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Countries index – Winemaking – Grapes
| Romania: Romania has one of the oldest wine-making traditions in the world and its viticulture dates back over six millennia. In the 1880s, phylloxera destroyed the vineyards. It recovered in the 20th c, through planting French wine grape varieties It is the sixth-largest among European wine-producing countries, after Italy, France, Spain, Germany and Portugal. It produced more wine than Austria and New Zealand it is not so well-known globally. But Romania has attracted European business people and wine buyers, due to its affordable prices of vineyards and wines, compared to other wine-producing nations. Today, there are about 500 wineries in Romania. It is known for its reds: Băbească Neagră, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fetească Neagră, Merlot, Pinot Noir; and whites: Aligoté, Chardonnay, Fetească Albă, Fetească Regală, Galbenă de Odobești, Grasă de Cotnari, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Tămâioasă Românească.  Image source: estikawines.com |
QUICK LINKS TO ROMANIA REGIONS
[Bana]
[Mold]
ROMANIA REGION-BY-REGION
| Banat (Dealurile Banatului): The first mention of wine production in Banat was in the Roman Empire during the 3rd c. Local legends claim that the God Bachus and the Dacian Wine God were both born in Banat.  Image source: winetourism.com Areas: Moldova Nouă, Recaș, Silagiu, Teremia, Tirol DOPs: Banat, Recaș; IGPs: Viile Timisului, Viile Carasului Grapes: Red: Burgund mare, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cadarcă, Fetească Neagra, Merlot, Novac, Pinot Noir, Syrah, White: Chardonnay, Fetească Albă, Fetească Regală, Furmint (dessert wines), Majarca, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot Gris, Riesling de Rhin, Riesling Italian, Sauvignon blanc, Tamaioasa Romaneasca, Traminer, Viognier  Image source: jancisrobinson.co | Moldovan Hills (Dealurile Moldovei): This area is positioned at the crossroads of other notable wine-producing areas: Crisana-Maramures to the west, Transylvania to the southwest, Dobrogea to the southeast, and Muntenia-Oltenia to the south. Its vineyards are known for their cultivation of a broad array of grape varieties and a diverse wine portfolio.  Image source: thecorkscrewconcierge.com Areas: DOPs: Bohotin, Cotesti, Cotnari, Dealu Bujorului, Husi, Iasi, Iana, Panciu, and Odobesti IGPs: Dealurile Moldovei and Dealurile Vrancei Grapes: Red: Arcas, Aromat de Iasi, Babeasca neagra, Balada, Burgund mare, Busuioaca de Bohotin, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Codana, Codrinschi, Donaris, Dornfelder, Fetească Neagră, Golia, Marselan, Merlot, Miorita, Negru Aromat, Negru de Dragasani, Novac, Ozana, Pinot Noir, Raluca, Rară Neagră, Sangiovese, Sarba, Syrah, Tamaioasa roza, Traminer roz, Unirea, Zghihara de Husi White: Aligoté, Babeasca gris, Chardonnay, Cramposie, Cramposie selectionata, Feteasca alba, Feteasca regala, Frâncușă, Galbena de Odobesti, Grasa de Cotnari, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot gris, Plavaie, Riesling de Rhin, Riesling Italian, Rkatiteli, Sauvignon blanc, Tamaioasa Romaneasca, Traminer, Viorica  Image source: vinerra.com |
[Cris]
[Munt]
| Crișana (Dealurile Crișanei): This is an emerging wine subregion within the broader Crisana-Maramures wine region of north-west Romania. It is named for the Criș (Körös) river. It has Maramureș to the north, Transylvania to the east, Banat to the south, and Hungary to the west. The Hills of Crisana and Maramures produce a broad range of white and red grapes, producing table to vintage wines.  Image source: winesofromania.com Areas: DOPs: Crisana (Biharia, Diosig, Șimleu Silvaniei), Miniș-Măderat, Valea lui Mihai; IGPs: Dealurile Satmarului, Dealurile Crisanei, Dealurile Zarandului Grapes: Red: Burgund mare, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cadarcă, Fetească Neagră, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Traminer roz White: Chardonnay, Fetească Albă, Fetească Regală, Furmint, Muscat Ottonel, Mustoasă de Măderat, Pinot gris, Riesling de Rhin, Riesling italian, Tamaioasa Romaneasca, Traminer, Welschriesling,  Image source: vinerra.com | Muntenia and Oltenia Hills (Dealurile Munteniei și Olteniei): This comprises the hilly area of the Getic Subcarpathians and the curving Subcarpathians, their slopes exposed to the sun all day long, and along the rivers that spring from the mountains or cross the Carpathians.  Image source: vinerra.com Areas: Banu Mărăcine, Drăgășani, Pietroasa, Sâmburești, and Ștefănești DOPs: Dealu Mare (Boldesti, Breaza, Ceptura, Merei, Tohani, Urlati, Valea Calugareasca, Zoresti) IGPs: Dealurile Buzăului, Dealurile Craiovei, Drăgășani, Plaiurile Drâncei, Podgoria Severinului, Sâmburești, Ștefănești Grapes: Red: Babeasca neagra, Barbera, Burgund mare, Busuioaca de Bohotin, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dornfelder, Fetească Neagră, Grenache, Merlot, Mourvedre, Nebbiolo, Negru aromat, Negru de Dragasani, Novac, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Syrah, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional White: Aligoté, Chardonnay, Cramposie, Fetească Albă, Fetească Regală, Grasa de Cotnari, Moscato bianco, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Riesling Italian, Sauvignon blanc, Tamaioasa Romaneasca, Traminer roz, Ugni Blanc, Viognier, Welechriesling  Image source: vinerra.com |
[Dobr]
[Tran]
| Dobruja (Colinele Dobrogei): This area, has the Danube River to its west and the Black Sea to its east, uses a number of distinguished grape varieties. This includes the Danube Terraces, a ribbon of land along the lower banks of the Danube, towards the Bulgarian border.  Image source: londonwinecompetition.com Areas: DOPs: Adamclisi, Insuratei, Istria-Babadag, Murfatlar, Oltina, Ostrov, Sarica Niculițel; IGPs: Colinele Dobrogei, Terasele Dunarii Grapes: Red: Băbească Neagră, Burgund mare, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fetească Neagră, Mamaia, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Rebo, Syrah, Traminer roz, White: Aligoté, Chardonnay, Cramposie, Fetească Albă, Fetească Regală, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot Gris, Riesling de Rhin, Riesling Italian, Rkatiteli, Sauvignon blanc, Tămâioasă Romaneasca, Welschriesling,  Image source: winetourism.com | Transylvania (Podișul Transilvaniei): It is particularly celebrated for its cool climate, which, combined with a unique terroir, allows cultivation of both indigenous and international grape varieties.  Image source: gpn.travel Areas: DOPs: Aiud, Alba-Iulia, Jidvei, Lechința, Sebeș-Apold, Târnave (laj, Medias, Tarnaveni,Valea Nirajului, Zagar); IGPs: Dealurile Transilvaniei Grapes: Red: Burgund Mare, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fetească neagra, Merlot, Pinot noir, Syrah, Zweigelt. White: Chardonnay, Fetească Albă, Fetească regala, Furmint, Iordana, Kerner, Muscat Ottonel, Neuburger, Petit Manseng, Pinot gris, Riesling de Rhin, Riesling Italian, Sauvignon blanc, Tămâioasă Românească, Traminer Aromat, Traminer roz,  Image source: vinerra.com |
Wines of Romania
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