« Wine Rises in the East – in Romania Too » #3/3 – by Florence Monferran

A New Generation Takes the Helm

From the 2010s onwards, Romania’s viticultural revival has rested on new owners, engineers, managers, and winemakers—Romanian through and through. Trained in Italy, France, New Zealand, and Chile, fluent in English and full of drive, this generation is reclaiming its vinous destiny. In ancient vineyard lands, abandoned plots are being revived with spades and bulldozers—rebuilding even the roads.

Speaking to Théodore (like the Eastern patriarch), Darius (Persian emperor), Nicolaï (Russian tsar), and Ovidiu (Latin poet) feels symbolic. They encapsulate the rich mix of cultures in Romania’s winemaking story—and they are writing its future.

Three standout encounters. Licorna Wines, in the Dealu Mare DOC, exemplifies the Romanian model’s success. La Salina, near Cluj in the Transylvanian IG, and Jelna Wines, in the Lechinta DOC, are also rising stars. With a focus on both local and international varieties, these small-scale (26–42 ha) premium producers are gaining international recognition. Their approaches to emerging organic practices differ, but they share a strategy: oenotourism as a gateway to the world.

Licorna Wines – Under the Sign of Perfection

Born in the magical Dealu Mare from a dream in 1909, Licorna sits above Budureasca, one of Romania’s largest estates. Manager Bogdan Anghel greets visitors warmly atop the hillside. Passionate about international grapes and long-ageing wines, he is renowned both at home and abroad for the purity of his winemaking. He crafts elegant whites in barrel, but now focuses on reds. “We’ve raised our standards. Dealu Mare wines need time,” he says.

Together with oenologist Gabriel Lăcureanu, known as the pope of the Fetească grape, they continue working with Romania’s heritage varieties. “I believe Fetească Albă has real potential.” Though he still makes traditional Muscats, including Tămâioasă Românească, market demand has declined. He is also experimenting with Bătută Neagră, aiming to create a benchmark Romanian rosé.

La Salina – Salt of the Wine

Near Cluj-Napoca in northwest Romania, vineyards terrace the hillsides shared with grazing sheep. Below lies Turda’s historic salt mines, used by the Dacians and now repurposed as a major tourist and wellness site.

Winemaker and manager Ovidiu Maxim has been at La Salina since its founding in 2011. “We cleared the land, prepped the soil, then built everything you see,” he recounts. Over 42 hectares on the captivating Durgău hills, his international and Romanian experience—especially in New Zealand—shines through in precision and attention to detail.
He highlights Transylvania’s signature acidity, which gives wines freshness and a distinctive character. His Fetească wines are balanced, with floral and spicy notes. The estate’s Chardonnays and Sauvignons are outstanding and gaining recognition.

La Salina’s Chardonnay Barrique, aged in 500L and 225L barrels from the Romanian Vlad cooperage, recently won double gold and best in show at the Brussels World Competition—a crowning achievement for Ovidiu. The estate is beginning to export, notably to Canada, and is expanding its sparkling wine production. “We have a great terroir, good varieties (Chardonnay), and a promising market.”

To the Far North – Jelna Wines

Jelna, an authentic Saxon wine village (Weindorfer) in the Carpathians near Romania’s northern border, once relied entirely on wine for its local economy. While it’s traditionally white wine territory, reds are gaining ground. Tasting reserve Pinot Noirs with young oenologist Darius Pripon proves the point.

Trained in Cluj, then Valencia, Italy, and New Zealand (Alan Scott), and at Alira in Romania, Darius brings broad international expertise—and a commitment to sustainability. Everything had to be rebuilt in this now wild, bear-populated region with no infrastructure. For him, this meant starting with “pure land”. His ambition? “Not to be the best, but to be unique. We know Transylvania’s potential—we want to make exactly what the terroir allows.”
On these volcanic mountains, the soil’s blue clay is hard to drain but protects against water stress, offering minerality and rare energy.

With Nicolaï, an Italian-trained cellar master, Darius crafts wines using both wild and selected yeasts depending on the vintage. His Sauvignon Blanc is a showstopper—multi-awarded in competitions.
His Fetească wines, both white and red, are subtle and beautiful. One standout: “Tria”, a blend of all three Fetească types, aged in oak and acacia barrels. Everything is sold as premium—no supermarket channels. An export-exclusive range, Navicella, is marketed solely in Japan.

Differing Views on Organic Practices

These meticulous winemakers have varying stances on organic cultivation. Bogdan Anghel rejects it outright: too risky on just 30 hectares, too unreliable for yields. Ovidiu Maxim is hesitant. The local conditions are challenging: “We always have some form of mildew or powdery mildew,” he notes. His first trial—a remote Riesling plot—is now certified organic, but the final call rests with the owners.
Darius Pripon, educated in biodynamics in New Zealand and on Domaine Bogdan, works with Vlad, a vineyard manager with five years of organic experience in Italy. Certification is not a priority. “For our generation, respecting nature is natural—we don’t need to label or market it. We strive to maintain balance.” That includes coexistence with grape-loving bears on the “Dealu Negru” (black hill), which threaten late harvests. In the cellar, traditional Transylvanian music plays as wine ferments.
Beyond winemaking, sustainability drives innovation: solar panels, 4 hectares of man-made lakes to preserve freshness, and 62 hectares of forest planted five years ago to create air currents.

Oenotourism as a Shared Vision

The ambition to reach an international audience is growing. Bogdan Anghel is enthusiastic about building a hotel and restaurant at Licorna, beside the charming original building. Traditions and legends linger over these breathtakingly green hills—though Bucharest is just an hour away. “That’s a key market for us. We’re growing the tourism side. Half my visitors are foreign—mainly Americans.”

Now, business tourism brings corporate teams from multinationals for tastings, tours, and relaxation. A restaurant near the salt mines has been renovated, and a luxury 100-room hotel is under construction at the estate’s equestrian centre.

In Jelna, the Carpathian foothills rise from volcanic ash. A 12^th-century Saxon church revealed a 1285 Giotto mosaic, a copy of the Vatican’s Navicella, in 2016. Around this symbolic piece, the winery created a signature wine range. A discreetly luxurious complex invites visitors to rest and restore: hotel, restaurant, vast pool, spa, all overlooking mountains, lakes, and vines.

Bringing Vision to Fruition

Wine truly is rising in the East. As geopolitics shifts eastward, wine becomes a tool of European integration. Western capital helped replant vineyards with international grapes, restructure cellars, and improve quality. Local traditions added originality. Now, oenotourism links wine to flagship cities and cultural landmarks: Tarnave with cultural capital Sibiu, Moldavia with its colourful wooden monasteries, and Dobrogea with the Danube Delta and the Black Sea.

How can Romania elevate the global reputation of its expressive, characterful white and red wines? With limited exports, the next step is to bring these bottles to our tables—along with their tumultuous history, complex culture, and the passion of their makers. Often overlooked or misunderstood, these Eastern European lands—like Romania—welcome us with open arms, a fresh start, the wisdom of hardship, and the hope of finally stepping into the spotlight after thirty years of effort.