Feelingvine t
A new Romania tour from Regent Holidays pairs a fresh generation of wineries with historic churches and castles, writes Katie McGonagle
his small business started from a big passion,” says winemaker Ferdi, as he decants a bottle of his signature red, Cuvee Paul Rezerva, which he named
after his son (now business partner). “I decided in 2009 to make my own wine, so I would know exactly what goes into it, and I make the wine exactly how I love to drink it. “Everything is done manually, from picking the
grapes and cutting the vines to bottling. Everything is done with our own hands, so we pick only grapes that are healthy and at their full potential. It’s a lot of work, but we are trying to make some quality wine here.” After a career change from marine officer to
restaurateur, Fernando Mihăilescu – Ferdi to friends – ultimately decided to pursue his passion for winemaking by turning a few hectares of family land in this less-touristed southern region of Romania into a boutique winery. It’s one of many springing up across the country which, perhaps surprisingly, is the seventh-biggest wine producer in Europe, bottling the same amount each year as New Zealand. We sample Ferdi’s signature blend, a mix of familiar cabernet flavours and hardy local varietal fetească neagră, the area’s best-known grape.
BURGEONING REPUTATION Romanian wine used to have a reputation for quantity over quality, dating from the days when the country was under communist rule. But now, thanks to EU funding to modernise its winemaking infrastructure and a growing reputation
for its native grapes, Romania makes an interesting alternative for wine lovers in search of something different. Specialist operator Regent Holidays is tapping into that appetite with a tour that combines the country’s winemaking heritage with its rich history and culture. The view from the terrace at Crama Ferdi is as good as
what’s in the glass, as leafy vines laden with fruit stretch up to the hills that edge the southern region of Dealu Mare.
The view from the terrace at
Crama Ferdi is as good as what’s in the glass, as leafy vines laden with fruit stretch up to the hills
Across those hills in Transylvania lies the ever-
popular Bran Castle, where tourists flock in search of Dracula gore and lore, only to find there’s no evidence that author Bram Stoker ever visited and it bears little link to Dracula’s inspiration, Vlad the Impaler – a 15th-century warlord who ruled with a bloodthirsty zeal for exacting brutal punishment on his enemies. In fact, Vlad Tepes – whose nickname came from
his father, Vlad Dracul, meaning ‘the dragon’ – hailed not from Transylvania but from Poienari Castle in a neighbouring province, set high in the hills overlooking the Transfăgărășan mountain road. This scenic drive
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travelweekly.co.uk 26 OCTOBER 2023 41
DESTINATIONS ROMANIA | EUROPE
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