Politics, markets, and wine: Indexing post-Cold War tensions in the Republic of Moldova

The present article expands the semiotic approach to the study of wine and politics by focusing on the political messages indexed in two brands of Moldovan wine. A material object such as wine can act as political commentary on the post-Cold War tensions in the Republic of Moldova. Reinterpretations of national borders are mobilized to produce “political wines” in a calculated manner so as to ensure that the wines do not alienate a critical number of consumers.