Romania’s version of Tuscany invites visitors to discover great local wines

Almost one hour north of Bucharest, the Dealu Mare (Great Hill) region features almost 70 wineries and winemakers. At the end of 2019, 12 experienced and renowned wineries from the region came together around the idea of deliberately creating a higher quality standard for their production, to highlight the distinguishing features of this area.

By Oana Vasiliu

Casa Timis Jardine Hills

The Dealu Mare viticultural area has 11 approved Romanian grape varieties, of which five are white: Fetească alba, Fetească regala, Tamaioasa romaneasca, Grasa de Cotnari, Cramposie selectionata; the rest are red or pink varieties: Busuioaca de Bohotin, Feteasca neagra, Novac, Negru de Dragasani, Negru aromat, Babeasca neagra.

According to International Organisation of Vine and Wine data from 2019, cited by The Drink Business platform, Romania is Europe’s sixth- and the world’s 13th-largest wine producer, yielding 4.9 million hectolitres in 2019. “The majority of this wine, however, does not leave Romania. In 2018, the country exported just 3.5 percent of total production. To put this in context, Romania makes more wine than New Zealand, Greece, and Hungary, but exports less than Denmark, Austria, Slovakia, and Bulgaria,” notes Phoebe French, the author of the article on The Drink Business platform.

To help out both the region and the wine brands produced here, some of the winemakers established the Dealu Mare Association

(DMA) and a general framework to promote the highest quality wines, which carry the unique characteristics of the terroir.

With this in mind, Dealu Mare winemakers started mutual consultations to identify other aspects that they could improve throughout the region. They plan to collaborate with authorities to establish a new and improved standard for certain wines in Dealu Mare, similar to a DOCG. According to official information, as of today, the Dealu Mare Association means 1,500 hectares, 13 producers, 34 grape varieties, 8.5 million litres of wine, and 14 vineyards: Apogeum, Aurelia Visinescu, Budureasca, Dagon Clan, Davino, Domeniul Aristitei, Gramofon Wine, The Iconic Estate, Lacerta Winery, Licorna Winehouse, Domeniile Prince Matei, Serve, Tohani Romania, and Viile Metamorfosis.

TOURISM IN DEALU MARE

Dan Burlacu, commercial director at Viile Metamorfosis and the executive director of the DMA, defines wine tourism in Dealu Mare as being “in progress and in full development,

View over Dealu Mare hills Domeniul Aristitei is recently opened for the public

(…) and increasingly aligned behind this desire to promote tourism in Dealu Mare.”

Proximity, diversity, and quality are the three main ingredients of a trip to Dealu Mare. “We’re talking about the region’s proximity to Bucharest and the small distance between the wineries. We are only an hour away from the city, on a non-congested route. The diversity of the wineries and the history, culture, nature or activities available here. And last but not least, the quality of the wines but also the quality of the landscapes, the tastes, and the people here,” Dan Burlacu explains.

In terms of wine touring etiquette, DMA “wants to democratise people's relationship with wines. We want and can't wait to be discovered at home, because we like being hosts. I would go further with the reasoning and I would say that the etiquette of wine tourism is the same as that of tourism in general, meaning that you like to be a guest and be spoiled by your hosts,” says Dan Burlacu. And furthermore, it’s about the joy of sharing. “The pleasure of being guided in discovering the beauties, the treasures, the work of our colleagues from Dealu Mare,” Dan adds when asked about what the Dealu Mare Association can offer that a single producer couldn’t.

And the region has more than just wines: “bike rides, off-road rides, home visits to craftsmen or food producers in the area,” Dan Burlacu notes.

On the last Saturday of every month, the Dealu Mare Association hosts an event called “Open Bottles Saturday” (Sambata Sticlelor Deschise), when vineyards open up to the general public and offer wine tasting sessions and winery tours. Best wines can be bought from the each winery shop Some wineries have impressive cellars

ACCOMMODATION IN DEALU MARE

Though it’s a great region, Dealu Mare doesn’t have many accommodation places, but the available ones are truly impressive. The recently-opened Crama Apogeum in Gura Vadului has a garden, terrace, free WiFi throughout the property, free parking, and a restaurant serving European cuisine, with prices from RON 350 per night. Ferma Dacilor is also nearby and offers several types of accommodation from RON 250 per night. Jardine Hills is more intimate, with an entire bungalow available to rent with prices starting at EUR 380 for two people for two nights, while Casa Timis is also a good option, with prices starting at EUR 120 per night.

WHAT’S FETEASCA NEAGRA?

As Business Review has written before, with qualities that make it comparable to the most famous international varieties, the Feteasca Neagra variety has an unmistakable original note. While some experts compare the colour and body of this Romanian wine with those of a Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux, but also with the fineness of a Pinot Noir from Burgundy, it also bears a clear fruity imprint, with a dried plum aroma and spicy notes, velvety secrets and elegance. These are some of the qualities that give the Feteasca Neagra the potential to become a representative variety for the country, placing Romania on the international wine map.

Recently, Tohani Romania crossed the production threshold of 1 million bottles of Feteasca Neagra, the best-selling red wine variety in Romania. The investment in the production of this wine amounts to 6 million euros. Tohani has the largest cultivated area of Feteasca Neagra in the Dealu Mare area, with approximately 100 hectares.

A holder of multiple international medals, Apogeum Feteasca Neagra, one of the wines made by the Tohani Romania team, ranks among the top 1 percent of the best wines in the world.