—-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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