Surely you have heard about this country for its medieval cities and for being a land of legends such as the region of Transylvania with the famous castle of Dracula in Bran, or you will remember the famous Romanian gymnast Nadia Comanceci who made a sensation when she obtained the gold medal at the Montreal Olympics Games by obtaining a hystorical perfect 10. This time it is the Budureasca vineyards and their wines that have surprised us and I am sure that you will hear more and more about their wines.
The Romanian wine tasting organized by Budureasca vineyards was a great success. Budureasca representatives were present at this virtual tasting, with the presence of the enologist Mr. Stephen Donnelly, originally from England, who told us how he chose the beautiful region of Dealu Mare located in the Southeast of Romania, just 1 hour from Bucharest to produce wines. Likewise, Ms. Olga Miloiu, CEO, Ms. Mónica Florean, Marketing Manager, and Maria Robu, Budureasca marketing specialist participated in the presentation.
Stephen Donnely has more than 35 years making wines in many countries such as India, England, South Africa, Hungary, and finally in Romania. "When I arrived to this region for the first time in 1995, there were still no good wines, many wines were sweet and most of the companies were owned by the government. However, when I tasted a 1960 Merlot wine from an old vineyard, I discovered the enormous potential that this country has for winemaking, the wine after 35 years in the bottle was still vibrant and at that time the main harvested grape was Merlot. I was then convinced and bet on Budureasca", Donnely confessed.
The vineyards are located at an altitude of 175-400 meters and have a cultivation area of 280 hectares. Its microclimate greatly favors obtaining indigenous grapes from the region, giving it a very exclusive and original flavor. It should be noted that Budureasca and the region is the fastest growing in Europe. The area extends over hills and valleys being the ideal and unique location for the vineyards in addition to the good quality of its soil, as it contains chernozem, limestone, calcium and clay which offers the Budureasca crops great quality grapes that is almost impossible to achieve in other areas of the country.
Budureasca Premium Fumé
The first wine we tasted was the Budureasca Premium Fumé 2019 white wine. This wine has been produced from a combination of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris grapes. Notes of fruits such as pineapple, vanilla and ripe pear can be felt. It has a great personality and elegance, distinguished by a straw yellow color, with golden reflections and aromas of elderflowers and almonds. It conquered my palate with its elegant oak flavor and a long harmonious finish. It is recommended to take this wine mainly with smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, fresh cheeses, as well as to accompany your grilled chicken and seafood, Indian food, and it would even go very well with the "poutine" of Québec. It is recommended to serve this wine at temperatures of 10 to 12 centigrade. The price of this wine is $ Can 20.50 including taxes.
Noble Five 2018
We went on to taste the red wine: Noble Five 2018, one of my favorites. It has been produced with the combination of 5 varieties of grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Feteasca Neagra. It matured in the best French and Romanian oak barrels for almost a year. This is an intense dark ruby red wine, it contains hints of chocolate, with an elegant structure, and the flavor of fruits such as black cherries and dried plums. As the wine reached my palate, it left me with a long velvet sensation. I personally recommend this wine to lovers of full-bodied wines. It goes very well with beef, pork, lamb, and blue cheese. Its cost is $ Can 27.00 including taxes.
Clasic Feteasca Neagra 2018
We finish with the red wine Clasic Feteasca Neagra 2018, a wine made with local red Feteasca Neagra grapes. Feteasca Neagra means the black lady. This wine was created by growing the grapes to their maximum maturity to give it an explosion of fruity note. It contains 12 grams of sugar, but it is not felt due to its structure. Its color is dark ruby, with a subtle smell of white pepper and plum. It contains soft tannins and a long aftertaste. It is worth mentioning that it is the favorite wine of Romanians and it is very likely that you will adopt it too. It goes very well with grilled meat and vegetables, sausages as well as the famous pork ribs. The wine has a cost of $Can20.50 including taxes.
During this presentation, Ms. Natalie Richard, journalist and sommelier, was also invited to talk about her experiences on her trip to Romania, especially during her visit to the Budureasca vineyards. "When one arrives, the first thing they do is to share a braided bread with salt, you take a small piece of bread and dip it in the salt and eat." It is a traditional greeting, a symbol of hospitality and to welcome guests from Romanians. She also highlighted the benefits of both white and red wines from Budureasca vineyards. She shared an anecdote with the audience: "At the end of the meal and after having drunk a lot of alcohol, we were served a broth called "Ciorba" which is a specialty from Romania which contains many vegetables and meat". It has an acid taste since lemon or fermented wheat is added. According to tradition, this soup or broth helps you recover from the hangover that alcohol leaves you.
We have good news; this wine is now available in Montreal and you can order it through Ro-Wine. They will take care of delivering it to your home or you can pick it up at the SAQ closest to your home. Don't miss the little gift with your purchase during December. Here is the information:
You can order online by visiting the page: https://budureascawines.com/ca/
They can also communicate through:
or order them at
