Gavrilov, O. S. Rebeza, N. I. Guzun, M. V. Tsypko, F. A. Olar, and Academician P. N. Unguryan, the famous phylloxera- and carbonate-resistant rootstocks of the "Vierul" series (Vierul-2, Vierul-3, etc.) were bred and introduced into production. Widely known table grape varieties, such as Moldova, Kodrianka, Guzun, Kishmish Moldavsky, and Biruintsa, were also bred at the institute.

In the modern era, following a series of state reforms in the Republic of Moldova, the historical heritage, scientific archives, and breeding fields of the institute were integrated into the structure of the Technical University of Moldova (UTM) and the Vine and Wine College in Stauceni (Research and Practical Institute for Horticulture, Viticulture and Food Technologies). The varieties and rootstocks created by the institute continue to be represented in collections and plantations across several viticultural regions.