Romanian Wine Cocktails

You must know and be aware of the wine based cocktails, as you may know as professional or simply skilled wine fan. I am also very fond of cocktails, and other mates of me here in Romania also do! We make them mainly, but not exclusively, during hot summer days, when it is not allowed to drink the wine dried or at room temperature, as the sommelier recommend!

We use here in Romania as cocktail bases natural sweet wines or sweet liqueur wines, and you must know some great wines as Porto, Madera, Marsala, Jerez, as also some other grand vins or grand cru. It is also possible to use Champagne for the cocktails, I am sure you already know this trick.  I adapted the receipes you know to the Romanian particular conditions, getting some amazing results, which I would like to share with you.

During the summer hot days it is not advisable to drink wine dried.

1. Cocktail Busuioaca
Use the following ingredients:
-ice cubes, the half of the shaker
-60 ml fresh orange juice
-30 ml fresh lemon juice
-100 ml Busuioaca de Bohotin
-1 teaspoonful of white rhum

Mix only by hand, well agitating the shaker, until you get an homogenuos drink, and add last the rhum, for a guaranteed success. The result is a long drink, tasting sweety and fruity.

Red wine based cocktail, the wine is Feteasca (girl wine). Indicated for ladies, if drunked by the men!

2.Cocktail Cotnari
Ingredients:
-ice cubes, 1/4 of the shaker
-20 ml exquisite cognac
-20 ml Curacao orange
-60 ml Blanc Cotnari (made by VINARTE SA)
-2 traits Angostura bitter
In order to get a refreshing long drink, you only may to mix 5-6 seconds long

White wine and orange cocktail, with a lot of ice, of course

3. Cocktail Dealu Mare cooler
-ice cubes, 1/4 of the shaker
-20 ml lemon juice
-20 ml exquisite cognac
-100 ml Feteasca Neagra from Dealu Mare (dark red wine)
-complete with soda or sparkling mineral water, or even with ginger ale or lemonlike drinks ( taste matter).
Stir for 10-12 seconds long and get a long soft drink, and decorate with a lemon spiral.

Which is your poisson?

Tell me please your opinions and other receipes or secret tricks you may have.

Read more »

The Big Romania Wine Tasting Tour with 10 % discount in May

I have worked out a big surprise for the wine afficionados: a bigger Romania Wine Tasting Tour. Comparing to my previous wine tour ( attention pls, April discount will soon be obsolete!) I added a few wineries, and I left the dinner to the option of the tourists! But I strove to keep further a good quality of services, wines and lodging.  So, it lasts longer, more wineries, costs cheaper. You have much for paying less! Special offers for honeymooners! This program takes 8 days / 7 nights and is designed for both the tourists and the specialists in oenology, because of the link between Romanian medieval art and stepping into the universe of Romanian wines.

The tour covers the main vineyards in Romania and offers the opportunity to taste its most famous varieties, recognized worldwide: Muscat Ottonel, Feteasca Regala/Alba, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris/Noir, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grasa de Cotnari, Tamaioasa Romaneasca. The tour can be scheduled in any period of the year, by car/ minibus/ bus/ coach, covering the main tourist areas of Romania. Day 1Departure from Bucharest . Transfer Bucharest – Murfatlar (3 hrs). Wine tasting program and visit to the Murfatlar vineyard - these wineries, with total capacity of processing and storage over 350.000 hl wine/year, are famous thanks to the joining of the valuable grape varieties: Riesling, Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Feteasca Alba, Feteasca Neagra, Muscat Ottonel, Babeasca, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot with the modern equipment and technology, plus the professionalism of the specialists. Optional, lunch. Transfer Murfatlar – Constanta city (1 hr).Lodging at Best Western Savoy Hotel **** in Mamaia - an international famous sea resort near Constanta Day 2 Breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant in Mamaia . Transfer Mamaia resort – Niculitel vineyard, passing through Tulcea town. Wine tasting program and, optional, lunch at Niculitel vineyard - one of the pearls of the Romanian wines where the climate is a factor determining the successful vinegrowing and high quality of the noble wines in this region.You will taste sweets of wines. Visit to Niculitel Basilique is the oldest building of this kind in Romania and its architecture is unique in Europe.   Transfer Niculitel – Focsani city. Lodging at Unirea  Hotel *** in Focsani Day 3  Breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant in Focsani. Wine tasting at Odobesti vineyard Odobesti vineyard  It is the first vineyard in Romania - since the 17 th century. Its royal vinery hosts one of the biggest vinacoteques in Romania.Panciu vineyard this is the only place in Romania where the wine is processed after Champagne method. Wine tasting and, optional, lunch at Panciu vineyard .Transfer to Iasi city . Lodging at Traian Hotel **** in Iasi Day 4  Breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant in Iasi . City tour of Iasi, visiting The Palace of Culture it is an impressive construction built in Neogothic style between 1906-1925, on the ruins of the ancient palace of the Moldavian Rulers. It hosts in 365 rooms one library and 4 museums: of history, ethnography, art & polytechnics. Three Hierarchs Monastery built as the French architect Lecomte de Nouy said this is 'one of the most interesting and curious religious edifices in Europe'. Built between 1637-1642, it is famous for its beautiful stone decoration and The Metropolitan Church . Wine tasting and, optional, lunch at Cotnari vineyard it is famous for its high quality wine, confirmed by numerous medals. According to the legend, the first vine stocks of this vineyard were planted in the 15th century by the Moldavian Ruler Stephen the Great. One can taste in this region the following sorts of wine: Grasa de Cotnari, Catalina - Voievodal, Tamaioasa Romaneasca, Francusa, Feteasca Alba  Transfer to Piatra Neamt - a touristic town in the valley of Bistrita river, one of the most picturesque areas of Romanian Sub-Carpathian hills .Lodging at Ceahlau Hotel *** in Piatra Neamt .                                                                                    Day 5  Breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant in Piatra Neamt . Transfer to Poiana Brasov resort (235 km), crossing over the Eastern Carpathians through the spectacular Gorges of Bicaz . On the way, optional, stop for the lunch at The Red Lake – a beautiful touristic resort nearby the only natural dam lake, moulded because of a mountain fall in the 19th century . Lodging at Casa Viorel Hotel **** in Poiana Brasov resort Day 6 Breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant in Poiana Brasov . Wine tasting and, optional, lunch at Dealu Mare vineyard . Arrival in Bucharest Pax Rate / pax (EUR) 2 - 3 pax 881 € 4 - 7 pax 638 € 8 - 15 pax 592 € 16 - 22 pax 519 € > 23 pax 493 € For booking mail at dorugiu@gmx.net and keep in mind that spring is the best season for visiting Romania.

Read more »

Wine tasting for honeymooners
Usually, a normal person, doesn't think to go on wine tasting during the honey moon. I don't agree this, as I made myself my honey moon on tasting, 22 years ago. It was really great, and if you think deeper you'll understand why!

A lover enjoys life, and a wine taster does the same thing! That mean, that this very important thing really match together. Not only me, but also other pairs of lovers experienced this unusual combination and found it to be fantastic indeed.

First of all, get a little room somewhere in the vineyard. Must be comfy, and not necessary isolated. I can arrange the stay in the Romanian vineyards, no problem, you are in the right hands! Further, go every day for a wine tasting during in the neighborhood. Walk or run through the vineyard, lie on the grass and simply feel the energy of the Earth. Open all your chakras, it is simply fantastic. Enjoy every minute, enjoy your lover, enjoy the life and the Universe!

I would recommend for the honeymooners that the man drinks(or tastes) mainly red wines, and the bride mainly white wine. It has much to do with the yin and yang principles!
Believe, it is nothing more romantic! My marriage still holds, as we have the good start! And the happy honeymooners from April could get a special surprise, an orthodox church ceremony!
 

Read more »

what to do with a red wine?

I personally find red wines a little bit more recommanable than the white ones. Really feel the reds more genuine, harder, but nevertheless tenderer. Drink red wine with a sour goat cheese, with a red meat, with spaghetti. Drink it two glasses at the second dish, and you will enjoy better the wine, as also the dish itself! Don't swallow at once, let the wine go throughout all your mouth, and specially through all the region of your tongue, in order to feel all the hidden taste. I would underline the exceptional importance of the tongue as the carrier of the tasting papillae. Train your taste, and you will be amazed how fine can it become, and try to maintain your tongue in a good shape through avoiding too hot or too cold, or too spicy dishes. Don't smoke, unless you will be not able to feel the richness and the bouquet of the wine.
Don't neglect to smell the wine, and don't forget to watch it carefully observing its surface and the forming pelicula (which must be continuos)
I usually drink medium dry, and I suggest fr the men to do the same; on the contrary, the ladies could prefer the sweet ones!
Drink anything, if it is red wine! drink it responsible and with moderation, and tell me how you drink Red Wine

Read more »