Life’S A Pudding Full Of Plums Wine Romania? The 61 Top Answers

When it comes to Romanian wine, Jancis Robinson calls my homeland “the land of hope”. But wine isn’t the first thing most people think of when they mention Romania.

Instead, an unholy trinity typically comes to mind:

Dracula

Ceausescu

Gymnast Nadia Comaneci

Romania is a Latin country surrounded by Slavic neighbors in Eastern Europe. It is also one of the largest wine producers in the world with a growing number of quality winemakers.

At Vincarta we are masters of Romanian wine. We hope this article will change some perceptions.

Fact #1: Romanian wine just keeps getting better

Joining the EU in 2007, Romania embarked on a journey to put Romanian wine on the map. Access to funds before and after joining translated into:

Investments in technology for wine production

the removal of inferior vines

Replanting vineyards with better genetic material.

In the last ten years, small Romanian quality wine producers have emerged. These have a very different approach to winemaking than the volume producers. As a result, we believe that premium Romanian wine is no longer a contradiction in terms.

However, there are still a lot of inferior mass production. Eurostat reported that only a third of Romanian vineyards use high quality grapes. This is the lowest in Europe.

That doesn’t surprise me as the Romanians improved quite late. But this has created an opportunity to use modern approaches to winemaking. This is reminiscent of how Romanians started using internet banking and mobile phones. While other countries took intermediate steps, Romania jumped in head first.

However, only fifty percent of Greek and Italian vineyards are dedicated to producing high quality grapes. But that doesn’t stop them from producing unforgettable wines.

Fact #2: Romania has the perfect geography for wine

The Carpathians are Romania’s greatest natural gift. Different soil compositions are formed in their foothills, which suit the vines well. The mountains also protect the hills and moderate the temperature – much like the Vosges protect Alsace.

Lambs in autumn in the mountains in Transylvania, Romania

The Romanian autumn is long and gentle, allowing the grapes to ripen more slowly and the aromas to be more concentrated. Located on the same latitude as Bordeaux, the climate is drier and more continental. The Black Sea does not affect Romania in the same way as the Atlantic does in Bordeaux. The hilly areas of Moldova and Dobrogea (on the Black Sea) also offer good conditions for viticulture.

The natural potential for the wine industry is clear and well understood by investors. No wonder British, German, Austrian, French and Italian companies dominate Romanian wine.

If the success of South American and Australian wine is anything, we expect Romanian wine could be next.

Fact #3: Romanian wine production is the largest in Eastern Europe

According to OIV statistics, Romania ranks fifth in Europe overall and tenth in the world in terms of area under vines. Based on 2016 data, Romania was similar in size to Chile and Portugal with a vineyard area of ​​191,000 hectares. Wine production that year was 3.3 million hectoliters, making Romania the fifth largest in Europe. At the current rate, Romanian wine production is slightly ahead of New Zealand.

The Romanian wine industry suffered from the communist era. This was due to the prioritization of quantity over quality. After the fall of communism, the country had to deal with hyperinflation and tough economic times. Like the majority of Romanians, the wine industry suffered. It was during this period that mass market wine – also known as cheap Plump – found its way into the majority of exports. Romanian wine is now having to fight against its former reputation as an inferior wine.

Harvest time traditional Romanian dinner plate with cheese, bread, sausages, onions and red wine in glass in vineyards

Luckily, things change every year. Thanks to new producers and greater consumer demand, Romanian wine is thriving.

Fact #4: There is a new generation of Romanian winemakers

In the last decade, a new generation of winemakers has come onto the scene. These small, artisanal producers have used EU funds to invest in new winemaking technologies. They replant older vines with better quality clones.

They are experimenting with winemaking style and taking a new world approach to the process. Some of them even hire oenologists from France and Germany to help them express the best of the terroir.

These niche producers dedicate a percentage of their products to premium, high quality wines. These wines are characterized by the best grapes and the greatest care and attention. In response to the growing demand for quality wine, some of the established producers have started making more premium wine.

Here at Vincarta we want to draw attention to these quality producers. The list is not exhaustive, but it is a good example of what to look for on the label. Most of these can be found in the Dealu Mare sub-region. Think of this as the “Bordeaux” of Romanian wine.

Romanian High Quality Wine Producers by Sub-Region

Look out for the following small producers in your next store:

We visited one of them, Domeniile Săhăteni, in March 2017 and decided to bring four of their top wines to the UK market.

Fact #5: Premium Romanian wine is excellent value for money

In the last five years, Romanian premium wine has emerged from international grape varieties. These include: Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, as well as some local varietals.

Unfortunately, UK wine merchants sell many average quality wines at low prices. At under £10 a bottle (including £2.50 tax) these wines are unlikely to be a revelation.

Even renowned magazines like Decanter rarely include these new producers in their annual tastings. If you only try the mass market you will not find the quality you are looking for.

If you choose premium Romanian wine, you will spend a lot of money

A very good or excellent bottle will cost you £13-15. Whilst the best quality wines start at £20.

That might sound like a lot, but you might be paying four times as much for a French wine of similar quality.

At Vincarta we have tasted and published our ratings and reviews of all premium Romanian wines that we have come across.

See our articles about:

Fact #6: The best grapes for Romanian wine

Most Romanian wine producers make wine from a blend of international and local grapes. Although lately more and more producers have focused on exclusive international grape varieties. Many top producers have replanted their vineyards with high quality clones, mostly French. Quality wine starts with quality grapes. So it made sense to implant suitable genetic material. The most popular international white grape varieties are:

The most popular red grapes are:

But you don’t stick to familiar names. Local Romanian varietals can also be very good, including:

Fetească – makes dry, fresh, perfumed white wines. It has some body and can be barrel fermented for more complexity.

Tămȃioasă Romȃnească (“frankincense grape”) or Romanian Muscat – a small-berry clone of Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains, one of the oldest grape varieties in the world and the finest of the Muscat grapes. The result is perfumed and aromatic white wines that are quite difficult to produce as dry wines

(“Incense Grape”) or Romanian Muscat – a small-berry clone of Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains, one of the oldest grape varieties in the world and the noblest of the Muscat grapes. The result is perfumed and aromatic white wines that are quite difficult to produce as dry wines. Fetească Neagra – delicious dry red wines with full body and medium tannins. With age, they become velvety. It is the oldest Romanian grape variety. With aromas of spices, black or red fruits. She has an affinity for oak and can produce excellent wines in smaller yields.

Fact #7: Romanian wine is food friendly

We sometimes drink white wine as an aperitif, but mostly Romanians like to drink their wine with food. Romanians are very hospitable. If you are lucky enough to be invited to a Romanian meal, expect the table to almost collapse due to the weight of the food and alcohol. We always put the best things we have in the house on the table. It’s also quite common to spend four to six hours enjoying a proper feast.

A typical Romanian feast with many dishes on one table

I firmly believe that barbecuing should become a national sport. And we Romanians love meat. The local cuisine is rich, tasty and tasty. That is why the red wines must have tannins to penetrate the richness of traditional dishes.

Fact #8: Romanian winemakers bend tradition in their innovative approach

When I spoke to Aurelia Vișinescu, I asked her about the latest trends in Romanian wine. She found that winemakers experiment in two ways:

Making dry wines from grapes traditionally vinified sweet or semi-sweet. Aurelia Vișinescu by Domeniile Săhăteni is a pioneer herself. She was the first Romanian winemaker to vinify Fetească Neagră as a dry wine aged in oak barrels. She also produces a fabulous dry Romanian Muscat. This wine is an excellent typicity of the Muscat Blanc à Petit Grain aroma profile

Experiment with winemaking style, modern styles or old-world techniques. Sometimes blends change from one harvest to the next.

Those familiar with a traditional style might find this flare confusing. But being able to experiment as a winemaker is crucial. Great things come from using the grapes you want and in the proportions you like. Without the strict, often silly rules of a regional appellation, wine can be anything you want it to be. Take for example the controversy between Super Tuscans and Chianti.

It’s like watching a master chef competition. Although there are obstacles; Inventiveness, talent and quality ingredients produce amazing results. There are already some great producers, but give Romania another ten years and see what happens.

Fact #9: Romanian Wine Regions

Romania has eight wine regions:

Highlands of Transylvania

Moldavian hill

Muntenia Hill

Oltenian Hills

Banat Hill

Dobrogea hill

Crisana Maramures Hills

The Danube Terraces

Knowing the Romanian wine regions is far less important than knowing the top producers. Indeed, look at map #4 for a clue as to what to look for. Also of interest are the sub-regions that have received DOC status. Romanian wine has the name of the grapes on the label, making it easier to choose something you like.

Important Tip: Avoid wine bottles with images of Dracula. It’s a tourist cliché.

Fact #10: Romania’s Historic Wine

Romania produced a wine that was famous across Europe in the 19th century: Grasă de Cotnari. It’s a sweet wine with botrytis character like a good Sauternes and an ever-present rival to Hungarian Tokay. It hails from the Cotnari region and while still being sold there, it needs a bit of a facelift and quality revival. Despite its current doldrums, Grasă de Cotnari proves that Romania can produce world-class wines. With this in mind, I know that the latest generation will bring the country back onto the world stage.

Have you ever tried Romanian wine? Share your experiences in the comments below.

Romania is one of the most productive wine countries in the world, but only a tiny fraction of its production is bought abroad. Experts explain why and what can be done to revive the shine of Romanian wine. Romania’s vineyards saw a record harvest in 2021. The country produced 530 million liters of wine – about as much as Hungary and Austria together. Romania now ranks sixth in the EU in terms of volume of wine produced and twelfth in the world. But despite an abundance of rich reds and dry whites this year, the vast majority is drunk as usual in Romania. Only around 7 percent of the country’s 2021 wine production will be exported. In recent seasons, foreign sales accounted for an even smaller amount, with Romania shipping less than 5 percent of its wine.

Romania currently imports around 65 million euros ($74 million) worth of foreign wines each year, while earning just 35 million ($40 million) from exports. Exported wine is sold to the United States, Canada, Switzerland and Japan. Why does Romania sell so little of its “vin” abroad? Many believe that the biggest hurdle facing the Romanian wine industry is the bad reputation the country acquired during the communist years. Under Nicolae Ceausescu, authorities focused on quantity over quality at their state-controlled wineries. Many centuries-old family traditions and techniques were broken when the state stepped in to take over wine production.

According to an article by Professor Paul Taylor, an international marketing expert at Germany’s Furtwangen University, the hundreds of thousands of landowners cultivating tiny plots are a key weakness of the Romanian wine industry. Although several large farms own large parts of Romania’s vineyards, the remainder is broken up into myriad swimming pool-sized vineyards that are “difficult to farm efficiently or profitably” for export, writes Taylor. Some small vineyard owners are still struggling to reclaim land confiscated under Communism. There is also a drastic shortage of skilled workers. Since Romania joined the EU in 2007, many winemakers have migrated to wine countries such as Italy, Spain and Germany for jobs with significantly higher salaries. “Since the fall of communism, Romania has suffered from a brain drain,” writes Taylor, “a situation that has worsened with membership of the European Union.” Nearly 20 percent of Romania’s working-age population lives abroad, mostly in western Europe. However, Romanian winemakers have benefited from EU funds. Romania has received around 45 million euros annually for its wine industry since 2013. Most of the money was spent on replanting vineyards.

Romania’s wine industry also suffers from the lack of a state-sponsored marketing organization to showcase the country’s unique grape varieties and long history of winemaking to the world. But there is some optimism that the country will conquer the high-end wine market through grassroots efforts. Andreea Siposean, the manager of a Romanian travel agency, told RFE/RL’s Romanian service that after a weekend trip with her husband to a winery in 2020, she “immediately saw the potential of such a trip” and joined her agency in a growing number of Companies offering wine tours for domestic and foreign tourists at a fraction of the cost of comparable experiences in France or Italy.

Export market prices for Romanian wine Market prices for Romanian wine have changed over the years. Before 2019, a kg of wine cost US$4.92 in 2017 and US$1.85 in 2018. In 2019, the export price changed by 13.611% to US$1.60 per kilo. High yielding markets in 2019 for Romanian wine per kilo were brought from exports to Japan, China, Hungary, Poland and Belgium. Romanian wine exports are categorized as: Fresh grape sparkling wine (HS code 220410)

Grape must, of an actual alcoholic strength by volume > 0.5% vol (excluding grape must whose fermentation has been stopped by the addition of alcohol) (HS code 220430)

Cider, perry, mead and other fermented beverages and mixtures of fermented beverages and soft drinks, n.e.s. (excluding beer, wine or fresh grapes, grape must, vermouth and other wines made from fresh grapes flavored with plants or aromatic substances) (HS code 220600)

Vermouth and other wine made from fresh grapes, flavored with plants or aromatic substances, in containers of <= 2 l (HS code 220510) Wine made from fresh grapes, incl. fortified wines and grape must, the fermentation of which has been stopped by the addition of alcohol, in containers > 2 l (excluding sparkling wine) (HS code 220429)

Wine made from fresh grapes, incl. fortified wines and grape must, the fermentation of which has been stopped by the addition of alcohol, in containers from > 2 l to <= 10 l (excl. sparkling wine) (HS code 220422) Wine made from fresh grapes, incl. fortified wines and grape must, the fermentation of which has been stopped by the addition of alcohol, in containers of <= 2 l (excluding sparkling wine) (HS code 220421) Vermouth and other wine made from fresh grapes, flavored with plants or aromatic substances, in containers > 2 l (HS code 220590)

Romanian Wine Export Values ​​Total wine export values ​​in Romania were US$25,245, US$30,318, US$39,656 and US$37,377 in thousand US dollars for the years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 in that order.

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Wine prices in Romania per ton for years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 were US$1,742.84, US$4,916.96, US$1,854.90 and US$1,602.31, respectively.

Export values ​​of Romanian wines

The total values ​​of exports of wine in Romania were 25,245 USD, 30,318 USD, 39,656 USD and 37,377 USD in thousand USD for the years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 in that order.

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Over the years, Romanian wine has attracted countless European businessmen and wine lovers, mainly due to the affordable prices compared to countries like Italy, France or Germany. But Romania’s wine culture has a long history. Thousands of years ago, vines grew wild in the historical regions that make up present-day Romania. The Vitis Silvestrii species, for example, was indigenous to the oak forests and was the basis of the famous Dacian grapevine.

The geographic region of Romania has traditionally been one of Europe’s largest wine producers, with even Napoleon himself being a big fan of his varietals, but the wine industry declined after 1990 due to numerous economic factors. Today, according to the latest statistics, Romania is the 13th largest wine producer in the world and the 6th largest in Europe, and Romania’s wine production has been continuously improving over the past decade. The country is home to more than 250 wine cellars, but only 140 of them produce and sell bottled wine. Most of Romania’s wine cellars can be visited all year round, but they are at their most attractive between April and October. Wine tasting can be organized at most wineries, with the main departure cities being Bucharest, Iasi and Cluj-Napoca.

Romanian wine regions:

Viticulture Romania – The Road of Romanian Wine and Vine

In Romania, grapevines can be grown on most of the country, from the Danube River in the south to the northern regions of Moldova and Maramures, and they can range from Romanian grape varieties to international wine varieties. The only areas where wine cannot be produced are counties of Brasov, Covasna, Harghita (due to their high altitude) and Suceava.

Therefore, a journey on the Route of Vines and Wines requires us to travel almost the entire territory of Romania to find the best wine region. We will first discover some of Moldova’s wines and wineries, continue to Dobrogea, drive through Wallachia, reach the western regions of Banat, Crisana and Maramures and wrap it all up with Transylvania.

In Moldova, the vineyards cover an area of ​​90,000 hectares, stretching from the northern region of Botosani to the southern region of Vrancea, known as Dealurile Moldovei. Besides the numerous vineyards, Moldova is also home to the International Wine and Wine Festival “Bachus” in Vrancea.

1. Cotnari Winery

Grasă de Cotnari grapes. Photo source: Cotnari Facebook page

Cotnari is an important wine-growing municipality in Romania and is best known for its Grasă de Cotnari, a vine variety that has been cultivated since the reign of Stephen the Great (1457-1504).

Grasă de Cotnari is a botrytized white wine with a high residual sugar content that can reach up to 300 g/litre. A well-made wine has a golden yellow hue and, despite its high sugar content, retains a fine acid structure and between 11.5 and 14% alcohol by volume. It ages well; its color darkens from a pale yellow to a dark yellow with an orange note in it. A good Grasă de Cotnari should have a pronounced bouquet of apricots, walnuts and almonds and be enjoyed at a temperature of around 10-12 degrees Celsius.

Besides Grasă de Cotnari, the winery also produces Tămâioasă Românească, Fetească Albă and Francușă, all made from local grapes.

2. Bohotin

Grasă de Cotnari grapes. Photo source: ParadisVerde.ro

Another important wine-growing region is Iasi, which is home to several wine-growing centers: Copou, Bucium, Uricani, Comarna, Plugari and Probota. Besides Cotnari in Iasi County, you will also find Bohotin, another important wine-growing municipality. The settlement is known for its Busuioacă de Bohotin, a light Romanian sweet red wine with an aroma reminiscent of honeysuckle and ripe, juicy peaches, made from a local red grape variety. It usually has a sugar content of just over 40g/litre and between 11.5 and 12.5% ​​alcohol by volume. Busuioaca de Bohotin can be beautifully aged for up to 20 years and the wine is also produced in Vaslui, Buzau and Prahova counties on a total area of ​​around 100 hectares.

3. Averesti Winery

Averesti Winery was built in 1874 and is located in the north-eastern part of Moldova on the Husi vineyards. The vines have been grown here for thousands of years, and today the winery covers 550 hectares, filled with local wine varieties such as Zghihara and Busuioaca, as well as international varieties. Each year a bottle of wine is buried in the coldest part of the wine cellar as an offering to the land and those who worked it in the past.

Zghihara de Huși is the most acidic Romanian wine and is characterized by its sour taste and sorrel aroma reminiscent of freshly picked apples. This type of wine has a green-yellow color, about 11% ABV and goes best with a traditional Romanian dish like tochitură or sarmale.

Another Romanian wine worth mentioning is the white cuvée Feteasca Regală, which can be dry, semi-sweet or sweet. The sweet wine goes perfectly with white meat, fruit and sweet cheeses and has a sugar content of 22 g/l and 12% alcohol by volume. The off-dry wine has a sugar content of 10 g/l and is excellent with traditional Romanian appetizers, seafood or white meat, and the dry wine is excellent with game and fine cheeses.

Dobrogea is one of the most important regions of Romania from a tourist point of view, mainly because of the Danube Delta. But the influence of the Black Sea plays an important role in the average temperature, making the country perfect for growing grapes.

4. Murfatlar Winery

Inside a Murfatlar wine shop. Photo source: CramaMurfatlar.ro

The Murfatlar vineyard covers an area of ​​approximately 2,600 hectares and its history begins in 1907 when grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Muscat Ottonel (a native grape variety) were planted experimentally here near the Black Sea. Due to their success, viticultural culture began to grow in the region, and in 1943 the Experimental Vinicultural Murfatlar Resort was established. Their varietal wines expanded to include varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Ottonel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

5. Vinuri de Macin (Macin Wines)

Wine stock in the Măcin Winery. Photo source: VinuriDeMacin.ro

The Alcovin-Măcin winery covers an area of ​​300 hectares and is the official wine supplier to the Romanian royal family. The winery has five major wine brands – Pelegrin, Curtea Regală, Renatus, Tres Rosae and Trei Brate, each producing a wide range of wines.

Aligoté Curtea Regală is one of the most popular wines. This young, refreshing white wine is dry with an average alcohol content and moderate acidity. It goes perfectly with white meat, especially oily fish, and with cheese products, and it was the favorite wine of King Michael of Romania.

Wallachia, made up of the historic regions of Muntenia and Oltenia, is home to one of Romania’s largest grapevine crops, covering an area of ​​104,000 hectares. Located in the southern part of Romania, the climate is slightly warmer than the rest of Romania; This region is known for its red and colored wines, but also for its excellent white wines.

6. Aurelia Visinescu – Domeniile Sahateni

The vineyards in Domeniile Săhăteni. Photo source: AureliaVisinescu.com

Located in Buzău County, Domeniile Săhăteni is a winery whose vineyards are located in the middle of Dealu Mare, a municipality known for its wine production and surrounded by the majestic Carpathian Mountains. Their vineyards cover an area of ​​82 hectares and their winemaking style combines Old World and New World techniques, producing wine batches ranging from 2,500 to 20,000 bottles.

The grape varieties grown at Domeniile Sahateni are both Romanian – Fetească Albă, Tămâioasă Românească, Fetească Neagră, and international – Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon and more. Over the years, the wines signed by Aurelia Vișinescu have gained international recognition in numerous prestigious competitions.

7. Domenile Tohani

The Tohani vineyards are located in the heart of the Romanian wine-growing center Dealu Mare, and official records speak of the existence of a vineyard in this area since 1773. In 1930, the Tohani vineyards became the royal property of Prince Nicholas of Romania via King Ferdinand’s second son I. of Romania. In 1948, Domeniile Tohani became state property and, in collaboration with renowned specialists from the Bordeaux region, a wine cellar was built, which is now a museum. The on-site winery houses more than 100,000 bottles of wine.

One important thing to mention is that Domeniile Tohani’s vineyards are located on the 45th parallel north, just like the famous French region of Bordeaux, with similar natural conditions. The extra sunny days allow the grapes to ripen better and accumulate more sugar, resulting in a really powerful and aromatic wine.

The vineyards cover an area of ​​500 hectares and their soil offers optimal conditions for the cultivation of Fetească Neagră. Their most valued wine is Apogeum, a dry red wine made from the Fetească Neagră grape variety, which was awarded the gold medal at the 2014 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, one of the most prestigious wine competitions in the world. Other types of wine grown at Domeniile Tohani are Romanian Pinot Noir, Tāmâiosā Româneascā, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Fetească Regală and more.

8. Lacerta Winery

Lacerta Winery. Photo source: lacertawinery.ro/en

The Lacerta

The winery covers an area of ​​82 hectares, 100 km northeast of Bucharest in Buzau County. This exquisite place invites its guests to explore their wine cellar, taste a glass of fine wine and admire one of the most beautiful vineyards in Romania from above. The winery produces numerous grape varieties, both local (Fetească Albă, Fetească Neagră) and international (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Burgundy Royal, Rhine Riesling).

Over the years they have tasted and experimented with numerous types of wine and currently offer four special wine collections:

The Vintage Collection

LacerA Cuvee Grand Prix

LacerA Dolce

LacerA gift collection

Thousands of hectares of land are cultivated in the Timiș and Caraș-Severin regions, and the wines produced here are appreciated all over the world. The first mentions of wine production in the Banat region

Dating back to the Roman Empire, there are legends that claim that Bachus, the Dacian god of wine, was born here.

One of the most famous local wines is Riesling from Banat, refreshing semi-sweet wines.

9. Cramele Recas (Recas Winery)

Vineyards of Recaş. Photo source: CrameleRecas.ro

The Recas vineyards cover an area of ​​about 1100 hectares and are one of the most important vineyards in the Banat. They produce a variety of white, red and rosé wines and focus on quality wines. Their products have been awarded medals and diplomas in numerous national and international competitions and are sold in more than 25 countries.

The western climate makes it difficult to produce red wines properly in this area, but the white wines are of very high quality, with a strong flavor and a tart and fruity character.

10. Padurea Silvana (Silvana Forest)

Silvana is one of the few regions in Romania where sparkling wine is made using the classic Champenoise method, fermenting it in its own bottle for at least a year at constant humidity and temperature.

Located in the Dealurile Silvanei region, Padurea Silvana is the northernmost winery in Romania. Its grape varieties include Fetească Regală, Pinot Noir, Muscat Ottonel, Fetească Albă, Chardonnay and Traminer.

Transylvania, a country known for its diversity and made famous by the infamous legend of Dracula. But not many know that this country has a climate perfect for white wines. In addition to local grape varieties such as Fetească Albă or Fetească Regală, many well-known wines such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are grown here. And although the best region for growing red wine is in southern Romania, Transylvania is quite successful in that too.

If you want to try and combine the Bran Castle experience in Transylvania with a wine tasting, be sure to check out our Dracula Castle Night Tour.

11. Liliac

Liliac Vineyards. Photo source: Wine Tourist Magazine

In Bistrița-Năsăud County you will find the remote village of Lechința, a land where wine was cultivated even before the Roman Empire by German settlers cultivating vines in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains.

Liliac has been producing wines in the heart of Transylvania since 2010, and some of its wine varieties include local and foreign varieties, such as Fetească Neagră, Muscat OttonelSauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Muscat Ottonel and Chardonnay. Working with international experts and a hard-working local team, they pick the grapes manually and handle them with care throughout the process. Whether you want to enjoy a quality golden wine with intense exotic flavors or a red-purple wine with hints of berries, Liliac’s wines are something to try.

12. Jidvei Winery

Jidvei Vineyards. Photo source: Jidvei Facebook page

Vine-growing in the Târnavelor region was first mentioned by Herodotus, and in 1200 the region was mentioned in official documents as Weinland – The Land of Wine. Jidvei Winery has a portfolio of more than 30 wines, but is known for its dry and semi-dry white wines. Jidvei grows traditional grape varieties such as Fetească Albă and Fetească Regală, as well as internationally renowned varieties such as Italian Riesling, Muscat Ottonel, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Jidvei is also a famous producer of sparkling wine and brandy.

Is Romanian wine good?

After introducing you to the premium wines of Romania, all we have to do is invite you to a tour where you can taste one of the best wines in Eastern Europe and probably the world.

With such a wide variety of grapes, drinking wine has never been so fun and eating to match has never been so easy.

This article is about the main brands of beer produced and served in Romania, and also revolves around the history of this drink on the territory of the Romanian lands, since at least the Romanian Old Kingdom period (especially during the late modern period). contemporary times. This article also focuses on local breweries and craft beer.

Overview [ edit ]

A national beer association with Mititei emerged during the Romanian War of Independence in 1877 and thereafter there was a proliferation of beer pubs throughout the Romanian kingdom. The beer bars (berării) became a place of social and business meeting for the Romanian urban middle class. Currently, Romanians are among the heaviest beer drinkers in the world, with an annual consumption of over 100 liters (22 imperial gallons; 26 US gallons) per capita in 2007.[1]

According to Romanian law, beer and wine are considered food and are therefore not subject to the usual duties and restrictions for alcoholic beverages. The Romanian word “bier” (bere) derives from German beer (itself an early borrowing from Latin biber), but there is also an obsolete regional word “olovină” of Norse origin (ole; Danish: øl) and related to ale .

Brands [edit]

Some of the most commercially consumed Romanian beers are: Ursus (Latin for “bear”), Timișoreana (named after the town of Timișoara), Stejar (Romanian for “oak tree”) – all owned by Asahi, Bergenbier – owned by Molson Coors , Ciuc (named after Miercurea Ciuc) and Silva (Latin for “forest”) – owned by Heineken. Silva and Ursus also have a dark storage variety.

Some international brands are brewed locally and are very popular but sometimes more expensive than the traditional ones: Heineken, Carlsberg, Stella Artois, Beck’s, Tuborg, Holsten, Peroni, Staropramen and Skol.

Also, there are a large number of beers, usually sold in 2 liter PET bottles, aimed at the low-end market. Examples are: Ciucaș, Golden Brau, Bürger, Neumarkt, Bucegi, Gambrinus, Azuga, Noroc, Albacher.

Breweries[ edit ]

The largest brewing companies in Romania are Ursus Breweries, owned by Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd., which has three breweries in Brașov, Buzău and Timișoara,[2] and Heineken Romania (formerly called Brau Union Romania), which also has four breweries in Constanţa, Craiova, Miercurea Ciuc and Târgu Mureş.[3]

Other big companies are Bergenbier, owned by Molson Coors, which has facilities in Blaj and Ploiești,[4] and Tuborg Romania (officially called United Romanian Breweries), part of the Carlsberg Group, which has a brewery in Pantelimon.[5]

Other national companies are European Drinks, which owns a brewery in Sudrigiu,[6] Romaqua Group, which owns a brewery near Alba Iulia,[7] Albrau, based in Onești, which produces its own brands of beer as well as special brands for Supermarket or hypermarket chains.[8] and Martens (the former Robbere Brewery) Galaţi, owned since 1998 by Bierbrouwerij Martens of Belgium, which also produces both specialty beer brands and its own brands.[9] Two other smaller companies, mainly active regionally, are Bermas based in Suceava[10] and Imex based in Satu Mare[11]. The Imex brewery was taken over by Sam Mills and has been brewing Samburger beer since 2016.[12]

Romanian craft beer [ edit ]

Wicked Barrel & Bereta, The Black Pot

The microbrewery Clinica de Bere has existed in Timișoara since 2011 with its main brand Terapia. In 2013, Alexandru Geamănu and Laurențiu Bănescu founded the Fabrica de Bere Bună (Factory of Good Beer) microbrewery with its main brand Zăganu in Măneciu-Ungureni. 13] In 2014, a brewer founded Csíki Sör Manufaktúrát in Sânsimion in cooperation with Sapientia University.[14] In 2017 they were ordered to change their name because Heineken has already registered Ciuc beer as a trademark, Igazi Csíki Sör means “Real Ciuc beer”.

In 2013, Leonard Mihoc founded his brewery Nemțeana on Roman.[15] In April 2015, brothers Alin and Răzvan Matache opened a microbrewery in Bucharest and started brewing different types of beer. Their main brand is Ground Zero Beer.[16]

Hop Hooligans brewery was founded in Jilava in 2016 and quickly gained popularity with bold collaborations and an ever-changing selection of new beers. They are also among the few independent brewers to have attracted international interest. Since 2019 they have participated in numerous craft beer festivals and tap takeovers across Europe.

In February 2017, the gypsy brewery Wicked Barrel started its activities. Their debut beer – an imperial stout brewed in collaboration with Bereta called The Black Pot – shot to number one in Romania on RateBeer.com in its first week of sales.

In 2018, Wicked Barrel was named the second best new brewery in the world at the RateBeer Best Awards, out of a total of over 6400 breweries.

The craft beer industry has grown exponentially since 2015 and currently comprises around 50 breweries with an annual output of less than 5000 hectoliters. To keep up with the growth, a number of online resources are now available such as: B. the Universitatea de Bere, which regularly publishes beer reviews and podcasts, or Beerologique, the Romanian craft beer database, which caters to an international audience and keeps track of every single brewery in the country.

Gallery [ edit ]

Ciucaș Brewery in Brașov

Ursus Brewery in Cluj-Napoca

The old beer factory in Timisoara

Local Romanian beer pub in 1970.

Non-Alcoholic Golden Brew

Ursus beer

Ursus beer

Csíki handmade beer brewed in Transylvania.

See also[edit]

Wineries in Romania have a long and deep history of wine production dating back 6000 years. Nowadays, wine competes with tuica (plum brandy) and beer as the locals’ favorite drink.

The country has an interesting geographic position, almost the same altitude as France, surrounded by the Slavic culture and the preservation of the authentic domestic wines along with the adoption of international grape varieties.

If you are planning to visit wineries in Romania, you need to carefully choose where to go first and look for the best region for you. There are many beautiful wineries in Romania spread across all regions. All wineries in Romania have their own story to tell, winemaking techniques and unique wines to offer their guests.

Cabbage rolls (called sarmale) stuffed with spiced pork and rice are so traditional that they’re considered Romania’s national dish and a popular main course.

Anyway, Mamaliga (polenta) or any dish with pork is considered a national dish by every Romanian. There are jokes about Romania’s national vegetable, pork. Don’t argue with them and eat what they offer you!

Jokes aside, it will be a nice and interesting experience to go to the international restaurant chains (McDonald’s, KFC) and see the differences in the menus compared to your own country.

An interesting fact here is that the Romanian McDonald’s offers a wide variety of chicken-based burgers, as the chicken is one of the latest replacements for the other Romanian “vegetable” pork.

One in four Romanians drinks alcohol on a typical day, according to a recent GfK study that analyzes why, where, what, how and how often Romanians drink. The number of those consuming alcoholic beverages fluctuates throughout the year, with a peak in the warm season (April-September).

The most popular alcoholic drinks among Romanians are beer and home-made wine, but their importance varies according to the season: while beer is the favorite drink in summer, wine is mainly drunk in the cold season. Between October 2015 and March 2016, the share of wine in total consumption almost tripled.

On average, Romanians drink 2.5 drinks a day, a number that includes all types of drinks. According to the study, they drink hot beverages such as coffee and coffee blends half the time, soft drinks more than a third of the time, and alcoholic beverages 16% of the time.

One in ten Romanians has at least one drink in bars or restaurants, and the daily frequency increases by 20% in summer, when terraces are very popular.

Romanians drink an average of 630ml of hot, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages per day, excluding water and milk.

The study was conducted on consumers between the ages of 18 and 60.

Every fifth Romanian drinks and smokes regularly

Almost a quarter of Romanian teenagers smoke regularly

Irina Popescu, [email protected]

Feteasca Neagra or Black Maiden and Black Fairy is the jewel of Romanian native grape varieties that has a thousand-year history. Seeds of Feteasca Neagra have been discovered in ancient remains from Romania, more than 2000 years old.

For the Romanians, Feteasca Neagra wine is similar to a refined, difficult to tame, seductive and mysterious fairy that impresses with its presence, complexity and acidity, all very well balanced like an irresistible woman.

The grape is very versatile, it can get 200 to 240 grams of sugar per liter, if harvested late it can get 270 grams. Acidity can be more than 7 g/l in tartaric acid for crops up to 7-8 tons/ha.

It is possible to obtain special rosé and red wines.

After aging in oak barrels and subsequent bottle aging, the maximum potential is reached, resulting in high quality wines with strong typicity.

Depending on the winemaking technique, the wines have a variety of aromas and fine tannins, good acidity, medium to full body and often more than 13.5% alcohol.

It is typical to have aromas of dried plums, blackberries and black blueberries along with nice black pepper, vanilla and coffee flavors and for the aged wines, toasty and skin senses.

Reading time: 8 minutes

Here are a few things you should know about Moldova as a wine country. First, wine is constitutionally recognized as a food. In March 2017, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova declared wine a food product. The new law allows wine to be sold in shops after 10pm; Advertising of wine products in the mass media is also allowed. Secondly, there is a holiday dedicated to wine. Along with the declared holiday, an annual national wine festival is held in the capital city of Chișinău on the first weekend of October. Third, it houses the largest wine cellar and wine collection in the world. The state winery Mileștii Mici contains around 2,000,000 bottles of wine and has a 200-kilometer cellar, of which 55 kilometers are currently in use. Fourth, Moldova has the highest density of vineyards in the world: 3.8% of the country’s territory and 7% of arable land. Fifth, the wine sector accounts for almost 10% of Moldova’s labor force.

The Kremlin Split

Wedged between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova is a landlocked country in the Black Sea Basin – an area where the history of wine stretches back thousands of years and where some Black Sea countries claim to be the birthplace of wine. Along with Georgia, Moldova was one of the two most productive wine states of the Soviet Union. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Moldova’s independence, Moldova continued to supply inexpensive bulk wine to Russia. To serve the Russian market, Moldova’s wine production was dominated by semi-sweet and semi-sweet wines, which were favored by Russians, in addition to a focus on quantity over quality.

The usual build-up was disrupted in 2006 – and again in 2013 – when Russia imposed an embargo on Moldovan wine. In 2006, when Russia accounted for over 80% of Moldova’s wine exports, the embargo plunged Moldova into a deep recession.

What do you do when trust is broken and you feel betrayed? You turn away, run as far away as you can, and try never to look back.

After the 2013 embargo, American journalist Nicholas Kristof wrote in a political article for The New York Times: “If there were an Olympic competition for the bravest country in the world, the gold medal could very well go to Moldova.”

Moldova took an international approach to find new export markets and sustainable growth. A key challenge that emerged from this shift was satisfying the new customers and investors, who had different psychographics and taste preferences than Russians. Verified Moldovan wine producers began their march from quantity to quality and from bulk to bottle.

Exotic wine tours meet Moldavian wine

We had our first taste of Moldovan wine when judging at the International Wine Competition Bucharest (IWCB) 2018 and several of them scored well between 85 and 94 points. So when we received our invitation to visit Moldova’s wine regions, we accepted with enthusiasm and high expectations. The week-long trip provided us with a comprehensive overview of Moldova’s three wine regions, along with some powerful observations on the past, present and future of Moldovan wine.

During the week we tasted more than 150 wines from over 20 producers. We met with oenologists from some of the largest wineries in Moldova, small producers, winemakers who have just started commercializing their wines, wine growers, wine bar owners, representatives of the tourist board and several other key players in wine and tourism industries. Our expectations were exceeded by the quality of Moldovan wines, the above representatives and the human spirit that inevitably upholds the collective vision of the Moldovan wine world.

Moldova: born for wine

Moldova has 112,000 hectares of vineyards planted with over 50 types of grape varieties, of which 10% are local, 17% Caucasian and 73% European grape varieties.

The country is at similar latitudes to the world’s classic wine regions, such as Bordeaux and Piedmont. Coupled with low hills, sun-drenched plains, flowing rivers and a temperate continental climate with influences from the Black Sea, Moldova offers suitable conditions for growing high-quality wine grapes.

There are three Moldovan wine regions with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI): Codru (Central Modolva), Valul lui Traian (South-West Moldova) and Ștefan Vodă (South-East Moldova). The latter two are better known for red wines due to their southern location and slightly warmer climate. However, there are also some cool-climate red wines from the Codru region that are worthy of aging. At the other end of the spectrum, Moldova has lots of aromatic white grapes and the wines made from these grapes tend to be fresh and floral. Other styles made in Moldova are sparkling and sweet. The latter includes ice wines, which can be outstanding and are among the best in the world – especially when you consider their value for money. The former consists of generally plain wines with fewer than a handful of exceptions; However, Moldovan sparkling wine has a history that dates back to the 1950s, when the deep limestone quarries at the Cricova Winery (second largest winery in the world, with 120 kilometers of underground tunnel going as far as 100 meters underground) and The Mileștii Mici Winery proved ideal for aging and storing sparkling wine using the traditional method.

Map of Moldova’s wine regions, from Wine of Moldova.

International for good reason

The Moldovan wine industry is largely dependent on international grapes. While first impressions may seem weak for this reason, there are several commendable Bordeaux-style blends that rank highly for their value for money and will satisfy discerning drinkers over a weekday business lunch. Most international red varietals – such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Syrah – are also ideal for blending with local varieties. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are expectedly ubiquitous white varieties and are also found in Moldova.

The Château Vartely Taraboste Roșu, a Bordeaux blend, was the first Moldovan wine we tasted. It has won several gold medals in international competitions.

The Fautor Fumé Blanc 2016 receives 90 points from Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate.

Recommended white wines: Asconi Sol Negre Chardonnay 2015, Cricova Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut NV, Château Vartely Taraboste Alb 2017, Château Purcari Alb de Purcari 2017, Fautor Illustro Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Rhein Riesling 2016

Recommended red wines: Minis Terrios Negru Împărat 2016, Vinaria Nobila Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Castel Mimi Merlot Reserve 2012 & Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2012, Château Vartely Taraboste Roşu 2015, Mileştii Mici Codru 2009, Fautor Illustro Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Equinox Echinoctus 2015 Cristi Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines 2016

Moldovan wine goes global

Moldova shares a long history with neighboring Romania. As such, both Romanian-speaking countries also share a number of native varieties. These grapes, both in blends and as varietal wines, produce Moldova’s most memorable wines.

Produced by Minis Terrios Winery, Roșu Împărat is an elegant blend of Fetească Neagră, Rara Neagrăa and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The main local red grape varieties are Fetească Neagră and Rara Neagră (known as Băbească Neagră in Romania). The important white counterparts are Alb de Onițcani, Fetească Albă, Fetească Regală, Plavai and Viorica.

Eastern European grape varieties such as Bastardo Magarachsky, Rkatsiteli and Saperavi are also grown. Despite Saperavi’s Georgian origins, it thrives exceptionally well in Moldova and provides an impressive backbone for the deepest Moldovan red blends. The best dry Moldovan reds we tasted were made from either Moldovan varieties, Georgian varieties, or both.

Bad Boys from the Carpe Diem winery is a blend of Fetească Neagră and Saperavi. It’s bold, structured, complex and age-worthy.

Recommended white wines: Novak Alb de Onitcani 2017, ATÚ Viorica 2018, Cricova Crisecco NV, Château Vartely Fetească Regală 2018, Salcuta Winemaker’s Way Alb de Onitcani 2018, Kazayak Viorica 2018

Recommended red wines: Minis Terrios Roșu Împărat 2015, Carpe Diem Bad Boys 2016, Vinaria Nobila Fetească Neagră 2014, ATÚ Calibru 2017, Château Vartely Individo Rara Neagra 2017 & Individo Saperavi 2017, Mileștii Mici Pur15 Egru de Mileștii Ecartii 1987, Salnocuta 1520 Negru de Purcari 2015 & Roșu de Purcari 2015, Fautor Negre 2016, Gitana Lupi Rezerva 2015, Gogu Metafora 2017

Moldovan wine finds its sweet spot

The first Moldovan wine that impressed us was an ice wine made from Riesling. During our visit to Moldova, we were thrilled to learn that this wine was no accident.

Founded in 1827, Château Purcari is the oldest existing winery in Moldova. While the winery is famous for its reds, this ice wine shows it’s no one-trick pony.

Many exceptional botrytized sweet wines and ice wines are produced in all three Moldovan wine regions. Ice wine can be made in Moldova almost every year since winter usually falls below -7 degrees Celsius. What further strengthens this “Moldovan sweet spot” are various varietals used to make sweet wines, including Muscat Ottonel, Traminer (Gewürtztraminer), Chardonnay, Rkatsiteli, Riesling and even Cabernet Sauvignon.

Recommended sweet wines: Asconi Rosé Icewine Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Castel Mimi Late Harvest Rkatsiteli 2013, Château Vartely Chardonnay dulce alb 2013, Mileștii Mici Margaritar 2005, Fautor Ice Wine Traminer Muscat Ottonel 2016, Ialoveni Reserva Pelicular 1995

Divin, Moldova’s cognac

Moldova, along with Armenia, was known in the Soviet Union for its brandy production. At that time these spirits were called cognac. Since 1909, however, only grape brandy produced in the Cognac region of France can legally be labeled as cognac. As a result, Moldovan grape brandy had to be rebranded and rebranded if it was to have any share of the international market in the post-Soviet era.

Like cognac, Divin now carries the PGI. With a tradition of over 100 years in Moldova, Divin is made by double distillation of grape-based alcohol and aging in oak barrels for at least three years. Depending on the length of maturation, Divin offers a range of scents and flavors: from flowers and spices to caramel and tobacco. The best Divin, like Cognac, is smooth on the palate and balanced in flavor, with a wealth of flavors that linger into a long finish.

An entry-level Divin in a half-litre bottle usually costs less than five euros in stores. Expect to pay 15 to 20 euros for a serious Divin who is 10 years old and should appeal to experienced cognac drinkers. For a truly hedonistic Divin who has matured for 20 years, the price goes up to 80 euros and more. The increase is limitless; 50 year old Divin also exists.

Fine divin at the age of 20.

Moldovan wine, the wine of change

Today, the wine industry accounts for 2% of Moldova’s gross domestic product and 6% of the country’s total exports, and Moldovan wines are available in over 50 countries around the world. These numbers speak for themselves: while success is always in the works, the Moldovan wine industry has clearly evolved from an unhealthy dependence on one country to a robust export portfolio.

However, other challenges remain, including selling more wines at higher prices, rebranding Moldova as a quality wine-producing country, increasing domestic consumption, upgrading infrastructures and the service sector to boost the whole value chain, and upgrading cultural significance of Moldovan wine. However, the need to address these challenges comes at just the right time, as a new generation of internationally educated winemakers and cosmopolitan minds are poised to step forward and take the lead in this time of change.

Mihaela Sirbu, who studied hotel management in Switzerland and worked in the tourism sector in Abu Dhabi, joined her family business at Asconi Winery in 2017. “With my international background in hospitality, I hope we will be able to showcase the most authentic Moldovan traditions while following the latest wine tourism trends,” she said.

Sirbu is now responsible for the tourism development of the winery while her brother takes care of the vineyards. Her father, the founder of Asconi Winery, continues to oversee all operations of the winery, which includes wine production, two restaurants and 20 guest rooms. With the wide offer at the winery, the family team aims to bring more people from home and abroad to experience the culture of Moldova through wine.

With more than 500 hectares of vineyards, Asconi Winery is one of the largest private wineries in Moldova and one of the many case studies on how wine and entrepreneurship can be a key lever in nation building in Moldova.

“During the Soviet era, we didn’t have family-owned wineries at all, just state-owned mega-wineries of hundreds and thousands of hectares,” said Ion Luca, former president of the Moldovan Small Wine Producers Association, winemaker and owner of Carpe Diem Winery and owner of Carpe Diem Wine Shop & Bar.

Luca was the first president of the Moldovan Small Wine Producers Association, which was founded in 2008. To become a member of the association, a producer must have less than 20 hectares of vineyards and an annual production of no more than 100,000 liters.

Describing the members of the Moldovan Small Wine Producers Association, Luca said: “We are a group of people who started from scratch in a boutique winery style and we make limited quantities of wine. In order to place our wine in local and international markets, we need to join together in an association so that we can share our efforts to promote our wines at local and international fairs, organize events together, educate consumers together and also care about the wines to use and stand up for them ‘little guys’.”

Small producers are often squeezed off restaurant wine lists and shelf space because they do not have the financial means to compete with large producers. To counteract this, Luca Carpe founded Diem Wine Shop & Bar in the center of Chisinau, where wines from small producers are under one roof.

Why drink Moldovan wine?

Drinking Moldovan wine means taking a stand for the country, supporting a revolution, promoting resilience, promoting wine diversity and paving a future for the entire wine industry. A glass of Moldovan wine represents how the human spirit prevails in the midst of adversity. It means helping more Old World wine countries to re-emerge and rewrite modern wine history.

Wine can be simply a drink, but it can also be symbolic. If there are two primary considerations we would make when buying wine, it would be: “Are we supporting something we should be supporting?” and “Are we doing our part to promote diversity in the wine world?”

Moldova may be a small corner of the wine world, but it has the ability to show us something new that we don’t know about wine yet. If we give Moldovan wine a chance today.

You might also enjoy:

Article: A journey through Moldova in 15 wines

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We were on a press trip organized by the Moldova Competitiveness Project funded by USAID and Sweden in cooperation with Wine of Moldova. Our travel, meals and accommodation were taken care of by the organizers. However, please note that the opinions expressed in this article were unsolicited and were not paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as this would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. Occasionally we expand the option to purchase the wines we have reviewed and/or the products we have highlighted. Some of these product links are established through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel will earn referral credit if you purchase these items through the links we provide.

Humans have been fermenting grapes into wine for thousands of years, and today wine is consumed around the world alongside other popular beverages such as coffee, beer, and other forms of alcohol. Despite the worldwide popularity of wine, its production is quite an exclusive industry. Four countries – France, Italy, Spain and the United States – produce more than half of the world’s wine, and a full 85% is produced by a small group of just 28 of the world’s 193+ countries.

Annual world wine production averages 260-270 million ha, with peak years of nearly 300 (295 in 2004, 294 in 2018) and troughs of around 250 (255 in 2002 and 248 in 2017). Ultimately, while full data is pending, 2021 could see a lower total than 2017. This is due in large part to late frosts in Italy, Spain and especially France, which together produce about half of all the world’s wine, as well as wildfires in California, where 85% of US wine is produced.

Many of the world’s top wine producers also top the list of countries consuming the most wine. However, the population has a massive influence on consumption rankings. For example, while the United States, France and Italy are the top three countries in terms of total wine consumption, per capita consumption – as in the amount of wine a typical resident of that country drinks per year – ranks the top spot belongs to Portugal, and three populous countries – the United States, China and Russia – fall out of the top 10 entirely.

Top 10 countries with the most wine consumption overall – 2020 (million hectoliters):

United States — 33.0 France — 24.7 Italy — 24.5 Germany — 19.8 United Kingdom — 13.3 China — 12.4 Russia — 10.3 Spain — 9.6 Argentina — 9.4 Australia — 5 ,7

Top 10 countries with the most wine consumption per capita – 2020 (litres):**

Portugal — 51.9 Italy — 46.6 France — 46.0 Switzerland — 35.7 Austria — 29.9 Australia — 27.8 Argentina — 27.6 Germany — 27.5 Sweden — 27.0 Netherlands — 24.2

** List excludes countries with less than 2 Mhl total domestic consumption.

While overall global wine consumption has declined slightly in recent years, the industry remains healthy. In fact, wine production and consumption continues to increase in the southern hemisphere, particularly in South America. This trend is illustrated by the presence of several southern countries that are among the world’s top wine exporters.

Top 15 wine exporting countries in the world 2020:

Reading time: 8 minutes

Here are a few things you should know about Moldova as a wine country. First, wine is constitutionally recognized as a food. In March 2017, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova declared wine a food product. The new law allows wine to be sold in shops after 10pm; Advertising of wine products in the mass media is also allowed. Secondly, there is a holiday dedicated to wine. Along with the declared holiday, an annual national wine festival is held in the capital city of Chișinău on the first weekend of October. Third, it houses the largest wine cellar and wine collection in the world. The state winery Mileștii Mici contains around 2,000,000 bottles of wine and has a 200-kilometer cellar, of which 55 kilometers are currently in use. Fourth, Moldova has the highest density of vineyards in the world: 3.8% of the country’s territory and 7% of arable land. Fifth, the wine sector accounts for almost 10% of Moldova’s labor force.

The Kremlin Split

Wedged between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova is a landlocked country in the Black Sea Basin – an area where the history of wine stretches back thousands of years and where some Black Sea countries claim to be the birthplace of wine. Along with Georgia, Moldova was one of the two most productive wine states of the Soviet Union. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Moldova’s independence, Moldova continued to supply inexpensive bulk wine to Russia. To serve the Russian market, Moldova’s wine production was dominated by semi-sweet and semi-sweet wines, which were favored by Russians, in addition to a focus on quantity over quality.

The usual build-up was disrupted in 2006 – and again in 2013 – when Russia imposed an embargo on Moldovan wine. In 2006, when Russia accounted for over 80% of Moldova’s wine exports, the embargo plunged Moldova into a deep recession.

What do you do when trust is broken and you feel betrayed? You turn away, run as far away as you can, and try never to look back.

After the 2013 embargo, American journalist Nicholas Kristof wrote in a political article for The New York Times: “If there were an Olympic competition for the bravest country in the world, the gold medal could very well go to Moldova.”

Moldova took an international approach to find new export markets and sustainable growth. A key challenge that emerged from this shift was satisfying the new customers and investors, who had different psychographics and taste preferences than Russians. Verified Moldovan wine producers began their march from quantity to quality and from bulk to bottle.

Exotic wine tours meet Moldavian wine

We had our first taste of Moldovan wine when judging at the International Wine Competition Bucharest (IWCB) 2018 and several of them scored well between 85 and 94 points. So when we received our invitation to visit Moldova’s wine regions, we accepted with enthusiasm and high expectations. The week-long trip provided us with a comprehensive overview of Moldova’s three wine regions, along with some powerful observations on the past, present and future of Moldovan wine.

During the week we tasted more than 150 wines from over 20 producers. We met with oenologists from some of the largest wineries in Moldova, small producers, winemakers who have just started commercializing their wines, wine growers, wine bar owners, representatives of the tourist board and several other key players in wine and tourism industries. Our expectations were exceeded by the quality of Moldovan wines, the above representatives and the human spirit that inevitably upholds the collective vision of the Moldovan wine world.

Moldova: born for wine

Moldova has 112,000 hectares of vineyards planted with over 50 types of grape varieties, of which 10% are local, 17% Caucasian and 73% European grape varieties.

The country is at similar latitudes to the world’s classic wine regions, such as Bordeaux and Piedmont. Coupled with low hills, sun-drenched plains, flowing rivers and a temperate continental climate with influences from the Black Sea, Moldova offers suitable conditions for growing high-quality wine grapes.

There are three Moldovan wine regions with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI): Codru (Central Modolva), Valul lui Traian (South-West Moldova) and Ștefan Vodă (South-East Moldova). The latter two are better known for red wines due to their southern location and slightly warmer climate. However, there are also some cool-climate red wines from the Codru region that are worthy of aging. At the other end of the spectrum, Moldova has lots of aromatic white grapes and the wines made from these grapes tend to be fresh and floral. Other styles made in Moldova are sparkling and sweet. The latter includes ice wines, which can be outstanding and are among the best in the world – especially when you consider their value for money. The former consists of generally plain wines with fewer than a handful of exceptions; However, Moldovan sparkling wine has a history that dates back to the 1950s, when the deep limestone quarries at the Cricova Winery (second largest winery in the world, with 120 kilometers of underground tunnel going as far as 100 meters underground) and The Mileștii Mici Winery proved ideal for aging and storing sparkling wine using the traditional method.

Map of Moldova’s wine regions, from Wine of Moldova.

International for good reason

The Moldovan wine industry is largely dependent on international grapes. While first impressions may seem weak for this reason, there are several commendable Bordeaux-style blends that rank highly for their value for money and will satisfy discerning drinkers over a weekday business lunch. Most international red varietals – such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Syrah – are also ideal for blending with local varieties. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are expectedly ubiquitous white varieties and are also found in Moldova.

The Château Vartely Taraboste Roșu, a Bordeaux blend, was the first Moldovan wine we tasted. It has won several gold medals in international competitions.

The Fautor Fumé Blanc 2016 receives 90 points from Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate.

Recommended white wines: Asconi Sol Negre Chardonnay 2015, Cricova Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut NV, Château Vartely Taraboste Alb 2017, Château Purcari Alb de Purcari 2017, Fautor Illustro Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Rhein Riesling 2016

Recommended red wines: Minis Terrios Negru Împărat 2016, Vinaria Nobila Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Castel Mimi Merlot Reserve 2012 & Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2012, Château Vartely Taraboste Roşu 2015, Mileştii Mici Codru 2009, Fautor Illustro Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Equinox Echinoctus 2015 Cristi Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines 2016

Moldovan wine goes global

Moldova shares a long history with neighboring Romania. As such, both Romanian-speaking countries also share a number of native varieties. These grapes, both in blends and as varietal wines, produce Moldova’s most memorable wines.

Produced by Minis Terrios Winery, Roșu Împărat is an elegant blend of Fetească Neagră, Rara Neagrăa and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The main local red grape varieties are Fetească Neagră and Rara Neagră (known as Băbească Neagră in Romania). The important white counterparts are Alb de Onițcani, Fetească Albă, Fetească Regală, Plavai and Viorica.

Eastern European grape varieties such as Bastardo Magarachsky, Rkatsiteli and Saperavi are also grown. Despite Saperavi’s Georgian origins, it thrives exceptionally well in Moldova and provides an impressive backbone for the deepest Moldovan red blends. The best dry Moldovan reds we tasted were made from either Moldovan varieties, Georgian varieties, or both.

Bad Boys from the Carpe Diem winery is a blend of Fetească Neagră and Saperavi. It’s bold, structured, complex and age-worthy.

Recommended white wines: Novak Alb de Onitcani 2017, ATÚ Viorica 2018, Cricova Crisecco NV, Château Vartely Fetească Regală 2018, Salcuta Winemaker’s Way Alb de Onitcani 2018, Kazayak Viorica 2018

Recommended red wines: Minis Terrios Roșu Împărat 2015, Carpe Diem Bad Boys 2016, Vinaria Nobila Fetească Neagră 2014, ATÚ Calibru 2017, Château Vartely Individo Rara Neagra 2017 & Individo Saperavi 2017, Mileștii Mici Pur15 Egru de Mileștii Ecartii 1987, Salnocuta 1520 Negru de Purcari 2015 & Roșu de Purcari 2015, Fautor Negre 2016, Gitana Lupi Rezerva 2015, Gogu Metafora 2017

Moldovan wine finds its sweet spot

The first Moldovan wine that impressed us was an ice wine made from Riesling. During our visit to Moldova, we were thrilled to learn that this wine was no accident.

Founded in 1827, Château Purcari is the oldest existing winery in Moldova. While the winery is famous for its reds, this ice wine shows it’s no one-trick pony.

Many exceptional botrytized sweet wines and ice wines are produced in all three Moldovan wine regions. Ice wine can be made in Moldova almost every year since winter usually falls below -7 degrees Celsius. What further strengthens this “Moldovan sweet spot” are various varietals used to make sweet wines, including Muscat Ottonel, Traminer (Gewürtztraminer), Chardonnay, Rkatsiteli, Riesling and even Cabernet Sauvignon.

Recommended sweet wines: Asconi Rosé Icewine Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Castel Mimi Late Harvest Rkatsiteli 2013, Château Vartely Chardonnay dulce alb 2013, Mileștii Mici Margaritar 2005, Fautor Ice Wine Traminer Muscat Ottonel 2016, Ialoveni Reserva Pelicular 1995

Divin, Moldova’s cognac

Moldova, along with Armenia, was known in the Soviet Union for its brandy production. At that time these spirits were called cognac. Since 1909, however, only grape brandy produced in the Cognac region of France can legally be labeled as cognac. As a result, Moldovan grape brandy had to be rebranded and rebranded if it was to have any share of the international market in the post-Soviet era.

Like cognac, Divin now carries the PGI. With a tradition of over 100 years in Moldova, Divin is made by double distillation of grape-based alcohol and aging in oak barrels for at least three years. Depending on the length of maturation, Divin offers a range of scents and flavors: from flowers and spices to caramel and tobacco. The best Divin, like Cognac, is smooth on the palate and balanced in flavor, with a wealth of flavors that linger into a long finish.

An entry-level Divin in a half-litre bottle usually costs less than five euros in stores. Expect to pay 15 to 20 euros for a serious Divin who is 10 years old and should appeal to experienced cognac drinkers. For a truly hedonistic Divin who has matured for 20 years, the price goes up to 80 euros and more. The increase is limitless; 50 year old Divin also exists.

Fine divin at the age of 20.

Moldovan wine, the wine of change

Today, the wine industry accounts for 2% of Moldova’s gross domestic product and 6% of the country’s total exports, and Moldovan wines are available in over 50 countries around the world. These numbers speak for themselves: while success is always in the works, the Moldovan wine industry has clearly evolved from an unhealthy dependence on one country to a robust export portfolio.

However, other challenges remain, including selling more wines at higher prices, rebranding Moldova as a quality wine-producing country, increasing domestic consumption, upgrading infrastructures and the service sector to boost the whole value chain, and upgrading cultural significance of Moldovan wine. However, the need to address these challenges comes at just the right time, as a new generation of internationally educated winemakers and cosmopolitan minds are poised to step forward and take the lead in this time of change.

Mihaela Sirbu, who studied hotel management in Switzerland and worked in the tourism sector in Abu Dhabi, joined her family business at Asconi Winery in 2017. “With my international background in hospitality, I hope we will be able to showcase the most authentic Moldovan traditions while following the latest wine tourism trends,” she said.

Sirbu is now responsible for the tourism development of the winery while her brother takes care of the vineyards. Her father, the founder of Asconi Winery, continues to oversee all operations of the winery, which includes wine production, two restaurants and 20 guest rooms. With the wide offer at the winery, the family team aims to bring more people from home and abroad to experience the culture of Moldova through wine.

With more than 500 hectares of vineyards, Asconi Winery is one of the largest private wineries in Moldova and one of the many case studies on how wine and entrepreneurship can be a key lever in nation building in Moldova.

“During the Soviet era, we didn’t have family-owned wineries at all, just state-owned mega-wineries of hundreds and thousands of hectares,” said Ion Luca, former president of the Moldovan Small Wine Producers Association, winemaker and owner of Carpe Diem Winery and owner of Carpe Diem Wine Shop & Bar.

Luca was the first president of the Moldovan Small Wine Producers Association, which was founded in 2008. To become a member of the association, a producer must have less than 20 hectares of vineyards and an annual production of no more than 100,000 liters.

Describing the members of the Moldovan Small Wine Producers Association, Luca said: “We are a group of people who started from scratch in a boutique winery style and we make limited quantities of wine. In order to place our wine in local and international markets, we need to join together in an association so that we can share our efforts to promote our wines at local and international fairs, organize events together, educate consumers together and also care about the wines to use and stand up for them ‘little guys’.”

Small producers are often squeezed off restaurant wine lists and shelf space because they do not have the financial means to compete with large producers. To counteract this, Luca Carpe founded Diem Wine Shop & Bar in the center of Chisinau, where wines from small producers are under one roof.

Why drink Moldovan wine?

Drinking Moldovan wine means taking a stand for the country, supporting a revolution, promoting resilience, promoting wine diversity and paving a future for the entire wine industry. A glass of Moldovan wine represents how the human spirit prevails in the midst of adversity. It means helping more Old World wine countries to re-emerge and rewrite modern wine history.

Wine can be simply a drink, but it can also be symbolic. If there are two primary considerations we would make when buying wine, it would be: “Are we supporting something we should be supporting?” and “Are we doing our part to promote diversity in the wine world?”

Moldova may be a small corner of the wine world, but it has the ability to show us something new that we don’t know about wine yet. If we give Moldovan wine a chance today.

You might also enjoy:

Article: A journey through Moldova in 15 wines

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We were on a press trip organized by the Moldova Competitiveness Project funded by USAID and Sweden in cooperation with Wine of Moldova. Our travel, meals and accommodation were taken care of by the organizers. However, please note that the opinions expressed in this article were unsolicited and were not paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as this would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. Occasionally we expand the option to purchase the wines we have reviewed and/or the products we have highlighted. Some of these product links are established through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel will earn referral credit if you purchase these items through the links we provide.

This article is about the main brands of beer produced and served in Romania, and also revolves around the history of this drink on the territory of the Romanian lands, since at least the Romanian Old Kingdom period (especially during the late modern period). contemporary times. This article also focuses on local breweries and craft beer.

Overview [ edit ]

A national beer association with Mititei emerged during the Romanian War of Independence in 1877 and thereafter there was a proliferation of beer pubs throughout the Romanian kingdom. The beer bars (berării) became a place of social and business meeting for the Romanian urban middle class. Currently, Romanians are among the heaviest beer drinkers in the world, with an annual consumption of over 100 liters (22 imperial gallons; 26 US gallons) per capita in 2007.[1]

According to Romanian law, beer and wine are considered food and are therefore not subject to the usual duties and restrictions for alcoholic beverages. The Romanian word “bier” (bere) derives from German beer (itself an early borrowing from Latin biber), but there is also an obsolete regional word “olovină” of Norse origin (ole; Danish: øl) and related to ale .

Brands [edit]

Some of the most commercially consumed Romanian beers are: Ursus (Latin for “bear”), Timișoreana (named after the town of Timișoara), Stejar (Romanian for “oak tree”) – all owned by Asahi, Bergenbier – owned by Molson Coors , Ciuc (named after Miercurea Ciuc) and Silva (Latin for “forest”) – owned by Heineken. Silva and Ursus also have a dark storage variety.

Some international brands are brewed locally and are very popular but sometimes more expensive than the traditional ones: Heineken, Carlsberg, Stella Artois, Beck’s, Tuborg, Holsten, Peroni, Staropramen and Skol.

Also, there are a large number of beers, usually sold in 2 liter PET bottles, aimed at the low-end market. Examples are: Ciucaș, Golden Brau, Bürger, Neumarkt, Bucegi, Gambrinus, Azuga, Noroc, Albacher.

Breweries[ edit ]

The largest brewing companies in Romania are Ursus Breweries, owned by Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd., which has three breweries in Brașov, Buzău and Timișoara,[2] and Heineken Romania (formerly called Brau Union Romania), which also has four breweries in Constanţa, Craiova, Miercurea Ciuc and Târgu Mureş.[3]

Other big companies are Bergenbier, owned by Molson Coors, which has facilities in Blaj and Ploiești,[4] and Tuborg Romania (officially called United Romanian Breweries), part of the Carlsberg Group, which has a brewery in Pantelimon.[5]

Other national companies are European Drinks, which owns a brewery in Sudrigiu,[6] Romaqua Group, which owns a brewery near Alba Iulia,[7] Albrau, based in Onești, which produces its own brands of beer as well as special brands for Supermarket or hypermarket chains.[8] and Martens (the former Robbere Brewery) Galaţi, owned since 1998 by Bierbrouwerij Martens of Belgium, which also produces both specialty beer brands and its own brands.[9] Two other smaller companies, mainly active regionally, are Bermas based in Suceava[10] and Imex based in Satu Mare[11]. The Imex brewery was taken over by Sam Mills and has been brewing Samburger beer since 2016.[12]

Romanian craft beer [ edit ]

Wicked Barrel & Bereta, The Black Pot

The microbrewery Clinica de Bere has existed in Timișoara since 2011 with its main brand Terapia. In 2013, Alexandru Geamănu and Laurențiu Bănescu founded the Fabrica de Bere Bună (Factory of Good Beer) microbrewery with its main brand Zăganu in Măneciu-Ungureni. 13] In 2014, a brewer founded Csíki Sör Manufaktúrát in Sânsimion in cooperation with Sapientia University.[14] In 2017 they were ordered to change their name because Heineken has already registered Ciuc beer as a trademark, Igazi Csíki Sör means “Real Ciuc beer”.

In 2013, Leonard Mihoc founded his brewery Nemțeana on Roman.[15] In April 2015, brothers Alin and Răzvan Matache opened a microbrewery in Bucharest and started brewing different types of beer. Their main brand is Ground Zero Beer.[16]

Hop Hooligans brewery was founded in Jilava in 2016 and quickly gained popularity with bold collaborations and an ever-changing selection of new beers. They are also among the few independent brewers to have attracted international interest. Since 2019 they have participated in numerous craft beer festivals and tap takeovers across Europe.

In February 2017, the gypsy brewery Wicked Barrel started its activities. Their debut beer – an imperial stout brewed in collaboration with Bereta called The Black Pot – shot to number one in Romania on RateBeer.com in its first week of sales.

In 2018, Wicked Barrel was named the second best new brewery in the world at the RateBeer Best Awards, out of a total of over 6400 breweries.

The craft beer industry has grown exponentially since 2015 and currently comprises around 50 breweries with an annual output of less than 5000 hectoliters. To keep up with the growth, a number of online resources are now available such as: B. the Universitatea de Bere, which regularly publishes beer reviews and podcasts, or Beerologique, the Romanian craft beer database, which caters to an international audience and keeps track of every single brewery in the country.

Gallery [ edit ]

Ciucaș Brewery in Brașov

Ursus Brewery in Cluj-Napoca

The old beer factory in Timisoara

Local Romanian beer pub in 1970.

Non-Alcoholic Golden Brew

Ursus beer

Ursus beer

Csíki handmade beer brewed in Transylvania.

See also[edit]

Over the years, Romanian wine has attracted countless European businessmen and wine lovers, mainly due to the affordable prices compared to countries like Italy, France or Germany. But Romania’s wine culture has a long history. Thousands of years ago, vines grew wild in the historical regions that make up present-day Romania. The Vitis Silvestrii species, for example, was indigenous to the oak forests and was the basis of the famous Dacian grapevine.

The geographic region of Romania has traditionally been one of Europe’s largest wine producers, with even Napoleon himself being a big fan of his varietals, but the wine industry declined after 1990 due to numerous economic factors. Today, according to the latest statistics, Romania is the 13th largest wine producer in the world and the 6th largest in Europe, and Romania’s wine production has been continuously improving over the past decade. The country is home to more than 250 wine cellars, but only 140 of them produce and sell bottled wine. Most of Romania’s wine cellars can be visited all year round, but they are at their most attractive between April and October. Wine tasting can be organized at most wineries, with the main departure cities being Bucharest, Iasi and Cluj-Napoca.

Romanian wine regions:

Viticulture Romania – The Road of Romanian Wine and Vine

In Romania, grapevines can be grown on most of the country, from the Danube River in the south to the northern regions of Moldova and Maramures, and they can range from Romanian grape varieties to international wine varieties. The only areas where wine cannot be produced are counties of Brasov, Covasna, Harghita (due to their high altitude) and Suceava.

Therefore, a journey on the Route of Vines and Wines requires us to travel almost the entire territory of Romania to find the best wine region. We will first discover some of Moldova’s wines and wineries, continue to Dobrogea, drive through Wallachia, reach the western regions of Banat, Crisana and Maramures and wrap it all up with Transylvania.

In Moldova, the vineyards cover an area of ​​90,000 hectares, stretching from the northern region of Botosani to the southern region of Vrancea, known as Dealurile Moldovei. Besides the numerous vineyards, Moldova is also home to the International Wine and Wine Festival “Bachus” in Vrancea.

1. Cotnari Winery

Grasă de Cotnari grapes. Photo source: Cotnari Facebook page

Cotnari is an important wine-growing municipality in Romania and is best known for its Grasă de Cotnari, a vine variety that has been cultivated since the reign of Stephen the Great (1457-1504).

Grasă de Cotnari is a botrytized white wine with a high residual sugar content that can reach up to 300 g/litre. A well-made wine has a golden yellow hue and, despite its high sugar content, retains a fine acid structure and between 11.5 and 14% alcohol by volume. It ages well; its color darkens from a pale yellow to a dark yellow with an orange note in it. A good Grasă de Cotnari should have a pronounced bouquet of apricots, walnuts and almonds and be enjoyed at a temperature of around 10-12 degrees Celsius.

Besides Grasă de Cotnari, the winery also produces Tămâioasă Românească, Fetească Albă and Francușă, all made from local grapes.

2. Bohotin

Grasă de Cotnari grapes. Photo source: ParadisVerde.ro

Another important wine-growing region is Iasi, which is home to several wine-growing centers: Copou, Bucium, Uricani, Comarna, Plugari and Probota. Besides Cotnari in Iasi County, you will also find Bohotin, another important wine-growing municipality. The settlement is known for its Busuioacă de Bohotin, a light Romanian sweet red wine with an aroma reminiscent of honeysuckle and ripe, juicy peaches, made from a local red grape variety. It usually has a sugar content of just over 40g/litre and between 11.5 and 12.5% ​​alcohol by volume. Busuioaca de Bohotin can be beautifully aged for up to 20 years and the wine is also produced in Vaslui, Buzau and Prahova counties on a total area of ​​around 100 hectares.

3. Averesti Winery

Averesti Winery was built in 1874 and is located in the north-eastern part of Moldova on the Husi vineyards. The vines have been grown here for thousands of years, and today the winery covers 550 hectares, filled with local wine varieties such as Zghihara and Busuioaca, as well as international varieties. Each year a bottle of wine is buried in the coldest part of the wine cellar as an offering to the land and those who worked it in the past.

Zghihara de Huși is the most acidic Romanian wine and is characterized by its sour taste and sorrel aroma reminiscent of freshly picked apples. This type of wine has a green-yellow color, about 11% ABV and goes best with a traditional Romanian dish like tochitură or sarmale.

Another Romanian wine worth mentioning is the white cuvée Feteasca Regală, which can be dry, semi-sweet or sweet. The sweet wine goes perfectly with white meat, fruit and sweet cheeses and has a sugar content of 22 g/l and 12% alcohol by volume. The off-dry wine has a sugar content of 10 g/l and is excellent with traditional Romanian appetizers, seafood or white meat, and the dry wine is excellent with game and fine cheeses.

Dobrogea is one of the most important regions of Romania from a tourist point of view, mainly because of the Danube Delta. But the influence of the Black Sea plays an important role in the average temperature, making the country perfect for growing grapes.

4. Murfatlar Winery

Inside a Murfatlar wine shop. Photo source: CramaMurfatlar.ro

The Murfatlar vineyard covers an area of ​​approximately 2,600 hectares and its history begins in 1907 when grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Muscat Ottonel (a native grape variety) were planted experimentally here near the Black Sea. Due to their success, viticultural culture began to grow in the region, and in 1943 the Experimental Vinicultural Murfatlar Resort was established. Their varietal wines expanded to include varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Ottonel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

5. Vinuri de Macin (Macin Wines)

Wine stock in the Măcin Winery. Photo source: VinuriDeMacin.ro

The Alcovin-Măcin winery covers an area of ​​300 hectares and is the official wine supplier to the Romanian royal family. The winery has five major wine brands – Pelegrin, Curtea Regală, Renatus, Tres Rosae and Trei Brate, each producing a wide range of wines.

Aligoté Curtea Regală is one of the most popular wines. This young, refreshing white wine is dry with an average alcohol content and moderate acidity. It goes perfectly with white meat, especially oily fish, and with cheese products, and it was the favorite wine of King Michael of Romania.

Wallachia, made up of the historic regions of Muntenia and Oltenia, is home to one of Romania’s largest grapevine crops, covering an area of ​​104,000 hectares. Located in the southern part of Romania, the climate is slightly warmer than the rest of Romania; This region is known for its red and colored wines, but also for its excellent white wines.

6. Aurelia Visinescu – Domeniile Sahateni

The vineyards in Domeniile Săhăteni. Photo source: AureliaVisinescu.com

Located in Buzău County, Domeniile Săhăteni is a winery whose vineyards are located in the middle of Dealu Mare, a municipality known for its wine production and surrounded by the majestic Carpathian Mountains. Their vineyards cover an area of ​​82 hectares and their winemaking style combines Old World and New World techniques, producing wine batches ranging from 2,500 to 20,000 bottles.

The grape varieties grown at Domeniile Sahateni are both Romanian – Fetească Albă, Tămâioasă Românească, Fetească Neagră, and international – Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon and more. Over the years, the wines signed by Aurelia Vișinescu have gained international recognition in numerous prestigious competitions.

7. Domenile Tohani

The Tohani vineyards are located in the heart of the Romanian wine-growing center Dealu Mare, and official records speak of the existence of a vineyard in this area since 1773. In 1930, the Tohani vineyards became the royal property of Prince Nicholas of Romania via King Ferdinand’s second son I. of Romania. In 1948, Domeniile Tohani became state property and, in collaboration with renowned specialists from the Bordeaux region, a wine cellar was built, which is now a museum. The on-site winery houses more than 100,000 bottles of wine.

One important thing to mention is that Domeniile Tohani’s vineyards are located on the 45th parallel north, just like the famous French region of Bordeaux, with similar natural conditions. The extra sunny days allow the grapes to ripen better and accumulate more sugar, resulting in a really powerful and aromatic wine.

The vineyards cover an area of ​​500 hectares and their soil offers optimal conditions for the cultivation of Fetească Neagră. Their most valued wine is Apogeum, a dry red wine made from the Fetească Neagră grape variety, which was awarded the gold medal at the 2014 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, one of the most prestigious wine competitions in the world. Other types of wine grown at Domeniile Tohani are Romanian Pinot Noir, Tāmâiosā Româneascā, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Fetească Regală and more.

8. Lacerta Winery

Lacerta Winery. Photo source: lacertawinery.ro/en

The Lacerta

The winery covers an area of ​​82 hectares, 100 km northeast of Bucharest in Buzau County. This exquisite place invites its guests to explore their wine cellar, taste a glass of fine wine and admire one of the most beautiful vineyards in Romania from above. The winery produces numerous grape varieties, both local (Fetească Albă, Fetească Neagră) and international (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Burgundy Royal, Rhine Riesling).

Over the years they have tasted and experimented with numerous types of wine and currently offer four special wine collections:

The Vintage Collection

LacerA Cuvee Grand Prix

LacerA Dolce

LacerA gift collection

Thousands of hectares of land are cultivated in the Timiș and Caraș-Severin regions, and the wines produced here are appreciated all over the world. The first mentions of wine production in the Banat region

Dating back to the Roman Empire, there are legends that claim that Bachus, the Dacian god of wine, was born here.

One of the most famous local wines is Riesling from Banat, refreshing semi-sweet wines.

9. Cramele Recas (Recas Winery)

Vineyards of Recaş. Photo source: CrameleRecas.ro

The Recas vineyards cover an area of ​​about 1100 hectares and are one of the most important vineyards in the Banat. They produce a variety of white, red and rosé wines and focus on quality wines. Their products have been awarded medals and diplomas in numerous national and international competitions and are sold in more than 25 countries.

The western climate makes it difficult to produce red wines properly in this area, but the white wines are of very high quality, with a strong flavor and a tart and fruity character.

10. Padurea Silvana (Silvana Forest)

Silvana is one of the few regions in Romania where sparkling wine is made using the classic Champenoise method, fermenting it in its own bottle for at least a year at constant humidity and temperature.

Located in the Dealurile Silvanei region, Padurea Silvana is the northernmost winery in Romania. Its grape varieties include Fetească Regală, Pinot Noir, Muscat Ottonel, Fetească Albă, Chardonnay and Traminer.

Transylvania, a country known for its diversity and made famous by the infamous legend of Dracula. But not many know that this country has a climate perfect for white wines. In addition to local grape varieties such as Fetească Albă or Fetească Regală, many well-known wines such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are grown here. And although the best region for growing red wine is in southern Romania, Transylvania is quite successful in that too.

If you want to try and combine the Bran Castle experience in Transylvania with a wine tasting, be sure to check out our Dracula Castle Night Tour.

11. Liliac

Liliac Vineyards. Photo source: Wine Tourist Magazine

In Bistrița-Năsăud County you will find the remote village of Lechința, a land where wine was cultivated even before the Roman Empire by German settlers cultivating vines in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains.

Liliac has been producing wines in the heart of Transylvania since 2010, and some of its wine varieties include local and foreign varieties, such as Fetească Neagră, Muscat OttonelSauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Muscat Ottonel and Chardonnay. Working with international experts and a hard-working local team, they pick the grapes manually and handle them with care throughout the process. Whether you want to enjoy a quality golden wine with intense exotic flavors or a red-purple wine with hints of berries, Liliac’s wines are something to try.

12. Jidvei Winery

Jidvei Vineyards. Photo source: Jidvei Facebook page

Vine-growing in the Târnavelor region was first mentioned by Herodotus, and in 1200 the region was mentioned in official documents as Weinland – The Land of Wine. Jidvei Winery has a portfolio of more than 30 wines, but is known for its dry and semi-dry white wines. Jidvei grows traditional grape varieties such as Fetească Albă and Fetească Regală, as well as internationally renowned varieties such as Italian Riesling, Muscat Ottonel, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Jidvei is also a famous producer of sparkling wine and brandy.

Is Romanian wine good?

After introducing you to the premium wines of Romania, all we have to do is invite you to a tour where you can taste one of the best wines in Eastern Europe and probably the world.

With such a wide variety of grapes, drinking wine has never been so fun and eating to match has never been so easy.

Feteasca Neagra or Black Maiden and Black Fairy is the jewel of Romanian native grape varieties that has a thousand-year history. Seeds of Feteasca Neagra have been discovered in ancient remains from Romania, more than 2000 years old.

For the Romanians, Feteasca Neagra wine is similar to a refined, difficult to tame, seductive and mysterious fairy that impresses with its presence, complexity and acidity, all very well balanced like an irresistible woman.

The grape is very versatile, it can get 200 to 240 grams of sugar per liter, if harvested late it can get 270 grams. Acidity can be more than 7 g/l in tartaric acid for crops up to 7-8 tons/ha.

It is possible to obtain special rosé and red wines.

After aging in oak barrels and subsequent bottle aging, the maximum potential is reached, resulting in high quality wines with strong typicity.

Depending on the winemaking technique, the wines have a variety of aromas and fine tannins, good acidity, medium to full body and often more than 13.5% alcohol.

It is typical to have aromas of dried plums, blackberries and black blueberries along with nice black pepper, vanilla and coffee flavors and for the aged wines, toasty and skin senses.