Georgia’s ancient wine-making culture is in the spotlight as part of an exhibition hosted by Bucharest’s Museum of Old Maps and Books.
In an exclusive interview to RRIs Eugen Cojocariu, ambassador Tamar Beruchashvili has spoken about the exhibition.
Tag: wine
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A lookback at the year 2023 in tourism
The year 2023 was an
eventful year for Romanian tourism. We discovered interesting tourism
destinations and projects that made it possible for an increasing inflow of
tourists to come to Romania.
In early January, we
began with an atmosphere that was created so that all four senses can be
relaxed through music, fragrances, setting and light. All that offered by the
SPA centers countrywide. On the Romania Black Sea coast in Bucharest and in
Prahova Valley, we found a wide range of healing therapy options. Also in
January, we found out that balneal treatment has a long-standing tradition.
Romania is one of the world’s first countries to have founded a balneology and
climatology scientific society. Felix Spa, Calimanesti and Caciulata or Sovata
were but a few of the resorts we visited. Then we discovered the cultural
artistic itinerary labelled Traditional Craftsmen and traditional crafts from
across Romania. The label was launched by Romania’s Entrepreneurship and
Tourism Ministry. The project targeted the tourists who were interested in
craftsmanship objects and in the traditional customs in the villages of northern Romania.
The 47th edition of Romania’s Tourism Fair was
held over February 23-26 in Bucharest. As part of the event, Romania’s most
interesting offers and tourist assets were presented. Also attending the event
were traditional craftsmen, who came up with real demonstration of the ancient
crafts. Timis County, Bukovina, Fagaras fortress and Arad were the destinations
written about, at that time.
In early spring, we had a stopover in central Romania at
the foot of Piatra Craiului mountain’s south-eastern slope, at an altitude of 1,244 meters. There we discovered Romania’s first
tourist village, Sirnea. Then we headed towards the Danube Delta, a true nature
paradise, stretching from around the place where river Danube flows into the
Black Sea. A water birds’ habitat that found a vast reed area here, the
Danube Delta is one of Romania’s greatest tourist assets. We presented flora
and fauna observation tours, offers of safari photo and boat or kayak trips. We
also spoke about traditions, history, culture and, not the least, about the
large number of wine cellars in the area. We continued to be spoiled for choice
through heritage, since we shifted the focus of our attention to Romania’s old
nobility residences. What we were most impressed with, thanks to their
refinement, were the Cantacuzino Estate in Floresti and the mansion of the
Carps, a family of boyars based in Iasi County’s commune of Tibanesti.
In Valcea County, we realized a wide range of tourism
types was available to those who were interested. Moreover, Horezu is a brand
for Valcea County, thanks to the ceramics the craftsmen manufacture there. Then
we visited an area that enjoyed just as much recognition, due to its traditions
but also due to its vast forests and unique natural phenomena. Year after year,
Buzau County was extremely sought-after, among other things, by those who are into
adventure tourism. There they can practice climbing, off-roading, rafting or
hang-gliding. Furthermore, the food offer is very varied and includes several
trade marks.
We spent Easter in the Romanian village. In early April we
learnt about the village of Rasinari, which had become Romania’s grand prize
winner in the second edition of the international contest Best Tourism
Villages, launched by the World Tourism Organization. We talked about rural
trips, which could include visits at the medieval fortresses as well as
participation in local festival and events.
From here we stopped in the county of Brasov, central
Romania, to learn more about one of the best well-preserved monuments nation
wise. Many publications around the world wrote about this site, describing it
as one of the world’s most beautiful fortresses. This is the fortress of
Fagaras, whose construction was completed around the 17th century.
It withstood over 26 sieges but was never conquered. At the end of April we
proposed a city-break in north-western Romania, only a couple of kilometers far
from the Hungarian border and a relatively equal distance from Vienna, Prague,
or Bucharest, the city of Oradea. We’ve also learnt that Oradea is not only an
appropriate city for city-break, but also the museum-city of Targu Jiu, or
Cluj-Napoca, the birthplace of the internationally famed festival Untold.At the beginning of summer we told you that Romania is also
known for its large old-growth forests, for the regions where we can find old
traditions and craftsmen, who are still using ancient trades passed down from
one generation to another. We also talked about eco-tourism and the
associations trying to preserve natural resources and educate people in
practicing responsible tourism. In the same period we took a virtual tour of
over 50 museums in all of Romania’s rural area. In early autumn we talked about
the green area of the wooden churches in Maramures after which we went to the
ancient world of the Haţeg Land.
We learnt about an area roamed by bisons, with medieval churches, old mansions
and castles, numerous historical monuments of national interest and even
fossils of dwarf dinosaurs, which are quite unique in the world. Then we took a
trip to Via Transilvanica, Romania’s longest hiking trail linking various
sites, which are part of the UNESCO World Heritage. From there we took you to
wine cellars, which are keeping real treasures for wine connoisseurs. We learnt
about special visiting programmes including trips around the vineyards
accompanied by experts who can provide valuable information about the
wine-making process and most importantly, the wine-tasting sessions.
After the presentation of the adventure tourism and bicycle
touring, at the end of the year we invited you to spend the winter holidays in
Romania. We talked about Christmas fairs and the New Year’s Eve. 2024 seems to
be a year also very rich in travel offers. So, stay with us in the New Year in
order to learn more about Romania and its most beautiful tourist sites.
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Wine-growing tourism in Romania
Romania has a very generous offer of vast vineyards
and beautiful wine cellars, fascinating stories of genuine treasures that await the wine
lovers. Moreover, these wine cellars can be visited as part of several special
programs which include walks around the vineyards, detailed info on the
wine-making process and, more important than all that, wine tasting sessions.
This week’s edition of Traveler’s Guide
spins the yarn of a different experience, that of the legends told till late at
night, in a picturesque setting.
Alina Iancu is the founder of Romania’s Wine
Cellars project. Alina is also a promoter of the local wines and of the
wine-growing tourism. Alina told us the number accommodation units at the wine cellars
but also in the surrounding areas has been on the rise, as of late.
From this
particular viewpoint, as against the last two, maybe three years, we fare much
better. We have only one association, which is active, the Dealu Mare Wine
Cellars Association. There are around 15 wine cellars in the association and several
times a year they organize the Open Gates Day. Which means that a couple of wine
cellars can be visited the same day with no previous appointment. There are a great
many wine cellars, from the Dealu Mare vineyard, Dragasani or even from Transylvania, that began to stage festive events, be they live
concerts at the wine cellar, or the Wine Cellar Day, celebrated at a certain
moment in time, or the Grape Harvest Day. And then, when you know there are several
wine cellars in a region, you’re aware you need to be able to plan your weekend.
To this wine cellar you go for the grape harvest, while to that one, you go to
enjoy the vineyard. There are a couple of vineyards that have started to associate
with other local producers, be they cheesemakers or producers of meat specialties.
And then, apart from a wine-growing experience, you can also have a culinary
experience. To that end, we’ve got much more work to do, yet the local
producers in certain areas have begun to put their produce together and present
them to the people visiting their households.
While visiting a wine cellar, tourists are
initiated in the art and technique of wine tasting and can also listen to its tale.
When their visit is about to end, the guests of the wine cellar can have a
stopover at the souvenir shop, available to them with souvenirs in a liquid
state. The initiator of Romania’s Wine Cellars project, Alina Iancu, told us
wine growing tourism goes perfectly with other forms of tourism.
Being welcomed at the wine cellar also
means a brief presentation of the technological process, a sight-seeing tour where
you are shown the hall where the grapes a reprocessed, the maturation area with
the barrels, which is the strongest point of attraction, then the wine tasting
session begins. As a rule, five sorts of wine are tasted, and some of them can
also go with other produce. A visit to a wine cellar lasts for about one hour
and a half. However, winegrowing tourism also goes with active tourism. More often
than not, cycling or running activities are organized. That happens at national
level as in the long run, you can enjoy the scenery, while in the end, when you
reach your destination, you can also enjoy a glass of wine. Romania is
well-known for its white as well as for its red wines, yet that has been gaining
ground, quality-wise, as in recent years a great many new wine cellars have cropped
up and in Romania, not only have they improved their quality, but also, the
wine cellars already put themselves on the market with quality wines. Emphasis
is laid, by all means, on the local sorts, on the indigenous sports, while
quality is sensibly improving.
Apart from the wine
tasting sessions at the wine cellars, tourists can also enjoy taking part in
events staged in the big cities across Romania, Alina Iancu also said. For example,
the second edition of the Revino Gourmet Salon is held in Bucharest, over October
21 and 23rd.Alina
Iancu:
We bring over wine makers, producers of craft beer, but also cheese makers
and producers of meat specialties. So, you go the whole hog when you have this
gastronomic experience, you can make the most of it for a couple of days running,
what with the fact that it is smack bang in the middle of the capital city. Such
events are staged in the big cities across the country, each year. It is a
start, in a bid to have wine sorts go with the local produce, while this event is
not only for the visiting public. Local producers need to met other local
producers, because that is the only way we can enhance the value of the
produce, and that of the place. Whenever we introduce a wine sort and point to
a sort of local cheese that best goes with it, the story is a much more complex
wine. In the build-up to all that, there are several factors, people and
places, while the taste is a much stronger one, when more products are being laid
out, all of them hailing from the same region.
There are a great many
tourists who come to the wine cellars. However, quite a few of them travel to Romania
for business purposes. Such people would like to have a special experience at the
weekend.
There
are very few tourists who come for the wine-growing part alone. However, in such
vineyards as the ones in Dealul Mare, Drăgășani or even
in Transylvania, very many foreign tourists dedicate their weekends to such
visits and it goes without saying they’re impressed with what they see as,
first of all, they ‘re not aware Romania is a great producer of wines, and secondly,
they are impressed with the quality of the wine. Besides, wine-growing tourism
can be done all year round. Any time of the year has its own flavor, yet the
most sought-after are the months of May all through to October, when nature and
the temperature readings allow you to enjoy other experiences than the
wine-tasting one. What we need to know, though, is that early booking in needed
and usually we take groups of visitors made of at least six people.
If you access the Crame Romania platform, you can get info on
the wine cellars, the particular places where they are located, as well as info
on the indigenous sorts and, in general, on how a wine sort can be tasted. The founder
of Romania’s Wine Cellars project, Alina Iancu, year after year, invites tourists
to get acquainted with Romania’s wines and wine cellars.
It’s been ten years since
we promote wine-growing tourism. We also need the public to be more and more interested,
as the experience is unique and the local producers have also accommodation
places on offer, as well as special dedicated rooms and special personnel, more
and more dedicated. You should be anxious to know, as soon as you reach Romania,
according to the area you may find ourselves in, you should be anxious enough to ask whether
there are wine cellars nearby, since the places you’re about to visit and the
wines you’re about to taste, all that is well worth the while !
We have already extended our invitation! Next
week’s edition takes you to Mures, the Romanian county with the greatest number
of castles and mansions. -
The Wine Road in Prahova
We spoke to Silvia Palasca, head of communication with the Dealu Mare Association, gathering together wine makers from a major wine region of Romania. She spoke to us about the wine cellars in the county of Prahova. We will be finding out about the local varieties, how a visit to a wine cellar occurs, and what the calendar of events for tourists is. They have an opportunity to be initiated into the art and technique of tasting wines, and to listen to the stories of the wines. At the end of the visit, the guests can stop over at the presentation store, where they can get souvenir bottles. Here is Silvia Palasca:
“Wine tourism, after mountain tourism, is one of the key points in tourism in Prahova Country, but also in Buzau County, because the Dealu Mare wine region stretches over those two counties. Unfortunately, the wine cellars here are less known as tourist destinations, both for locals, and for foreigners, but we have been changing that for a while now. We recommend that people come here by booking with a tourist agency, or through the events that our Dealu Mare Association organize monthly. We organize the Open Bottle Week, which anyone can attend, but they have to arrange their own transportation. You can also attend every year the Escape to Dealu Mare event, which this year is between October 22 and 23. We offer transportation from Bucharest, by bus, so that people can enjoy the wine experience without thinking of driving.”
Silvia Palasca also told us about what a visit to the cellars consists of:
“At every cellar, we usually start with a presentation that includes a history of the cellar or vineyard, the history of the place, we visit the production and storage spaces, where the vats are, after which we go to the tasting places. Each vineyard usually offers four or five kinds of wine produced right there. For the tasting we also have limited edition or special wines, so that people can get to know more than they can usually get in stores or restaurants. The Dealu Mare wine area is famous for red wines. We can find many wines from the famous lines of Feteasca Neagra, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Merlot, but recently we had a lot of success with the white varieties, such as the Chardonnay Baricat, Feteasca Alba, or Tamaioasa Romaneasca, ifyou prefer a more high flavor wine.”
Many tourists prefer a more diversified experience, which means combining wine tourism with other kinds of tourism. We were told about it by head of communications for the Dealu Mare Association, Silvia Palasca:
“In Dealu Mare you have quite a few options for accommodation. Not necessarily agro-tourism B&Bs, but rather more elegant ones, boutique style. However, tourists who want the agro-tourism experience may also visit local producers of honey or cheeses. Tours can be organized for people to get to know local traditions, which are still kept alive by a few small producers. For instance, we have partnerships with producers of cheeses, of lavender, of honey, and we also have a horse riding center. Also, Dealu Mare is very popular with bicycle tourists. We have partnerships with several providers of such services. Cyclists can go on tour by bicycle, being better able to know the vineyards, and to have the nature experience.”
Usually, vineyards are the star destinations for autumn. What happens, however, if were unable to visit in autumn, but have the winter open? Silvia Palasca told us about visiting the wine cellars in winter:
“We also hold the Open Bottle Saturday event in winter too. In winter we aim to create that warm atmosphere around the fireplace. Some cellars also offer other ways of spending free time, so that visits there can be had in any season. We can find solutions and things to do in each season, so that the cellars are open at all times of the year. This autumn the cellars were closed, because it was harvest time, and it was very busy, and most places didnt have time for tourists. However, with October we finish the harvest, and open for tourism. In the previous editions of the Escape to Dealu Mare event we had foreign tourists who had previously visited Napa Valley, or Tuscany. They said that here they had a similar experience, but were a bit disappointed by the infrastructure in the county. So we need more investments in local infrastructure, so that we can provide an international level experience. But in terms of the vineyards, the quality of the wine, and the quality of information, they were very pleased.”
Wine tourism is on the rise in Romania, says Silvia Palasca:
“At the first edition of the Escape to Dealu Mare event we had 300 people, and last year 500, but this year we will surely have more. Some vineyards have already made investments in accommodation, we can see all over the area new B&Bs and restaurants cropping up. This type of tourism is growing, and we can see much more interest from young people, who want more novel experiences. We have five circuits, with 15 vineyards, so that, even if you have been here before, you can surely find something new and interesting this year. If this time of the year is not available to travel, as we said, we are here year long, solutions are there to be found for visiting the cellars, getting to know wine experts in person, and meeting the people behind the wine, getting to know their stories, and getting to know us right here at our home.”
Over the last few years, wine makers have also paired up with local food producers, for a complete dining experience with traditional Romanian dishes.
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Vineyard Tourism in Romania
If you are a wine lover, and want to visit Romanian wine cellars, but dont know what that entails, this edition will give you a head start. In addition, we will find out about outstanding vineyards, get to know the people behind the vine, and we will find out about events where good traditional music and food are accompanied by internationally praised wines.
Alina Iancu, founder of two web portals dedicated to wines, Crameromania.ro and Revino.ro, told us about the many reasons why we should choose vineyard tourism in Romania:
“The first reason would be the local grape varieties, and the surroundings of vineyards, because there are so many of them. We are talking first and foremost about Transylvania, which is well worth discovering. We should be blending wine tourism into any other form of tourism in the country. If you have fair weather, then we can have tours of the premises. Then, we introduce you to the process of wine making, starting with the vine itself. The we have the tasting. You can choose from among a number of packages, which are 45 minutes to an hour, followed by a moment of socialization. Tourists can blend their own wines, and even design their own label. There are vineyards that host both tourist groups or company outings, where you can customize your wine, and even be able to reserve your own barrel of wine.”
There are some vineyards that have tennis courts, bicycles to rent, and bike trails between the rows. At the same time, more and more companies hold team building sessions there. The vineyards offer the spaces and the activities. In the end, though, a vineyard is about enjoying the wines, in addition to the strolls in the open air. Alina Iancu has a few recommendations:
“Lets go to two vineyards close to Bucharest. 100 km away we have the Dealu Mare vineyard, very well organized for tourism, with good staff and with a great deal of natural beauty. Then we recommend the Dragasani Vineyard, a smaller, family owned business, where tourists are hosted by the owners. It is beautiful, and has great wines, with an emphasis on local varieties. We have groups of 15 to 20 people, many of them foreign tourists. I recall one case, someone transiting through Bucharest, who wanted me to drive them to the vineyards. I think we are quite impressive. We have a vineyard map, so that I managed to provide a pretty good presentation of the general image, in addition to the visits. Compared to other countries, we have a fair and complex presentation of wine makers. There are countries where tourists go on 30 to 40 minute tastings, without visiting the vineyard proper. They can only imagine what goes on there. In Romania, presentation is complex, the tourists are quite impressed by the domestic varieties, and those are the ones we take most pride in.”
On an average, a wine tasting costs between 50 and 100 lei, which is 10 to 20 Euro, depending on the place, but the price may vary depending on the event. Duration is between 45 and 90 minutes. For instance, in southern Romania, at a vineyard with a 300 year old history, tied to the fate of a princely family, a tasting of 5 wines and a specialty menu, a tasting costs 210 lei, almost 50 Euro.
Here is Alina Iancu once again:
“Right now there are several projects, such as crameromania.ro, which introduce the vineyards, identifying the wine cellars that accommodate tourists, with contact links for each of them. You can also schedule a private visit. Our projects are in both Romanian and English, so that tourists will have no trouble understanding the information, because right now you can find online plenty of info on Romania and its domestic varieties. Lots of more accommodation has been created recently, but the pandemic has brought with it a lot of restrictions. Certain vineyards have ceased these activities altogether, but they are sure to start once again. Right now all visits are by appointment, and there are certain restrictions in terms of tastings and meals.”
Alina Iancu told us that, in addition to promoting Romanian varieties, these activities include promotion of other products too, such as cheeses and meat preparations made locally. -
May Day dishes in Romania
Because of the ongoing pandemic, on May Day this year Romanians could not go out for barbecues, as they usually do. The custom relates to one of the most complex holidays in the Romanian folk calendar.
On May Day or Arminden, the tradition was to decorate the gates and windows of village houses with green branches to protect harvests, animals, vineyards and orchards. The holiday was accompanied by an outdoor party where people would eat lamb and fresh cheese and drink wormwood-infused red wine. For this reason, the Arminden Day is also known as Wormwood Day. The wine was believed to make one strong and red-cheeked, which traditionally was a sign of health. But with some men overdoing this part of the custom, the Arminden Day or May Day also came to be called Drunkards Day.
In România, wormwood wine has been known for hundreds of years, and it used to be prepared for very practical reasons. As wine barrels were gradually emptied, air would go into the barrel, which affected the quality of the wine as weather would become warmer and warmer. In order to prevent the wine from going sour, people would put a sachet with dried wormwood flowers and crushed wormwood seeds into the barrel.
Another option was maceration. Wormwood plants and seeds, cinnamon, cloves, coriander and quince peel, totalling just a few grams, were soaked in a mixture and wine and alcohol. A week later, the extract was poured into 10 litres of white wine.
In May Day festivals, pork, chicken or skewered meats are grilled. The mixture of meat varieties, onion, mushrooms and bell pepper next to each other on a grill is common in many other countries. But nothing compares to the grilled ground meat rolls known as “mititei or “mici. Made from a mixture of pork, beef and lamb with a variety of spices, these are similar to the Turkish kebab, but also with a Serbian dish called “cevapi, with the addition of pork, which is traditionally forbidden in Muslim countries.
Legend has it, according to the famous 19th Century journalist Constantin Bacalbaşa, that the mititei were invented in a pub in downtown Bucharest, when the cook ran out of casing for sausages and so he put just the sausage filling on a grill. The popularity of this dish has grown ever since, and now it is a May Day staple in Romania.
(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)
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Wine tourism in Romania
If you like wine and you want to visit Romanian wineries but you do not know how such a tour unfolds, Alina Iancu, founder of Crameromania.ro and Revino.ro is the guide that can tell you all about the most impressive wineries in the country.
Alina Iancu: “Around 70 wineries in seven wine areas in Romania are open to visitors. It is about the same number as last year. A visit to a winery includes a presentation of the wine making process, the tasting of five to seven types of wine, and, if the weather allows it, a walk through the vineyards. We recommend the visiting of two wineries a day and also lunch at one of them or at a restaurant nearby. There are wineries equipped with tennis courts and bike lanes through the vineyards and bicycles available for rent. Some companies even stage team building sessions in such areas. Wineries provide locations for various activities. Nevertheless, their main purpose is to offer tourists the joy of wine tasting and of walking through the vineyard. After all, it is more important to go out for a walk than stay inside a wine cellar.”
Alina Iancu, who promotes wine tourism, tells us more about the type of activities organized at a winery: “In the upcoming period we host a jazz event in the vineyard. A company stages this event together with the winery. People come here to enjoy good wine and good music. Such events are organized in many wineries in Romania. A few days ago I accompanied a group of 24 foreign tourists from 10 countries. They are pleasantly surprised of what they find here and the demand is growing by the day. Many of them come to Romania on business trips and are interested to get to know the country better, not necessarily the wine. Nevertheless, I have recently accompanied two or three groups of tourists who came to Romania just for the wine. Most tourists are from Europe, Asia and the US.”
Romania is among the world’s top countries in terms of vineyard areas, followed by Iran, India and Moldova. Alina Iancu: “Romania ranks 13th in the world in terms of wine production. Only 5% of production is exported, so we could do much better in this respect. It’s not bad that most of the wine is sold in Romania but we could put more emphasis on quality wine. We have the necessary quantity and potential, but we should work more on quality and international image. There is enough information on the internet for tourists to get an idea about wine tours in Romania. Besides wine cellars and vineyards, there are also tourist objectives to be visited. A trip to Romania usually includes a visit to the top tourist attractions and then to the wineries. There are wineries that have a number of cellars in the same place, in which case tourists can organize their trip only around them. I have recently accompanied a group of tourists through Transylvania. They really wanted to visit Bran Castle so I took them there. From Bran Castle we went to Brasov and then we visited the wine cellars around Ploiesti.”
A wine testing session usually costs between 5 and 20 euros, depending on the wine cellar, but the price can differ depending on the additional events organized. For instance, a wine tasting session at a winery in southern Romania, with a 300-year long history behind, the tasting of 5 wines and a traditional lunch or dinner costs almost 45 euros.
A lot of interesting events are organized in fall, centered on grape picking. Alina Iancu: “Some of them are private events. A month ago, at Dealu Mare vineyard near Bucharest there was an event with music concerts, wine tasting, grape picking competitions and food trucks. All street food events in the big cities are now starting to be held at vineyards. Wine tourism is a premium tourist segment, so it is not cheap. The renting of a guest house at a vineyard is more expensive than a guest house at the mountain. A visit to a winery takes around 90 minutes and booking in advance is highly recommended. It the visit unfolds during grape picking, the visit should be scheduled a month in advance. Although wineries are usually open to tourists, there are periods during the year when wineries do not accept unannounced visits.”
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Wine tourism in Romania
If you like wine and you want to visit Romanian wineries but you do not know how such a tour unfolds, Alina Iancu, founder of Crameromania.ro and Revino.ro is the guide that can tell you all about the most impressive wineries in the country.
Alina Iancu: “Around 70 wineries in seven wine areas in Romania are open to visitors. It is about the same number as last year. A visit to a winery includes a presentation of the wine making process, the tasting of five to seven types of wine, and, if the weather allows it, a walk through the vineyards. We recommend the visiting of two wineries a day and also lunch at one of them or at a restaurant nearby. There are wineries equipped with tennis courts and bike lanes through the vineyards and bicycles available for rent. Some companies even stage team building sessions in such areas. Wineries provide locations for various activities. Nevertheless, their main purpose is to offer tourists the joy of wine tasting and of walking through the vineyard. After all, it is more important to go out for a walk than stay inside a wine cellar.”
Alina Iancu, who promotes wine tourism, tells us more about the type of activities organized at a winery: “In the upcoming period we host a jazz event in the vineyard. A company stages this event together with the winery. People come here to enjoy good wine and good music. Such events are organized in many wineries in Romania. A few days ago I accompanied a group of 24 foreign tourists from 10 countries. They are pleasantly surprised of what they find here and the demand is growing by the day. Many of them come to Romania on business trips and are interested to get to know the country better, not necessarily the wine. Nevertheless, I have recently accompanied two or three groups of tourists who came to Romania just for the wine. Most tourists are from Europe, Asia and the US.”
Romania is among the world’s top countries in terms of vineyard areas, followed by Iran, India and Moldova. Alina Iancu: “Romania ranks 13th in the world in terms of wine production. Only 5% of production is exported, so we could do much better in this respect. It’s not bad that most of the wine is sold in Romania but we could put more emphasis on quality wine. We have the necessary quantity and potential, but we should work more on quality and international image. There is enough information on the internet for tourists to get an idea about wine tours in Romania. Besides wine cellars and vineyards, there are also tourist objectives to be visited. A trip to Romania usually includes a visit to the top tourist attractions and then to the wineries. There are wineries that have a number of cellars in the same place, in which case tourists can organize their trip only around them. I have recently accompanied a group of tourists through Transylvania. They really wanted to visit Bran Castle so I took them there. From Bran Castle we went to Brasov and then we visited the wine cellars around Ploiesti.”
A wine testing session usually costs between 5 and 20 euros, depending on the wine cellar, but the price can differ depending on the additional events organized. For instance, a wine tasting session at a winery in southern Romania, with a 300-year long history behind, the tasting of 5 wines and a traditional lunch or dinner costs almost 45 euros.
A lot of interesting events are organized in fall, centered on grape picking. Alina Iancu: “Some of them are private events. A month ago, at Dealu Mare vineyard near Bucharest there was an event with music concerts, wine tasting, grape picking competitions and food trucks. All street food events in the big cities are now starting to be held at vineyards. Wine tourism is a premium tourist segment, so it is not cheap. The renting of a guest house at a vineyard is more expensive than a guest house at the mountain. A visit to a winery takes around 90 minutes and booking in advance is highly recommended. It the visit unfolds during grape picking, the visit should be scheduled a month in advance. Although wineries are usually open to tourists, there are periods during the year when wineries do not accept unannounced visits.”