Dracula on a Bottle

Forget preconceived ideas, wine from Romania is really very good.

Most people have heard of Count Dracula, the terrifying fictional vampire created by Bram Stoker and based on Vlad the Impaler. Romanian wine marketers have taken advantage of our fascination with the character and Dracula´s image finds itself on many a Romanian wine bottle.

So, should you buy wine with Dracula on the bottle?

Be in no doubt that Romania is a major wine producer, it ranks 12th on the world volume list so the fact that we don’t see it much and it doesn’t receive more recognition might seem surprising.

In many people’s minds, Romania is still synonymous with low quality, mass production, and certainly not with producing premium wines. Under Communist rule, it is true that the wine industry was mass production-oriented and then, after the wall fell, hyperinflation ruined the economy.

But things are on the upswing. A number of new foreign players have appeared in the industry, including the prestigious Antinori family with their Metamorfosis winery (which you can visit with us) in the Dealu Mare wine region. When extremely successful winemakers such as Antinori invest in a new terroir there are obviously some very good reasons for doing so, and they spot great potential.

Wineries such as Metamorfosis, Lacerta, Sahateni, and SERVE are producing award-winning wine in the Dealu Mare area, using both international and local varieties. These wineries are also embracing wine tourism so we can all share, not only the wines at the wineries but also the terroir. The brand ambassador at SERVE took us out into the vineyards to get a great overview of their planting and was very enthusiastic about promoting tourism at his winery.

In fact, we enjoyed a great reception at all of the Dealu Mare wineries we visited, there is a large concentration of wineries in this lovely wine region and has been dubbed the Romanian Bordeaux. We were impressed with the facilities and wines across the region. Add in the history and natural beauty of Romania and you have so many good reasons to visit.

So, back to the initial question. Should we buy the Dracula themed bottles that adorn the shelves in the duty-free area at Bucharest airport? As an amusing wine souvenir, it is hard to beat. But it is likely to be a very average wine, and aimed at being placed on a shelf and probably not drunk. Then again when you are at home thinking of your superb time in Romania the urge might be too much!

There are some premium, seriously good wines in Romania and while the labels may not grab your attention like blood-sucking Dracula will, the aroma and flavor profiles will. Look out for the star variety of reds in Romania, Feteasca Neagra.

You can read much more about the variety on the Revino site in the previous link but we can add that the name literally means “black little girl”. As you might expect with that name the resultant wine will often be dark ruby or violet and have a profile full of black fruit and spices. It pairs well with food and you should take advantage of both Romanian wine and food while you are here.