Viticulture in Romania

Climate zones in Romania

The Romanian wine has a more than 6,000-year tradition.

history

Archaeological evidence shows that the inhabitants of today's Romania knew the technology of wine making and wine storage 6000 years ago. This makes the area one of the oldest wine-growing countries in Europe. Herodotus reported on the wine trade on the Black Sea coast in today's Dobruja. German settlers, the Transylvanian Saxons , influenced viticulture in Transylvania as early as the 12th century. In the 18th century, the Austrian Queen Maria Theresa brought the so-called Banat Swabians into the country, who strengthened viticulture and contributed significantly to the development of Romanian viticulture. After 1948 a large part of the wineries was nationalized, of which around 16% are still state-owned today. As a result of the wave of privatization after the political upheaval, numerous small and very small owners emerged.

climate

Romania belongs in principle to the moderate climatic zone in the area of ​​the west wind zone and lies on the same latitude as France. Due to the natural barrier of the Carpathians, however, the individual parts of the country differ from one another in terms of climate. Transylvania (west of the Carpathians) is still characterized by the maritime climate of the Atlantic winds. However, the Carpathian Mountains prevent them from reaching the east and south of the country. In Moldova (east of the Carpathian Mountains) there is a continental climate . This region is exposed to cold air currents from Ukraine. In Wallachia (south of the Carpathian Mountains) there are Mediterranean influences, and to a greater extent in the Dobruja.

The average annual temperatures within Romania vary between 11 ° C in the south and 8 ° C in the north, despite the severe winters. The temperature during the growing season of the vines is therefore comparatively high.

Wine-growing regions in Romania

Grasă de Cotnari from Moldova

The three main regions are Moldova, Muntenia and Oltenia. 79 percent of all Romanian wine is produced in them.

• Moldova (Moldau): is the largest Romanian wine-growing region. This area, which was the heartland of the Principality of Moldova during the Middle Ages , has many parallels with viticulture in the Republic of Moldova . The country's most famous wine, Grasă de Cotnari , is grown in the east of this region near Cotnari . The Panciu and Odobeşti wine-growing regions are located in the south of the region .
• Wallachia
  • Muntenia (Great Wallachia): mainly red wine. The best vineyards are on the southern foothills of the Carpathian foothills. Large wine-growing regions are in Dealu Mare (in Buzău County ), Târgovişte.
  • Oltenia (Little Wallachia): interesting sweet red wines and sweet to sweet white wines. Wine-growing region: Drăgășani (in the central-eastern part of Little Wallachia).
• Transylvania ( Transylvania ): mainly white wine; The best white wines with a fruity, mild aroma come from this region. Wine- growing area: Jidvei (German: Seiden ) and east of Alba Iulia , but also in the vicinity of Bistrița .
• Dobrogea (Dobrudscha): white and red wine with the well-known dessert wine Murfatlar .
• Banat : mainly red wines (some according to Danube Swabian tradition) in Teremia Mare and Recaș
• Crișana ( screeching area ): red and white wine. Wine-growing areas: Pâncota and Miniș (located east of Arad )

Grape varieties

Băbească Neagră

Many grape varieties have their origin here and there is a large variety of grapes. About three quarters of the approximately 250,000 hectares of vineyards are made up of white vine cultures.

White wine varieties

• Romanian origin: Sylvaner , Fetească Albă (White Girls grape), Fetească Regala (fetească regală) Frâncuşă (a dry white wine that is grown in Cotnari), Grasa de Cotnari , Tamaioasa Românească , Crâmpoşie , Zghihară de Huşi , Sarba , Plăvaie , Mustoasă de Măderat
• Foreign origin: Chardonnay , Traminer , Muskat-Ottonel , and Pinot Gris

Red wine varieties

• Romanian origin: Băbească Neagră , Fetească Neagră (Black Girl Grape ), Busuioacă de Bohotin , Negru de Drăgășani
• Foreign origin: Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot , Pinot Noir and Syrah

Quality classes

In 1972 Romania introduced a new directive that is very similar to Western countries.

• Vin de masă = table wine (less than 9.5% volume percent actual alcohol content)
• Vin de regiune superioră = sophisticated table wine (over 9.5% vol)
• Vin cu denumire de origine controlată (DOC) = quality wines from a specific growing area with controlled origins. The grape varieties must come from the species Vitis vinifera . The actual alcohol content must be at least 10% vol.
• DOC și trepte de Calitate (DOCC) = superior quality wine with controlled origins

Special classifications

These are awarded in addition to DOC and DOCC

• Cules la maturitatea deplină (CMD) = Fully ripe grapes with at least 190 g / l sugar
• Cules târziu (CMD CT) = late harvest with at least 220 g / l sugar
• Cules la înobilarea boabelor (CMD CIB) = Beerenauslese with at least 240 g / l sugar
• Cules la stafidarea boabelor (CMD CSB) = Trockenbeerenauslese with at least 260 g / l sugar

Viticulture policy

Political and professional representatives of the Assembly of the Wine-Growing Regions of Europe ( AREV ) met on September 4, 2007 in Alba Iulia to elaborate point by point an answer to the Commission's proposals for wine market reform (see also the Mainz resolution ).

literature

• André Dominé , Armin Faber, Thomas Pothmann: Wine . Könemann Verlagsgesellschaft, 2000, ISBN 3-8290-2765-6 .

Web links

• Web portal for Romanian wines (Romanian / English)
• Wine list of Romania
• ROMANIA'S WINES: golden yellow pinot, ruby ​​red kadarka , Der Spiegel December 12, 2008
• Interactive map of the growing areas

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Autumn in the Romanian wine-growing region , Radio România International October 22, 2007
2. ↑ Bulletin of the OIV ( Memento of the original of June 4, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. for the Viticulture Congress in Romania, 2013 
3. ^ Discharge for EU Agriculture Commissioner Fischer Boel
4. ^ Statement of the AREV on the reform of the wine market organization ( Memento of February 29, 2012 in the Internet Archive )