Grădinița - Leuntea
Leuntea village is one of the oldest settlements in the Lower Dniester area of Moldova. The Leuntea estate, with an area of 3160 dozen (approx. 3,445 ha), was bought by the boyar I. Katargi before the annexation of Bessarabia to the Russian Empire.
The estate was famous for its fertile vineyard, from which high quality wine was produced, known throughout the county. In the southeastern part of the estate, Katargi built a mansion, a dwelling house for workers and cellars for storing wine.
I. Katargi asked for and received from Catherine II 25 Ukrainian families as labor. In time, they established a hamlet here. By 1827, the estate was sold to Russian Colonel of French descent E. M. Ponsete. The new owner brought another 25 families of German and Austrian emigrants, whom he specialized in growing vines. Thus, in the southeastern part of the Leuntea estate, a new hamlet began to take shape. In 1894, part of the estate was sold to the boyar A. P. Efremov. In 1909, E. Ponsete dies, and his fortune and territory are inherited by his children: M. E. and A. E. Ponsete. Investing millions of rubles, they expanded the territory of the vineyards to 776 ha.
Now, in the area of Gradinița village there is Leuntea Winery, the ruins of Katargi mansion, a fountain from the last century and several secular oaks.
