When you think of wine countries, Romania is probably not the first country to come to mind. However, Romania is actually one of the largest wine producers in the world. Among European countries, it is the fifth-largest producer, behind Italy, France, Spain and Germany. Romania has some of their own grape varieties, but they also cultivate some of the more popular varieties, such as Sauvignon, Muscat, Merlot and Pinot Noir. Romania’s wine-making traditions date over 6,000 years back.
During your trip, check out a wine shop and ask the vendor for their recommendations! Some of the popular Romanian wine varieties that you might not have heard of before inclue Feteasca, Alba, Feteasca Regala, Aligote, Tramaioasa Romaneasca, Grasa de Cotnari, and Galbena de Odobesti for white wines. For red wines, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir are quite popular, but some Romanian varieties include Babeasca Neagra and Feteasca Neagra. Just with the wines alone, there are so many different things to try!
With so many options when it comes to Romanian wines, there are also tons of wineries that you can visit. Romania is actually a great country for those interested in wine tourism, because Romania is generally much cheaper to visit than the other top-producing European wine countries.
Not only is it cheaper to travel to Romania and stay there, but it is also much cheaper to buy top-quality wine! Another advantage to Romania when it comes to wine is that most of Romania’s land is very fertile for grape vines. The only parts of the country that cannot grow wine are the parts with the highest elevation – parts of Brasov, Covasna, Harghita and Suceava. Read on for some of our favorite vineyards in Romania.
1. Bohotin
The Bohotin region is famous for its red wine. It is located in the southeastern part of Iasi County and the famous grape from the region is called Busuioaca de Bohotin. The wine made from this grape is light red and sweet. It has the flavor of honeysuckle or ripe juicy peaches. Sometimes the wine also has a barely-present taste of almonds. This wine ages very gracefully, with bottles able to last 20 years and up.
2. The Cotnari Winery
This winery is most famous for its Grasa de Cotnari, which is a wine variety that has been around since Stephen the Great (1457-1504). Grasa de Cotnari is a white wine that has a high residual sugar content. The wine is golden-yellow in color and it ages well.
The region of Cotnari is famous for its wine and even though it has been producing wine for over 500 years, the region became famous throughout Europe during the reign of Alexandru Ioan Cuza in the 1800s. That is when the region became famous in France. Cotnari is located in Moldavia, which hosts the famous Bachus International Wien Festival in Vrancea.
3. The Averesti Winery
Built in 1874, this is another winery of the Moldavia region. Even though the winery was built only 150 years ago, the grapes have been cultivated here for thousands of years. Some of the varieties that are grown here include Zghihara and Busuioaca, along with plenty of international varieties too.
Zghihara wine is a great one to try if you are adventurous – it is the most acidic Romanian wine and is quite sour, similar to the taste of a green apple. The wine is a pale greenish-yellow in color and Romanians normally eat is with tochitura (a tomato stew made with beef and pork) or sarmale (cabbage rolls). One of the neat traditions of the region is that each year a bottle of wine is buried in the coldest area of the wine cellar, sacrificed in thanks for the land.
4. The Domeniile Sahateni Winery
Located in Buzau County, in southwestern Romania, and surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains, these vineyards have beautiful views. What makes this winery unique is its wine-making techniques.
The winery combines Old World and New World techniques, making both small and large batches of wine, from 2,500 bottles to 20,000 bottles. You will also find familiar wine varieties alongside classic Romanian varieties – from Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon to Feteasca Alba, Tamaioasa Romaneasca, and Feteasca Neagra.
5. The Alcovin-Macin Vineyard
The Alcovin-Macin Vineyard is famous for its vast size (over 300 hectares) and for being the official wine supplier of the Romanian Royal House. It is located in Dobrogea, near the Black Sea. This winery produces wine for 5 different brands: Pelegrin, Curtea Regala, Tres Rosae, Renatus, and Trei Brate.
One of the most popular wines grown here is Aligoté from Curtea Regala. This wine is young white wine that is a pale golden color. It is a vibrant wine that is well-balanced and fruity. It has notes of apple and lemon and is absolutely delicious when paired with fish, soups, or salads.
6. Liliac
This region has been producing wines for countless numbers of years, for centuries even. Located in Transylvania, the soil is immensely fertile, allowing the Liliac grapes to be recognized internationally for the amazing wines that are able to be produced here.
What is also great about this region is that Liliac brings to life centuries-old wine making traditions while also using the most modern wine-making techniques. Here, you can find local varieties such as Feteasca Neagra and Muscat Ottonel, and international varieties like Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot.
7. The Bauer Vineyard
Last but not least is the Bauer Vineyard. This one is in the center of the historic region of Oltenia. Wine has been cultivated here for over 2000 years, but this specific winery was founded in 2012 by Oliver Bauer and his wife. They have gained recognition because they use rarer grapes that are more difficult to cultivate and hard to find. That means you can come here and enjoy all kinds of unique and delicious wines.
If you head hear, you can drink your wine with some delicious Romanian dishes, and the views are gorgeous from this vineyard! The best part is that this location is just a 2.5 hour drive away from Bucharest, so if you are staying in the capital you won’t have to travel far for some world-class wines!