OREANDA-NEWS. July 30, 2014. Eleven Moldovan wine-making companies and high-ranking officials will meet American wine importers and distributers on 26 July - 3 August, following an invitation by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

John Kerry made the invitation during Prime Minister Iurie Leanca’s visit to the USA in past March.

According to a press release by the National Office of Grapes and Wine (ONVV), the Moldovan delegation will participate in two events, together with Washington and New York wine importers and suppliers, and will meet U.S. state officials and make experience exchange with associations of wine producers from the State of Virginia.

The visit’s goal is to present Moldova’s wine-making offer, promote the image of the Moldovan wines and create opportunities for new business partnerships in the wine-making area of the American market.

This is the first visit out of the actions that are to be carried out pursuant to the strategic vision on the American market entering and development, worked out by ONVV. The visit is organised and financed by the U.S. State Department, in partnership with ONVV.

The USA is the biggest wine importer worldwide, with an annual consumption of 3.4 billion litters, at an average price of 8 dollars per bottle. About 660,000 litters of Moldovan wines were sold on the American market in 2013, by 37 per cent less than in 2012, due to an avalanche of Moldovan cheap sweet wines.