Povești cu vin

Când Magnus trecu’ Oltu’

Scris la 16 septembrie 2016 in Povesti despre vin | Niciun comentariu

—-Pentru nevorbitorii de suedeză… Găsiţi mai jos impresii şi recomandări după vizita din Drăgăşani (25 august 2016) publicate în DinVinguide.se

On the way from the capital Bucharest to the northeast pass through the flat farmland broken by wooded lots. A variety of small communities and villages passed along the roads. Some houses are abandoned, others down, but many are relatively newly built or are being refurbished.

It is very much a living countryside. Wedged between the buildings and the larger field grow sunflowers and corn, fruit trees and tomatoes. In the small villages there are shops, car repair shops, cafes and restaurants.

As Swedish is not used to meet the horse and cart, but it’s something we do several times. Along the roads sits vendors and there are many dogs that nobody cares about. There is a lot one can react but also much that seems to work well.

The area we visited is called Dragasani, which is the name of a city and municipality. The city lies along the river Olt and its sides are ridges on which to grow wine.

Watercolour by Amedeo Preziosi (1869) showing the river Olt. In many ways it looks much the same today.Picture from Wikipedia.

On the eastern side of the river, I visited three wineries. Three wineries that show high potential when it comes to quality wines produced in Romania. I’ve tried some before that I thought was good, now I got to try some that are really good. Although the wines are different, there are some common features: freshness, elegance and good acidity.

Prince Stirbey

The first we visited Prince Stirbey. The winery is located myckert beautifully situated with views down to the river and surrounded by vineyards.

Baroness Ileana Kripp-Costinescu, Prince Stirbey winery.

Prince Stirbey has ancient roots and also has its owner. The proprietress, Baroness Ileana Kripp-Costinescu belongs to the old royal family. She is the niece of the Princess Marina Stirbey who was the last owner of the vineyard before it was confiscated by the state in 1949. In the early 2000s the family back yard and 2003 could again begin to deliver wine.

The family has renovated the old winery and today it is a modern facility that has 28 hectares of vineyards and make around 100,000 bottles of wine a year. The majority of the vines are 30-40 years old and most of the grapes are indigenous. They work with a combination of traditional methods and modern technology and have the same winemaker who runs the next winery.

Bauer.

Oliver Bauer is winemaker at Prince Stirbey also has its own small winery.He grows no own grapes, but purchases of their employer, as well as some other local growers. Oliver has roots in Germany and it is something you can imagine in the wines. There is a precision, a drive unit which reminds us of really good German riesling or pinot noir.

Oliver Bauer, winemaker at Prince Stirbey and Bauer.

This winery is his experimental workshop, here he works with to find another dimension to the wines. It is a young company, and the first wines were made in 2012. He produces several wines in relatively small batches. In total there will be 25 to 30,000 bottles a year. Oliver Bauer mentions several times that he wants to be a wine grower who makes good wine available for most. Wine should be a pleasure, a part of a lifestyle and passion. This is something that is reflected in the wines, they have what we call personality.

Avincis

Avinics winery is an impressive place. It blends ultra-modern winery with the old farm buildings Vila Dobrusa from 1905. The winery is owned by Romania’s former Justice Minister Valeriu Stoica and his wife Cristiana. They took a gamble and hired a young winemaker from Alsace in France, Ghilsain Moritz previously worked for five years in Burgundy and one year in the Douro. A gamble that paid off.

The wines made here in a little more international style, but the native grapes are allowed to play the main role. Here are also some wines on international grapes with a nice pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon and making several cuvees. There is something of the youthful playful in these wines that appeal to me.

A big advantage if you come here as a tourist is that you can also stay here.The view is spectacular and the facility. A natural starting point if you are going to take you til the region.

Ghilsain Moritz winemaker at Avincis

These are three wineries that are close together and there are several others which I’ve tried a few wines that also shows great potential. The local grapes adds an extra dimension and it’s wines, I would like to see in Sweden.

Below tips on some of the wines I thought was best. Several of them are for example available in Germany and the UK.

Romania is a beautiful country to travel in, but one should plan their trip in advance. I heartily recommend a visit to this part of the country. Book a place at Avincis, then travel around the vineyards. They are some 10 collaborating so you can get tips and help on the spot. Do not miss the food, lots of lovely sausages, smoked, air-dried and grilled, cheeses and pies.

Wine tips from Dragasani, Romania

Prince Stirbey

Feteasca Regala sec 2015 is a white wine with low tannins, body and hints of exotic fruit. It is fresh and has a nice acidity. Nice wine to the grilled fish but also lighter meat dishes.

Novac 2013 (red wine) have little pinot-esteem, the wine is, however, fruitier and more rustic. It has been clear hints of red berries and dried herbs and is a real charmer.

Crampa Bauer.

Bauer Cramposie selectionata 2015. A fresh wine with a little sweetness spätleselik that have similarities with Riesling from the Pfalz. Lovely citrus notes, yellow sweet apples and a small aromatic elements, but a hint of fennel and a nice rocky tonnes.

SVS 2013 is made from the grape Sauvignonasse (also called fruilani). This wine reminds of white Burgundy when it comes to structure and body. This, however, a little different fruit with a little more sweet citrus notes. Rocky, fresh and long.

Avincis

Cramposie selectionata 2015. It is a beautiful wine with lots of stone tones and a nice grapefruktton. It is rustically elegant, fresh and härlihgt salivation. The wine has a beautiful structure and a small body with a small presence of wax.

Negru de Dragasani 2013. A wine that is at once powerful as soft ingratiating.Dark fruit and a juicy tone combined with spiciness and hints of oil from citrus peel gives a complex heartfelt tone. Intense, rural and personal.

These are just some of the wines and the grapes that charmed me in this part of Romania. Want a different wine experience with exciting grapes and a wonderful landscape may be the place for you!

Sincerely

Magnus Reuterdahl

(Magnus Reuterdahl are everyday archaeologist but in the evenings, try and he writes about wine).

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Un fel de Vinho Verde românesc

Scris la 15 septembrie 2016 in Povesti despre vin | Niciun comentariu

—-Plâvaie 2015.
—-Soiul acesta a fost reînviat doar datorită eforturilor celor de la Crama Gîrboiu. De fapt, doar în via lor îl puteți găsi pentru a fi îmbuteliat. În fiecare an, atunci când apare pe piață din noua recoltă, sunt printre primii care-l degustă cu mare curiozitate. Cel de față este de culoare pal-gălbuie, aproape transparent, cu arome plăcute, dar nepronunțate de fân proaspăt cosit, caise verzi și ceva flori de salcâm.

—-Gustul e sec, extrem de vioi, fără structură puternică, cu tentă de grapefruit, revigorant datorită acidității și în acord cu alcoolul, atenție… doar 11,5%. De aici potriveala pentru summerparty și posibilul nume de primul Vinho Verde românesc. Oricărei salate în combinație cu brânză mai proaspăta îi poate fi un bun companion. Aproximativ +6 papioane/8 și până în 23 lei la Carrefour.
—-Luați în calcul și cupajul din gama Epicentrum, unde plăvaia face pereche foarte bună cu șarba.
—-Cu bine,
—-RaSto

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Street Food Festival ca pe la noi

Scris la 13 septembrie 2016 in Povesti despre vin | Niciun comentariu

“Scrie pe Vin2.ro” povești trăite de oameni care iubesc vinul. Astăzi îl avem invitat pe Bogdan Caracaleanu

—-La sfarsitul saptamanii trecute prin Bucuresti s-au desfasurat mai multe evenimente culturale, sportive, distractive sau gastronomice. De la traditionalele Colour Run, cursa de ratuste pe Dambovita sau concertul de muzica clasica din Piata Universitatii, la mai noul Street Food Festival organizat la eternul Romexpo.
—-Am optat pentru acesta din urma, fiind curios sa-l compar cu ce am vazut pe afara.
—-Daca prin alte tari astfel de evenimente sunt organizate aproape saptamanal pe unele artere pietonale din orasele importante, la noi se numara pe degete. Bineinteles ca ma asteptam la multa lume (si a fost multa), mai ales ca sambata si duminica intrarea a fost libera (intre orele 13-16), asta dupa ce pe net se vehiculasera preturi pe bilete simple sau abonamente, gandite probabil mai mult pentru concertele care urmau sa inceapa zilnic dupa ora 16.
—-Dupa un tur global de identificare a tentatiilor gastro-enologice, ne-am oprit la un stand pe care il vazusem foarte mediatizat pe Facebook, cu intentia clara de a incerca scaricica la gratar (febletea unor membri ai familiei). M-am asezat la coada, mai ales ca vazusem ca trecea pe langa standul Selgros unde il zarisem pe charismaticul Sergiu Nedelea (bineinteles inconjurat de niste frapiere foarte atragatoare), care facea eforturi disperate sa ramana surazator, in ciuda fumului si aromelor de usturoi care il invaluiau de la plitele si gratarele din vecinatate. Astfel am reusit sa iau contact (in conditiile date) cu un Bordeaux alb din 2015 (Chateau Saint Florin), dominat olfactiv de Sauvignon Blanc (70%), dar in care se gaseau in proportii egale Muscadelle si Semillon. Vinul face parte din selectia proprie a hypermarket-ului, pretul obtinut in urma negocierii directe fiind destul de prietenos (vorba dlui. Nedelea), in jur de 30 lei. Fresh, cu o aciditate medie a mers perfect pe caldura destul de sufocanta pentru un mijloc de septembrie, dar il evaluez pe la 82-83 puncte.
—-Prosecco-ul DOC Foscaro extra dry din zona Treviso (si el tot din selectia magazinului amintit, tot pe la 30 lei) a fost alesul sotiei, dar desi tipic este un produs de linie si cam prea dulceag pentru gustul meu.
—-Mai erau si alte vinuri, dar era prea cald pentru rosii, iar albele demiseci nu sunt genul meu.
—-Nu am putut sa nu remarc șmecheria tipic romaneasca a unor persoane, care daca nu adopta metoda pasilor marunti ca sa se bage cat mai in fata si sa sara randul, nu se simt bine.
—-La carnea la gratar (servita ca la picnic, pe iarba, la umbra – extrem de pretioasa- unui utilaj agricol) am preferat niste beri romanesti la draft: Nemteana (nefiltrata si nepasteurizata, destul de reusita dar la 10 lei nu este chiar ieftina) si o Zaganu Pale Ale ( interesanta dar prea aromata pentru gustul meu…si mai scumpa 12 lei la 400 ml).
—-In continuare ne-am mai rotit printre standuri in cautarea unui hamburger cat mai bun, dar misiunea s-a dovedit mai grea decat ne asteptam. Acest lucru s-a datorat timpilor mari de asteptare (35-40 minute la unii din expozanti), ceea ce aproape ma facuse sa renunt, dar pana la urma am ales coada de la standul Circus Pub, care pana la urma a fost o alegere fericita (pe langa cele doar 15 minute de asteptare), burgerii fiind excelenti., cu ingrediente de buna calitate (vita Black Angus, Camembert, trufe etc.). Cum nu puteam sa ii las pe uscat, m-am indreptat catre un vin, asa ca am poposit la standul Corks Cozy Bar & Tent. Caldura fiind totusi intensa a trebuit sa aleg varianta unor roze-uri: un spumant italian La Fara Cuvee (lejer, 11% alcool, nu foarte expansiv in nas, dar proaspat si placut) si Liliac 2015, binecunoscut ca unul dintre cele mai bune roze-uri de la noi. Selectia de vinuri la pahar era extrem de bogata si variata si sunt convins ca si cei mai exigenti ar fi gasit ceva pe placul lor.
—-Am vrut sa incheiem vizita cu o inghetata, dar cum 7 lei/cupa mi s-a parut mai scumpa ca in Germania, am virat catre un cannoli exceptional de la Zobuian.
—-As mai puncta cateva aspecte legate de acest eveniment:
– Ideea cu cartela care se incarca cu o suma de bani la intrare (existand posibilitatea reincarcarii ulterioare si chiar recuperarea banilor neconsumati la plecare) mi s-a parut foarte buna, eliminand timpii pierduti la standuri cu numararea banilor si eterna intrebara: „Bani mai marunti nu aveti”?
– oferta generoasa atat pe partea de „food” (mai ales pentru carnivori, dar si pentru vegetarieni) dar si de „drinks”, pentru toate gusturile: bere, vin, cocktail-uri etc.
– preturile relativ ridicate (alte exemple ar fi apa la 0,5 l era 6 lei, cartofi la plita 6 lei/100 g etc.) pentru conceptul de „street-food”.
—-Per ansamblu un eveniment interesant, dar daca si la urmatoarele editii se pastreaza preturile (nu mai zic ca daca ar mai fi si taxa de intrare de 15 lei/persoana este posibil sa iesi tot cam pe acolo daca nu chiar mai ieftin la un restaurant, fara sa mai zic ca ar fi si alt confort), nu stiu daca va mai avea prea mare succes si sa nu se transforme intr-un Street Music Festival.

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From Spaswinefood with love

Scris la 9 septembrie 2016 in Povesti despre vin | Niciun comentariu

—De la Sharon Parsons – participanta la sfârșitul lui august la #winelover hangout. Primele impresii despre România și vinurile sale.

—Just imagine it is the end of summer and you are on a vine-inspired adventure in Romania. What follows is an overview of my recent visit, which was filled with great wines and food, and amazing hospitality. Future posts will cover winery visits and wine discoveries in Southern Romania, home to stunning castles and awesome wines.

Nearing Harvest Time, Avinics Vineyard © Spaswinefood
Romania, one of the oldest viticultural regions in the world, has had a long tradition of wine making, dating back 4000 years. Like many Eastern European countries that tradition was stifled under communist occupation. Romania was used to provide cheap low quality wine to meet the demands of the Soviet Union. After the revolution in 1989, the production of quality of wine making has become a primary focus. Today Romania is an emerging star in the wine world. During my wine adventure in Southern Romania I was introduced to white wines, with names like Fetească Alba, Fetească Regala; and red wines like Fetească Neagră.

Vignettes from a Vine-inspired Adventure

A Land of Castles and Wine
After a restful weekend at the Diesel Hotel in Bucharest we headed to the mountains, stopping in Peles, Rhein Azuga, Bran Castle and Dambovicioara.

Land of Castles & Wine © Spaswinefood

Bran Castle © Spaswinefood
While at Bran Castle I could not help but notice the wine display in the gift shop.

Bran Castle © Spaswinefood

During a stop at the historical Rhein Winery we enjoyed a Sparkling wine tasting and lunch.

Rhein Wine History © Spaswinefood
After lunch we continued on into the mountains where we check into a small hotel for the night.

A Mountain Retreat, Dambovicioara © Spaswinefood
During dinner that evening in Dambovicioara we tasted a number of wines.

Intro to Romanian Wines © Spaswinefood

Crama Oprisor, Zinfandel Alb 2015 © Spaswinefood

Halewood Wines, Chardonnay 2014 © Spaswinefood

Divinitas Fetească Neagră 2013 © Spaswinefood

Next morning we continued to our first winery visit at Domeniul Coroanei, Segarcea.

Domeniul Coroanei, Segarcea © Spaswinefood
The Domeniul Coroanei wine tasting was an exciting lineup of Romanian wines.

Domeniul Coroanei Wines © Spaswinefood

We returned for the night at the Bavari Hotel, Craiova. That evening we dined at the Epoca Restaurant. Craiova looked like a cute town to explore, if we were on a tight schedule.

Epoch Restaurant, Craiova © Spaswinefood

Dragasani Wine Country
Next day, it was onto Dragasani, stopping to visit at Domeniile Mennini, which is know for its frizzante wines.

Domeniile Mennini, Stelle di Mari Rosé © Spaswinefood

Lunch was at the Blue Window, Slatina was outstanding. It is worth finding this place just to dine.

Blue Window, Slatina © Spaswinefood

That afternoon in the Dragasani wine country we visited three wineries Crama Bauer, Crama Stirbey and Crama Avincis. Crama Bauer is a new winery right next door to Crama Stirbey.

Crama Bauer © Spaswinefood
The wines here are unique. Try them if you get a chance.

Drama Bauer Wines © Spaswinefood
At Crama Stirby we were introduced to its rich, historical past and tasted an exciting lineup of wines. I loved this place, with its amazing hospitality and great views.

We were most fortunate to spend the night at Crama Avinics, which is the perfect set-up for enotourists. At Crama Avinics our host was Ghislain Moritz, Oenologist. Here we toured the winery, vineyards and did a wine tasting.

Taking in the Views, Crama Avinics © Spaswinefood
I would highly recommend Crama Avinics, as a place to stay. Moreover, given all the excitement in Dragasani, it is the wine region to watch.

Return to Bucharest
Next day on our way back to Bucharest we stopped at Vinarte Bolovanu. Here we were introduced to some premium Cabernet Sauvignon wines. These wines are quite special.

Vinarte Bolocanu © Spaswinefood
Later that night in Bucharest we had dinner at Rocca by the Jar Restaurant. During dinner we were introduced to Jidvei wines by Diana Pavelescu.

Prahova Wine Country
Next morning it was off to Prahova where we visited Licorna Winehouse and Domeniile Tohani.

Gabi Lăcureanu, Licorna Winehouse © Spaswinefood
Our next stop was a tour of the stunning Domeniile Tohani with Marina Samoila. This was at followed by a fabulous wine tasting of Domeniile Tohani wines over lunch at Ferma Dacilor.

Domeniile Tohani Wines with Lunch © Spaswinefood
Yes, this is another must visit wine region. Domeniile Tohani will be opening a new hotel and restaurant in the near future.

After an exciting day in wine country, we returned to Bucharest. That evening over dinner at La Mama Ateneu we explored wines, from two wineries, Liliac and Casa de Vinuri Cotnari.

Exploring Liliac and Casa de Vinuri Cotnari Wines © Spaswinefood
Another amazing evening it was with Liliac and Casa de Vinuri Cotnari Wines.

#Winelover Hangout in Bucharest
On our last day in Romania, just after breakfast, we visited the Chirescu Corkscrew Museum, which houses the largest corkscrew collection in the world. This was followed by sparkling wine tasting in Piata Constitute.

Next, we visited the Satului Museum. This ethnographic museum displays authentic houses from all parts of Romania.

Before the #winelover hangout at Corks Cozy Winebar (next door to La Mama Lipscani) we had dinner and wine tasting of Davino and Serve wines at Crama Domneasca.

Yes, dinner with traditional Romanian food and good wines is impossible to beat.

#Winelover Hangout in Romania
What inspired me most about the #winelover hangout in Romania was that it was a gathering of locals who love wine.

Meeting so many Romanian #winelovers in one location that evening was indeed inspiring. Sadly, I had to leave early to catch an early morning flight.

Yes, treat yourself to vine-inspired travels in Romania. While we had tasted Romanian wines on a number of occasions prior to visiting Romania, nothing compensates for a first-hand experience in country. The above itinerary was an awesome enotourism inspired adventure. I invite you to join me in my travels in Romania and elsewhere at Spaswinefood. Special thanks to Razvan Stoenescu, George Wine, and all our new Romanian friends for being such wonderful hosts during Spaswinefood’s vine-filled explorations.