Old Tavern Red Wine

Old Tavern Red Wine is a semi-sweet dessert red wine made from 100% Isabella grapes at 16% ABV, bottled at 750ml. Produced by Asconi Winery — a Moldovan estate that has earned recognition at the Decanter World Wine Awards, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, and Berliner Wine Trophy — this expression showcases a grape variety rarely seen outside Eastern Europe and the Americas.

Quick Facts: ABV: 16%  |  Origin: Taraclia, Southern Moldova  |  Semi-Sweet Dessert Red  |  Producer: Asconi Winery

Production & Heritage

Asconi Winery operates from the Taraclia region in southern Moldova, a country with one of the longest winemaking traditions in Eastern Europe. The winery was awarded Moldova's National Grand Prix in 2015 and has accumulated over ten medals across major international competitions. Old Tavern Red Wine is built entirely on the Isabella grape, an American hybrid believed to be a natural cross between Vitis labrusca and Vitis vinifera species. This grape thrives in Moldova's continental climate and produces a distinctly aromatic, fruit-forward wine that lands firmly in dessert territory at 16% ABV — higher than many semi-sweet reds.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with pronounced cherry jam and ripe strawberry before giving way to deeper layers of blackberry, leather, and cigar box. A soft vanilla undercurrent rounds out the bouquet.

Taste: On the palate, Old Tavern enters with a rich, velvety texture and immediate sweetness. Mid-palate flavors of dark berries and strawberry preserves dominate, while hints of caramel and sugar add density. The wine is medium-bodied despite its semi-sweet classification, carrying its 16% alcohol with surprising composure.

Finish: The finish is moderately long, lingering with jammy fruit and a faint warmth from the elevated alcohol. Residual sweetness stays present without becoming cloying, fading into soft berry and vanilla notes.

How to Drink Old Tavern

Serve slightly chilled, between 14–16°C (57–61°F), to balance the sweetness and let the fruit aromatics express fully. This is a wine best enjoyed as a dessert accompaniment or after-dinner pour rather than a cocktail base. That said, semi-sweet reds like this work well in a Red Wine Sangria, where the berry-forward profile complements citrus and stone fruit; a Kalimotxo (red wine and cola), where the sweetness harmonizes rather than fights the mixer; or a Mulled Wine, where its jam-like character intensifies beautifully with warming spices like cinnamon and clove.

Best For

• Introducing someone to Eastern European dessert wines
• After-dinner sipping alongside chocolate-based desserts
• Building a mulled wine for autumn and winter gatherings
• Exploring rare and hybrid grape varieties like Isabella

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Old Tavern taste like? Old Tavern Red Wine delivers a rich, jammy profile dominated by strawberry and dark berry flavors with supporting notes of caramel and vanilla. It is noticeably sweet, medium-bodied, and velvety in texture.

How does Old Tavern compare to other semi-sweet dessert reds? At 16% ABV, Old Tavern runs higher in alcohol than many semi-sweet reds, which typically sit between 10–14%. Its use of the Isabella grape — an American hybrid rarely bottled as a varietal wine in Western markets — gives it a distinctly musky, strawberry-driven character that sets it apart from Brachetto d'Acqui or Lambrusco Dolce.

Is Old Tavern good for sipping neat? Yes, Old Tavern is well-suited to sipping on its own, especially when lightly chilled. Its sweetness, fruit intensity, and moderate body make it approachable without food, though it also pairs naturally with dessert courses.

Where is Old Tavern made? Old Tavern Red Wine is produced by Asconi Winery in the Taraclia region of southern Moldova. Moldova sits between Romania and Ukraine and has been producing wine for over 5,000 years.

What foods pair well with Old Tavern? Dark chocolate truffles complement its caramel and berry sweetness; aged blue cheese contrasts the sugar with savory depth; strawberry tart mirrors its dominant fruit character; roasted duck with a berry glaze bridges the wine's jammy profile; and spiced gingerbread or cinnamon pastries echo its warm vanilla undertones.

What sizes does Old Tavern come in? Old Tavern Red Wine is available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Old Tavern worth the price? Old Tavern positions as a budget-friendly dessert wine, making it accessible for curious drinkers who want to explore Moldovan winemaking and the Isabella grape without a significant investment.

Why Old Tavern?

What distinguishes Old Tavern from the broader field of semi-sweet reds is its commitment to the Isabella grape — a hybrid varietal that has largely disappeared from Western European vineyards but maintains a devoted following in Moldova and parts of South America. Asconi Winery's track record at competitions like the Decanter World Wine Awards and Berliner Wine Trophy lends credibility to a producer that might otherwise fly under the radar for international buyers. The wine's 16% ABV gives it more weight and warmth than typical semi-sweet reds, bridging the gap between a dessert wine and a fortified style. For anyone looking to expand beyond familiar sweet reds, Old Tavern offers a genuine point of difference rooted in a specific terroir and a grape variety with real character.