The world of wine takes years to master, with sommeliers and winemakers spending a lifetime learning about grape varieties around the world and identifying them. The usual suspects, wines from France or Italy, are easy enough for most connoisseurs to spot, at least by name.
But what about the rest of the world? More specifically, Romanian wines.
While it might sound exotic and relatively new, Romania has actually had a significant footprint in the old world of wines, right next to France, Italy and Spain. In specific wine terminology, the old world refers to countries considered to be the birthplace of wine, compared to the new world, like South Africa, Chile or Australia.
Today, Romania ranks fifth among European winemaking countries and 10th in the world, with more than 180.000 hectares of vineyards. Traditions in winemaking date back more than 6,000 years. Its most famous claim to fame - a sweet-tasting wine similar to Sauternes called Grasa de Cotnari - has been known across Europe since the 19th century. Until the late 19th-century phylloxera crisis, each Romanian wine region boasted grape varieties for highly localised drinks. Unfortunately, the crisis wiped out most of the local grapes, and as such, new ones brought from France had to be planted in order to restore the viticulture in the country.
The communist era took its toll on the industry, as the country prioritised quantities over quality. The subsequent fall and the hyperinflation meant cheaper wine made for more profitable export.
Since Romania joined the EU in 2007, significant efforts and investments in winemaking technology and quality maintenance have been implemented. Smaller, independent winemakers have begun to make strides, experimenting with what would be considered new world approaches to an old world tradition. Dry whites are made from grapes, usually reserved for sweet wines. Compared to their French or Italian counterparts, these wines are priced at a more affordable rate.
A gentle, continental climate and healthy soils have made hilly Romanian landscapes perfect for viticulture. The Romanian weather is drier with the same latitude as Bordeaux, France, making it ideal for growing these grapes. The Carpathians also shelter the region from storms and protect the vineyards from wind damage. Long and gentle autumns mean that grapes ripen more slowly, resulting in more flavour concentration. Regarding climate, Romania has all the prerequisites to produce quality grapes.
There are several Romanian wine regions: the largest is the Moldovan Hills in the east (home of the famed Cotnari), which is sunny and with a moderate climate. The famed Transylvania is situated at the highest altitude for vineyards and gives acidic white wines with flavourful aromas. Areas in the south at the foot of the mountains or the cooler northwestern and minerally rich Maramures also make for feasible winemaking areas. Other areas include Oltenia & Muntenia at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains, the cooler Banat region, and minerally rich Crisana & Maramures.
Romania uses many classic French grape varieties. The industry took its toll after the phylloxera epidemic devastated indigenous grapes, and restoration was necessary. You will thus see many Chardonnays, Merlots or Sauvignon Blancs through Romania's wineries.
Native to Transylvania, Fetească Regală is an exciting type of white wine discovered in the 1930s. It's dry and fresh but can also be aged into high-quality wine. Like a Chardonnay, it develops notes of wildflowers or apricots when barrel-aged.
Feteasca Neagra wines are a widespread and Romanian-native wine. A dry red with a medium body and notes of tannin is made from one of the oldest Romanian grape varieties, known for over 2000 years-wines made from this variety show notes of plum and red berries.
The third in the Feteasca family, Feteasca Alba, is a white grape variety that promises citrus notes and a bottle of well-balanced wine with tons of ageing potential.
Check out our store to try out some of the most appreciated Romanian wines.
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