Exploring Romanian Wine Cultures
A Culture of Crossbreeding
Generations of grape varieties reflect the multitude of foundational influences. The ancient Dacian wines cemented the region’s early fame. In the Middle Ages, Germanic influence brought in Welschriesling, Pinot Gris and Traminer, securing a predominance of white wines. Muscat Ottonel—dubbed the “nectar of Transylvania”—remains the reigning grape for sweet wines.
Following phylloxera at the end of the 19th century, vineyards were replanted with French varieties like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Aligoté. Today, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot dominate, representing 20,000 hectares alone. Alongside them, Romania is rediscovering its melodiously named ancestral grapes: Fetească Regală and Fetească Albă (floral whites), Băbească Neagră, Fetească Neagră and Negru de Drăgășani (complex reds) stand out.
Quality demands have amplified the natural richness of soils and traditions through a skilful blend of age-old landscapes and ultra-modern facilities. The expertise of winemakers is striking—originally from across Europe, but now increasingly trained in Romania. They deftly handle both international and local grapes, blending them with ease. By reclaiming native varieties, they produce whites of astonishing freshness and finesse, and reds that are lush and complex.
“The Fetească grape is Romania’s story—it comes from here, from the past,” they often say. It reflects the intrinsic quality of the terroirs and a long-standing, though once-interrupted, winemaking tradition.
These new-generation viticulturalists and winemakers are shaping distinctive styles, born of local terroir, marked by history, and personal flair. There is an undeniable energy in their wines. Now able to meet growing global demand for quality wines, they are adapting to market shifts and consumer preferences, creating fresher wines with less oak and less structure.
Surprising Aromatic Palettes
Romania has preserved its tradition of sweet wines (Tămâioasă Românească, Muscat Ottonel, Grasă de Cotnari) and sparkling wines, now updated for modern tastes. White wines still dominate, but red wines are gaining ground.
The elegance of floral whites (white blossoms, rosewood) with subtle spice from Fetească Albă and Regală is enhanced by the length and depth of local Chardonnays and Sauvignons. Romanian Pinot Gris could make many western winemakers envious.
Silky reds from age-worthy Pinot Noirs and complex Fetească Neagră (with notes of dried plum, red berries, and undergrowth) are lush to the point of softness. Bold or lighter in style, and sometimes surprising—like Negru de Drăgășani from Viile Metamorfosis—these wines are a far cry from the rough, tannic stereotypes of the past.
Marginal Wine Cultures
At the fringes of this movement, rustic vine cultivation still survives in rural Romania: hardy hybrid vines, chosen for their resistance, grow on family plots. These symbolise a peasant winemaking culture and a rural consumer base in contrast with the refined urban wine drinkers. Such wines are still sold roadside in areas like Dealu Mare, more remote corners of the Carpathian foothills, and even in touristy towns like Sighișoara.
An emerging organic culture is beginning to take root, particularly in Dealu Mare and Dobrogea. A few estates are now certified organic. The first, Denis Thomas’ Franco-Romanian Estate (now Romanian-owned), converted in 2006. Petro Vaselo works 172 hectares of certified vines in Timiș, using Banat’s favourable microclimate to produce powerful wines and lead a sustainable revival.
Dominele Bogdan in Dobrogea has built a large-scale model, becoming biodynamic (Demeter certified) in 2019. In Lechburg, the Italian Guarato family makes characterful fine wines and surprising Muscats. Jelna Wines in DOC Lechinta follows a complete agroecological approach, although not yet certified. Partial conversions help ease the transition.
Still, heavy rains and a lack of wind in deep valleys pose significant challenges to organic viticulture, especially in Transylvania. Budureasca is gradually converting 7.5 hectares to organic.
Viile Metamorfosis, the emblematic estate of Marquis Piero Antinori, began its transition in 2013. Near the Danube Delta, La Sapata showcases another ethical model. Roberto di Filippo brought a living, organic and biodynamic philosophy from Italy that’s helping revive the local economy and support workers in need.
Respecting the earth and natural cycles, these expressive wines bring out the complexity and energy of the terroirs.
Wood: Romania’s Other Wine Story
Romanian forests dominate the inland landscape, spanning three vast ranges: Transylvania, Moldova and Wallachia. In the Maramureș region of the Carpathians, Vlad Mérandier founded a cooperage in 2003, reviving a French-style forestry culture. Today led by Théodore Vlad, the cooperage is part of the Charlois group, recognised as a “living heritage workshop”.
It is breathing new life into Romanian oak, already known for producing competitive barrels. Their strength lies in complete control over the supply chain, expertly matured wood, artisanal toasting, and a distinctiveness sought across Europe.
Model Limitations
Despite all these advantages, Romanian wines still suffer from a poor image. Changing this perception will require long-term effort—as will achieving prices that reflect their rising quality.
With a small population (19 million), Romania’s domestic consumer base is limited. Success abroad is essential, but exports remain low—between 3% and 5%—due to poor sector structuring. Furthermore, EU funding has largely been used to plant international varieties, sometimes with little regard for their competition with leading producer countries.
Like much of Europe, Romania faces climate challenges that disrupt grape growing. Spring frost, summer drought, and violent September storms damaged the 2023 harvest, which began a month early, with sharply reduced white wine yields. However, these climatic shifts favour the growth of fine red wines in Transylvania and the Carpathian foothills, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and ageing-worthy Fetească.
In its first wine promotion campaigns, the Romanian government expressed a wish that wine—“a great natural resource, a voice for the people’s history, culture and tradition”—would soon become the nation’s leading global ambassador. After a first phase of qualitative recovery led by European investors, a new generation of Romanians is taking over, adding technical and sensory innovation.
Wine is becoming a powerful agent for Romania’s economic and cultural integration into the European Union.
Photographs © Florence Moferran