Romania is one of the Latin country, which is surrounded by Slavic neighbors located in Eastern Europe. Romania is also among the biggest wine producers worldwide, and has increasing numbers of top-quality winemakers.
The first fact is that Romanian wines are always getting better
After Romania’s EU joining in the year 2007 Romania has begun the journey of putting Romanian wines on the radar. Access to post and pre accession funds, translated into:
Investments in technology in wine production
the removal of vines that are not high-quality.
Replanting vineyards with more genetic material.
The last 10 years have witnessed the rise of high-quality small Romanian winemakers. They take a different method of making wine as compared to the large volume producers. We believe that the best Romanian wine has become a no-no longer an exaggeration.
There is still plenty of low-quality production, which is high volume. Eurostat found that only one third of Romanian vineyards utilized high-quality grapes. This is the lowest rate in Europe.
This isn’t a surprise to me since the Romanians have been improving for a while. However, this has given them an opportunity to utilize contemporary methods to make wine. This is similar to how Romanian began using online banking and mobile phones. While other countries were able to go through intermediate steps Romania was the first to jump in.
But only 50 percent of Greek and Italian vineyards are committed to premium production. However, this doesn’t hinder them from producing exceptional wines.
Second Fact: Romania is the ideal location for wine.
The Carpathians Mountains are Romania’s biggest natural treasure. Many soil types occur in their foothills which are ideal for vines. They also provide shelter to the hills, regulating the temperature – similar to the Vosges mountains, which protect Alsace.
Romanian autumns are mild and long which allows the grapes to mature more slowly, which helps to concentrate flavors. It is situated in exactly the same latitude Bordeaux The climate is cooler and more continental. It is also more continental. Black Sea does not have the same influence on Romania like that the Atlantic Ocean does in Bordeaux. The hills in Moldova along with Dobrogea (by to the Black Sea) also provide ideal conditions for growing grapes.
The inherent potential of this industry of wine is obvious and is well understood by investors. It’s not surprising that British, German, Austrian, French and Italian companies dominate Romanian wine.
If the popularity that has been enjoyed by South American and Australian wine is any indication We anticipate that Romanian wine could be next.
The third fact is that Romanian wines are the biggest in Eastern Europe
The OIV’s statistics place Romania as fifth in Europe overall, and tenth in the world in terms of amount of land under cultivation. Based on the 2016 data and an area of 191 k hectares, Romania was comparable as a size of Chile in size and Portugal. The production of wine that year totaled 3.3 million hectolitres. This makes Romania the fifth-largest in Europe. At the moment, Romanian wine production is just a little higher than New Zealand’s.
The Romanian wine industry was a victim of the communist period. It was because of the emphasis in favor of quality over quantity. After the fall communism, the country was faced with a severe economic crisis and hyperinflation times. As with most Romanians the wine industry suffered the consequences of this. In the period mass market wines – a.k.a. cheap plonk made its way into the bulk of exports. Romanian wine is now having to fight its image of being a poor quality wine.
Thankfully, the landscape is changing each year. Due to the new production methods and an increased demand from consumers, Romanian wine is blossoming.
The fourth fact is that there’s the next generation of Romanian winemakers
In the last 10 years, a new breed of wine makers has come into the market. Small, craft-based producers are taking advantage of EU funding to fund cutting-edge technologies to make wine. They have replanted older vines and planted higher quality grapes. They also make clones.
They play around with the method of making wine, taking an international approach for the procedure. Some of them even engage Oenologists in France or Germany in order to assist them to bring out the best qualities of their winemaking.
These producers in the niche commit a significant portion of their product to high-end, premium wine. These wines are made with the finest grapes, and they are produced with the greatest quality and care. To meet the growing demand for premium wines certain well-known producers are now producing more premium wines.
Fact #5 5: The best Romanian wine is a great value
In the last five years, we have seen the development of Romanian premium wines that are made using International grapes. They include Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, and a few local varieties.
Unfortunately, UK wine merchants offer a wide range of good quality wine at a low price. For less than PS10 for a bottle (including PS2.50 in tax) These wines aren’t likely to become extraordinary.
Even respected magazines like Decanter seldom include these emerging makers in their tastings. If you’re only interested in the mainstream brands it’s unlikely that you’ll get the high-quality you’re looking for.
Your dollars can go a long way when you choose Romanian premium wines
A top-quality or exceptional bottle can cost between PS13-15. The best wines begin at PS20.
It may appear like a lot however, for comparable high-quality French wines, one can be paying four times more.
Truth #6: most affluent wines to select in Romanian wine
The majority of Romanian winemakers make wine from a blend of indigenous and international grapes. However, in recent years, more producers are now focusing on the exclusive international grape varieties. Numerous top producers have planted their vineyards using clones that are of top quality generally French. The best wine begins with top-quality grapes. Therefore, it was sensible to cultivate the right genetic material for this.
However, you shouldn’t be confined to well-known names. Romanian regional grapes can be extremely great, too, such as:
Feteasca produces Dry, crisp, and fragrant white wines. It is a bit bodied and is fermented in barrels for more depth.
Tamaioasa Romaneasca (‘frankincence grape’) or Romanian Muscat is a small berried clone from the Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains one of the oldest grape varieties around the globe and one of the most beautiful from the grapes of Muscat. It produces fragrant and aromatic white wines that are difficult to make dry wines.
Feteasca Neagra Feteasca Neagra is a delicious dry red wines that are full-bodied, with moderate tannins. They get velvety as they age. This is considered to be the longest-running Romanian wine variety. It has aromas of spice black or red fruits. It shares affinities with oak and can make excellent wines with smaller amounts.
7. Romanian wines are food and drink that is a pleasure to share with friends
Sometimes, we drink white wine as an aperitif, however typically Romanians love to sip their wine along with food. Romanians are very welcoming. If you’re fortunate enough to be invited to an Romanian dinner, you can expect to find the table nearly collapsed from the burden of food and drinks. We make sure to put the top items we have around the home at the tables. It’s also commonplace to sit for up to six hours eating into a delicious meal.
I am convinced that barbecuing should be an official sport for all of us. And we Romanians love meat. The cuisine of the country is rich and delicious, as well as savoury. The reason why red wines should contain tannin, in order to help cut through the richness of typical dishes.
8. Romanian vintners are breaking with tradition with their ingenuity
When I talked to Aurelia Visinescu I inquired about the recent developments regarding Romanian wine. She pointed out that winemakers are experimenting in two ways:
Dry wines are made from grapes that were traditionally made into sweet or semi-sweet wines. Aurelia Visinescu, of Domeniile Sahateni is a pioneer herself. Her first venture as a winemaker from Romania who vinified Feteasca Neagra as dry wine that was matured inside oak barrels. She also makes a fantastic Dry Romanian Muscat. This wine has a fantastic representation in this Muscat Blanc a Petit Grain aroma profile
Experimenting with the winemaking style by combining modern and traditional methods. Blends can vary from one harvest in the following.
If you are familiar with a classic style may be able to understand that this style of wine unclear. It’s important to to play around as winemaker. There are many benefits when you make use of the wine you’d like to make and in the amounts that you are comfortable with. In the absence of the strict rules, which are often absurd, of a region’s appellation wine can be whatever you wish to make it. Consider the debate over Super Tuscans versus Chianti for an example.
It’s similar to watching an Master Chef competition. While there are some obstacles, creativity, skill and top-quality ingredients can produce incredible results. There are already outstanding producers however, you should give Romania another 10 years to discover what happens.
9th Fact: Romanian wine regions
Romania is home to eight regions of wine:
Transylvania Highlands
Moldavian Hill
Muntenia Hills
Oltenia Hills
Banat Hills
Dobrogea Hills
Crisana Maramures Hills
The Danube Terraces
Understanding the Romanian wines is less important than knowing about the best producers. Look at the map in #4 to get an idea of what to look out for. Sub-regions are also fascinating since they’re the ones that have been given DOC status. Romanian wine will bear names of winemaker printed on its label which makes it simpler to pick one you like.
Important note: stay clear of wine bottles with pictures of Dracula. It’s a common tourist stereotype.
10th Fact: Romania’s historic wine
Romania produced a wine that was renowned across Europe during the 18th century. It was called Grasa de Cotnari. It’s sweet wine that has Botrytis like a fine Sauternes as well as an ever-present competition to Hungarian Tokay. It’s directly from the Cotnari region, and although it is still available but it’s in need of a refresh and improvement in its quality. Despite its slow pace the Grasa de Cotnari wine proves Romania produces premium wines. In that light I’m sure the most recent generation is poised to bring Romania to the forefront of international competition.
