“Wine Rises in the East, Including in Romania” #3/3 by Florence Monferran

A New Romanian Generation Takes the Helm

Since the 2010s, new vineyard owners, along with Romanian engineers, managers, and winemakers, have been spearheading a revival of the country’s winemaking traditions. This new generation, trained in Italy, France, New Zealand, and Chile, is fluent in English and brimming with determination, taking control of their viticultural destiny. Across ancestral vineyards, abandoned plots are being revived with shovels and bulldozers, which even rebuild roads.
Speaking with Théodore (like the Eastern patriarch), Darius (Persian emperor), Nicolaï (Russian tsar), and Ovidiu (Roman poet) seems almost symbolic. These names embody the historical currents shaping Romania’s winemaking heritage. Yet, they also represent a future they are actively crafting, which they allowed me to glimpse.
Three encounters illustrate this new era: Licorna Wines in the DOC Dealu Mare, La Salina near Cluj in IG Transylvanian, and Jelna Wines in DOC Lechinta. These estates reflect 100% Romanian success through a blend of endemic and international grape varieties. On relatively small plots (between 26 and 42 hectares), they produce premium wines and are gradually gaining international recognition. Although they approach organic farming differently, they share a model focused on oenotourism, serving as a lever for promotion and opening doors to global markets.

Licorna Wines: The Pursuit of Perfection

Licorna, located in the magical Dealu Mare, was born from a vision in 1909 urging its owner to establish a winery. In this area with a long viticultural tradition, great wines began re-emerging in the 2000s. Beyond the vast Budureasca estate, high on the hill, Bogdan Anghel, the manager, greets us warmly. Passionate about global grape varieties and long-aging wines, he is recognized by peers and internationally for the purity of his vinifications.
Bogdan crafts delicate whites aged in barrels and is currently focusing on reds. “We have elevated our quality. These Dealu Mare wines require time,” he explains. He also turns his attention to ancient grape varieties, particularly Fetească, with oenologist Gabriel Lacureanu, known as the “pope of the grape.” “Fetească Albă has potential, I believe,” he says. He continues to produce traditional Muscats like Tămâioasă Românească, sometimes sweet, though demand is declining. Licorna is also experimenting with Bătută Neagră, aiming to develop a standout Romanian grape for rosé.

La Salina: The Salt of the Vine

In northwestern Romania, near Cluj-Napoca, terraced vineyards share the land with grazing sheep. Below, the salt mines of Turda, exploited since the Dacian era, have been repurposed into leisure and health centers, attracting a steady stream of tourists.
Ovidiu Maxim, winemaker and manager at La Salina, has been there since its inception in 2011. “We cleaned, prepared the land, and organized everything you see now,” he says, surveying the captivating hills of Durgău, where 42 meticulously managed hectares stretch out. Drawing on his Romanian and international experience in New Zealand, Ovidiu emphasizes precision and attention to detail.
He cultivates the typical Transylvanian acidity, bringing freshness and a distinct character to the wines. Balancing local and international grape varieties, his Fetească wines are balanced, revealing spices and floral aromas, while his stunning Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs are gaining well-deserved recognition. The Chardonnay Barrique, aged in 500L and 225L barrels crafted by Romanian cooperage Vlad, recently won double gold at the Brussels World Competition, becoming a “champion” and a point of pride for Ovidiu. La Salina is expanding its exports, particularly to Canada, and complements its range with sparkling wines: “We have excellent terroir, great grapes (Chardonnay), and a solid market.”

Jelna Wines: Rising in the North

Jelna, an authentic Saxon wine village (Weindorfer) in the Carpathians, lies near Romania’s northern border. The local economy was historically based on wine, particularly whites, though reds are adapting. Age-worthy Pinot Noirs, tasted with young oenologist Darius Pripon, are proof.
Darius trained first in Cluj, then in Valencia, Spain, before heading to Italy and New Zealand with Alan Scott, and finally to Alira in Romania. His impressive training has instilled an awareness of organic and biodynamic practices. In this once-wild region, with no roads and populated by bears, Darius saw the advantage of reclaiming “a very pure land” with one ambition: “Not to be the best, but to be unique. We know Transylvania’s potential. We want to craft exactly what we envision, based on what the terroir can offer.”
On these volcanic mountains, rich in blue clay that resists water stress, the soils provide high minerality and an uncommon energy. With support from Nicolaï, who has extensive experience in Italy, Darius creates wines using both indigenous and selected yeasts. His results speak for themselves, including a Sauvignon Blanc that rivals the best and a multi-award-winning Tria, an elegant blend of three types of Fetească aged in oak and acacia barrels. Everything is marketed as premium, with no large-scale distribution. Jelna’s Navicella range is even exclusively dedicated to Japan.

Diverse Approaches to Organic Farming

These winemakers, whose meticulous expertise is evident in every detail, adopt different approaches to organic farming. Bogdan Anghel rejects it outright, finding it too risky on his 30 hectares and too unpredictable in terms of yield.
Ovidiu Maxim is hesitant. Natural conditions are not conducive to organic practices: frequent rain, hot and wet summers, and deep valleys where the wind doesn’t circulate. “We constantly deal with mildew and powdery mildew,” he explains. However, a Riesling grown away from other grape varieties is certified organic, with the final decision left to the estate’s owners.
Darius Pripon, influenced by his experience in New Zealand and at Domaine Bogdan, incorporates biodynamic principles without worrying about certification. “In my generation, respecting nature is normal—it doesn’t need to be highlighted or marketed,” he says. This includes coexisting with grape-loving bears in the Dealu Negru (“Black Hill”), which sometimes ruin late harvests.

A Shared Focus on Oenotourism

The desire to gain international recognition is strong. Bogdan Anghel is enthusiastic about building a hotel and restaurant at Licorna, next to the original retro-style building. With breathtaking landscapes of green hills and calm surroundings, the area is steeped in tradition and legend. Yet, Bucharest is only an hour away. “It’s a target for us. We’re developing the tourism aspect. Half of my visitors are foreigners, especially Americans,” he notes.
Near Cluj-Napoca, Romania’s second-largest city, La Salina attracts corporate tourists. Since 2013, Ovidiu Maxim has built a tasting venue among the vines, hosting events like receptions and large weddings. The appetite for nature continues to grow, and a 100-room, 5-star equestrian-themed hotel is being built, complete with stables and an arena.
In the Carpathian foothills, Jelna combines heritage and luxury. A 12th-century Saxon church houses a mosaic by Giotto, rediscovered in 2016. Around this symbolic work, Jelna developed its Navicella wine range. The estate now includes a discreetly luxurious complex with a hotel, restaurant, pool, and spa overlooking mountains, lakes, and nearby vineyards.

An Aspiration to Fulfill Efforts

Wine is indeed rising in the East. At a time when geopolitics shifts focus to Eastern Europe, Romanian wine serves as a vehicle for integration into the European Union. Western funds have facilitated replanting with international grape varieties, reorganizing vineyards and wineries, and improving quality. Meanwhile, traditions have contributed unique local varieties.
Oenotourism is now leveraging wine alongside flagship cities and UNESCO heritage sites: the Tarnave region with Sibiu, Romanian Moldavia with its colorful wooden monasteries, and Dobrogea with the Danube Delta and Black Sea.
How can these unique, energetic wines—both red and white—gain the international recognition they deserve? They remain under-exported, but they bring with them a story of resilience, a rich culture, and the passion of their winemakers. These often-overlooked Eastern European countries, like Romania, welcome us with open arms, offering the freshness of a reborn story, the wisdom of those who have endured trials, and the hope of finally stepping into the global spotlight after 30 years of effort.

Photographs © Florence Monferran