The Danube Terraces
Located in the south of Romania, the Dobrogea region is home to the Danube Terraces. This wine region is hilly and located on the Danube’s terraces. The Danube River creates a natural boundary between Romania and Bulgaria, so this region is bordered by steep vineyards on one side while it overlooks the sleepy village of Cernavoda to its north.
There are six subregions that make up this wine area: Silistra, Fetesti-Cernavoda, Tulcea-Murighiol, Niculițel-Măcin, Macin Mountains and Babadag.
Situation
- Location
The vineyards are located in the northern part of Romania, on the terraces overlooking the Danube river. They are situated at an altitude of around 100-200 meters. The area is protected by the Carpathian Mountains to the north and east and by the Apuseni Mountains to the west, which prevents rain and snow from reaching this region. The regional climate is continental with clear seasons, hot summers and cold winters. Summer temperatures range between 25°C (77°F) and 30°C (86°F); winters can be quite harsh with temperatures ranging between -10°C (14°F) and -15°C (5°F).
- Soil type
The soils are sand, gravels, loess or chernozem atop alluvial deposits composed of sand, pebbles or clay transported along the river during floods.
Climate, soils and grape varieties
This region is characterised by a continental climate, with hot days and cool nights. The majority of the soils are clay, but there is also some sand.
Winemakers in this region mostly produce red wines (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon), although there are some whites.
History of winemaking in the region
The Danube Terraces are a small but distinctive wine region in Romania. The Danube winds east across the country, eventually spilling into the Black Sea near Constanța, Romania’s largest port city. The terraces themselves are located along the river as it passes through Bucharest, Romania’s capital and largest city. There is a long tradition of winemaking in this area, where grapevines were planted after being introduced to Europe from Asia Minor by merchants around 1000 BC.
Appellations and producers
There are four appellations in the region: Minis, Crisana, Banat and Recaş. Sixteen producers make wine in the area, but only a few actually sell their wines in export markets.
Grape varieties grown here include Stărmina, Fetească Neagră and Cadarca—all of which are indigenous to Romania (although Cadarca is also found in Hungary). The most common type of wine is red. And not just any red: full-bodied dry reds with a lot of tannins and acidity. These are not designed for drinking young!
The best known wines from this region are those produced by Halewood Wines & Spirits (which owns the small wine producer Domeniile Sâmburești). They produce two highly acclaimed wines from this area, Prince Stirbey Cabernet Sauvignon and Prince Stirbey Pinot Noir.
Name of a local winemaker (Oprișor)
“…it is a unique village, located in the heart of Romania’s best wine-growing region. Here you will find small, family wineries that produce some of the best wines in the country.”
The Danube Terraces are home to over 80 viticulturists who farm on just 6.5 hectares (17 acres) of land. The winemakers here are true artisans—they produce their wine with precisely crafted and methodical care. Their work is deeply rooted in tradition and history. While most of these tiny family businesses have been in existence for generations, Oprișor is the only one still run by its founders today after all those years.
Best known wines of Oprișor in the context of the appellation
- `Casa Oprișor` – Cabernet Sauvignon – Chewy and full of black cherry, pepper, vanilla and soft tannins. It’s very young so it’s recommended to decant it before drinking. Despite its youth it has amazing potential!
- `Casa Oprișor` – Merlot – It has a medium body with a nice acidity giving the wine an elegant finish. Perfect to drink with food but also alone, for example as an aperitif.
- Vârfurile Casei Oprişor` – Aligote (White) – A nice mineral wine with crisp acidity tasting of apple and pear on the palate. It pairs well with seafood or any white fish
A more global view
The best wines of Oprișor are not the best wines of the appellation, or even of Romania. Rather, they are among the best wines of the Danube area (the eastern Balkans and central Europe), which includes Hungary and its historic Tokaj region. They are wines that can age for decades, but are also remarkably approachable when young.
Wine tourism is no longer the preserve of France, Italy or Spain.
Wine tourism is no longer the preserve of France, Italy or Spain. Wine tourism is growing in emerging wine producing regions, such as Romania. This is good news for both local economies and wineries, especially smaller ones.
Wine tourism simply refers to people traveling to a destination that is home to wineries. It can take on many forms, but some common activities include vineyard tours, wine tasting and educational seminars (like pairing foods with wines).
When it comes to wine tourism, it helps if people are vacationing in a region that’s famous for its wines, because then they’re more likely to want visit local wineries. But there’s another way for winemakers to get people interested: if their destinations are particularly scenic or interesting in general (i.e., not just known for their wines), this will also draw tourists who may not be as interested in wine culture itself but could still be convinced by being offered other reasons why they might like going there (such as seeing beautiful sights).