The famous dessert wine comes from the homonymous municipal area (Kottnersberg) in the northeast of Romania in the region of Moldova, near the borders to Moldova and Ukraine. Wine was already being grown here at least 2,000 years ago. The area experienced a heyday under the rule of the Moldavian voivode Prince Stephen the Great (1435-1504), who became famous with his victory over the Turks, Hungary and Poland in 1474. Cotnari wine was first mentioned in documents as early as 1448. From the 17th century onwards, the wine was known at princely courts throughout Europe, competing with Tokaj and being offered in top restaurants as the "Pearl of Moldavia". When the Reblaus im Jahre 1891 auch nach Rumänien kam, wurden nahezu alle Weinberge vernichtet.