Preparing the Autumn Specials

As I talled you more times, trying to warm you up, I am working on the Autumn special offers, namely a week in Romania by harvesting grapes!

25 YEARS AGO IT WAS AN OFFICIAL DUTY OF STUDENTS TO HELP
BY GRAPES HARVESTING. AND WAS NOT BAD! 

There are endless possibilities for that
-active participation, daily harvesting, grapes pressing, processing wine. You must be in the best shape and very reliable. Man, after all is a gentlemen' activity, preparing the new wine, filling the vessels etc. The antique Romans and Greeks were already celebrating The Dyonyssos feast in Autumn. It is very normal to celebrate in Autumn the completion of the agricultural cycle (and year). In the first Sunday of November there is an official celebration, the Harvesting Day (no, Sir, not for grapes exclusively, but for all the fruits of the land which feed us! Maybe poorer this year, due to the long draught, but still an official celebration!)

MANY VINEYARDS STILL USE THE TRADITIONAL WAY OF PRESSING GRAPES

-only watching, but living in the vineyard, drinking must, drinking old wine, tasting some original combinations between the young and the old wine (carcalete is a word to remember). You don't need to be in the best shape, but what you really need is a strong stomach!

-forget the wine tours in Romania, this country has so much more to offer. You can drink a glass of two of good Romanian wine at every meal, just in case. I will also have some special offers in this area, you only need some precious time from your vacation. And you will get much more than a simply vacation.

-living in luxury hotels, going tasting, only visiting the vineyards and the grapes pickers.
Which from the above mentioned tours means going wild for you? And which one would you like to join? Simply tell me by your comments, mail me, only let me know somehow, in order to organize it right.

DANUBE DELTA IS ALSO ROMANIA

Stay tuned, dear friends, and follow me as I have so many things to describe you from this piece of heaven named Romania, and its breathtaking landscapes and endless possibilities to offer you an unforgettable vacation. Danube Delta, Moldavian Monasteries, Black Sea coast, mountains, rich history and so on, I will try to make a complete description, in order to get the all picture. With a bitter mention: the political class, as everywhere in the world, is a big disappointment and also a big danger nowadays. The Bucharest leaders, President Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Victor Ponta can't live peacefully together and govern the country. They are simply mad, or only stupid, escaladating daily a personal conflict. Meanwhile, the country is devastated by a catastrophic drought and the Romanian coin loses daily against Euro (but this could represent your unexpected advantage during a Romania Tour).

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How to produce a good wine and how to keep it right

You like wine, don't you? I love them too, that's why we are here as wine afficionados, as I like to repeat! At least in this point we all agree!

The grape, if you allow me

First of all, may be you are not sufficiently aware that wine, different from other alcoholic or non alcoholic drinks, is a living organism. If you are very aware while tasting or drinking wine, you can observe it. Watch it in the glass, it breathes. Smell it, taste it, enjoy it, it is really necessary to do so if you wanna get the best from your wine.

Did you ask probably more that once what makes a good wine ? The soil, the climate, the sortiment, the way of cutting the plantation. Everything counts, for sure, and here in Romania we have the best conditions for making some excellent wines. If you wish to set up your own vineyard, bear in mind some facts: you got the best grapes in the vineyards with an yearly average temperature of  more 10 degrees Celsius, with 1500 hours of sun exposure and rain fall of 400-600 liters per quadrat meters.

Further, the agricultural works play an important role. There are works on the ground, as also works on the vine; fighting diseases; harvesting at the right moment etc.

Still interested to set up a vineyard or to get one (for Romania I can get you some information) ? If yes, go to the point: you have the grapes, you must press them now (supposing, just supposing). You can still give up and buy o bottle of good Romanian wine, as you can find it in many places on Earth.(Berlin, Paris, Manchester to name just a few, ask me further if you want.).

This feeder helps crushing the membranes

Nevertheless, nothing compares with making and marketing your own wine, so let's go further! From 1 kg grapes you will get 0,7-0,8 litres of must. 60 % of it will flow almost naturally, and the rest on the press. There is a huge difference between the white and the red wine. For the white, you must separate the grape from its bunch and membranes; on the contrary, for the big Reds you need a good color and a strong flavor. You can get them by crushing first the grapes and allowing them a short fermentation of 2-3 days, without separation of the bunches or the membranes.

We will continue next time our adventure in the world of wine. The best, come in September to Romania and take part to    the new crop and you will understand more.

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The new crop, the young wine

Every year, the new grapes crop is a fiesta. The people work hard, so hard in the vineyards from morning until evening, and believe me, it is really a hard work! Nevertheless, they find the necessary energy in the late evening for singing, dancing, drinking must ( young wine) and eating.

It is really amazing to see on their faces a magic shine, the shine of an accomplished duty. And is also amazing to observe these people during their celebrations in the late evening. They don't bother to think to the next day, when they are going to work again very hard (and the other days too, the vintage lasts 1-2 months). Finding this energy is totally a mystery, and is due maybe to the wine( did you observe that under certain circumstances the wine acts similarily with the coffee?). Would you like facing this challenge? Tell me if  you would, we can arrange and organize it.

And keep in mind that you must be very fit, in the best shape if you really wanna take part! There are nevertheless some interesting rewards: money (20 euros daily) and three meals as a bonus. Much more important, the feeling of being very useful, and the opportunity to taste the new wine (must), the old wine and to combine them. The possibilities of having contact with the locals is also to be mentioned.

The local favorite meal for pairing with the must is the smoked sheep. This combination is for long runners indeed, tastes really fantastic, but you need a strong stomach. The next day you are going to drink only water (or tea, even better!) and most probably you won't be able to work. But two or three days with this diet, your training is completed and the locals will adopt you for sure.

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How to taste the young wine

The new young wine, also named must, is quite special. Not yet wine, but very close to it. Very unstable, like a baby; as it grows and matures, many diseases can hurt it.

The young wine diet, paired with the grapes diet, is very healthy as the young wine is so rich on antioxydants.  Actually, is one of the best naturally known antioxydants, and I can warmly recommend it to you. But you need only to take some precautions: the combination between must and grapes is an efficient purgative, you need a trained stomach! Not everyone can respect it. Be aware of it, and and don't exceed your personal limit.

Start your diet with no more than a glass of young wine to every meal, associated with one half kilo grape daily. After one week, if no side effects appear, you may increase the over mentioned amount.The best time and place for this special diet is of course, a vineyard by harvesting grapes (in Romania it starts in the middle of August and lasts until the end of October. I can even give you a secret tip: take part to the harvesting (grapes picking). May be not like a local peasant who is payed for it ( it is hard work, believe me! I have done it for many years. You need to be very fit if you want to do it!), but at least I strongly recommend you to live in a vineyard one or two weeks.I can organize it, for sure.

It is really spoiling your senses. The leaves change their color, and make the sight very spectacular. The smell  and taste are  also spoiled because of the grapes, the young wine, or the older wines (don't forget, you are in a vineyard, and every farmer is very proud about the qualities of his products. And is very pleased sharing them with you, this is really hospitality I'd say).

After this trip you will be surely richer (not at all because the money you can earn,Sir!) but because that spectacular atmosphere and the benefits for your health. Simply an experience you may not lose or refuse.

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