www.business-review.eu Business Review | October 2020
www.business-review.eu
36 TOURISM Business Review | May 2016
COVER STORY 14
Something old, something new, something bubbly: The potential of wine tourism in Romania It’s still harvest time in some areas of Romania, for one of the country’s best kept souvenirs: grapes. But is there more to Romanian vineyards than enjoying some grape-picking and wine tasting? By Oana Vasiliu includes a presentation of the winemaking process, the tasting of five to seven types of wine, and, if the weather allows it, a walk through the vineyards. “Wine tourism can happen at any time of year and benefits wineries in the sense that they can sell some of their wine to visitors, and small wineries may end up selling 10-15 percent of production right on site,” adds Alina. “Tasting rooms have started to appear lately, as well as more events and a greater interest in the wine business, and that’s good, but the demand is not large enough for wineries to have dedicated staff for wine tourism. During the summer, tourists also visit on weekdays, but during the rest of the year, It’s the season to enjoy nature at its best and get bubbly all the way
wine tourism remains more of a weekend thing,” Alina Iancu notes. This year, wineries faced a new challenge,
ONCE UPON A TIME
however, does not leave Romania. In 2018,
besides the drought. “With little to no activ-
Romania has been cultivating grapes for a
the country exported just 3.5 percent of its
ity in the hospitality sector for more than
long period of time, but its history as a wine
total production. “To put this in context, Ro-
three months, wineries have large stocks of
producer is rather fractured. While growing
mania makes more wine than New Zealand,
wines and now, in the middle of the harvest,
grapes dates as far back as 5,700 BC, Roma-
Greece and Hungary, but exports less than
they need to make space for this year’s wine
nia’s modern wine industry only developed
Denmark, Austria, Slovakia, and Bulgaria,”
harvest, so they have to get rid of the stock
once the Communist period ended, meaning
explains Phoebe French from “The Drinks
somehow,” Iancu explains.
it’s barely 30 years old. The once-nationalised
Business”.
wine industry was then privatised and
THE VINEYARD’S SIDE OF STORY
received considerable investment from over-
THE WINE TOURISM BUSINESS
Jardine Hills, located 100 kilometres from Bu-
seas, mainly from Italian, Austrian, German,
One of the biggest promoters of wine tour-
charest, had the best summer on record. “We
French, and British companies, which helped
ism in Romania is Alina Iancu from Crame
were basically fully booked every weekend
build new facilities and replanted vines to
Romania and Revino, who manages a website
after May 15, when the COVID-19 restrictions
increase both the quality and quantity of the
where people can find information about
were eased, as well as on most weekdays. Our
wine.
vineyards, their availability for accommoda-
cottages provide safe and clean accommoda-
The magazine “The Drinks Business”
tion, and other facilities they offer. Last year,
tion near Bucharest for friends and families to
writes that according to OIV data from 2019,
around 70 wineries in seven wine areas of
be able to socially distance while still having a
Romania is Europe’s sixth and the world’s
Romania were opened to visitors. This year,
nice time, so they have become very popu-
13th largest wine producer, yielding 4.9 mil-
about 20 wineries are offering accommoda-
lar. We are currently fully booked for every
lion hectolitres last year. Most of this wine,
tion in guesthouses nearby. A visit to a winery
weekend through to the end of October,” the
