The Romanian Mountains

The Romanian Carpathians are young and strong, but nor very high comparing to the Alps. The highest Romanian Peak, accessible from the Transfagarasan Road, is Moldoveanu and proudly measures 2521 meters. Climbing it you can feel literally with the head in the clouds, as the Romanian say for pie-eyed people. The ascension is not very difficult, you don't need an oxygen mask, but need nevertheless to take some precautions.

The Peak Moldoveanu  is the highest in Romania and the most spectacular. Not very difficult to climb, but you need nevertheless some precautions. Most important: don't drink wine while climbing!

Maybe Moldoveanu is the most spectacular Romanian peak, but the Romanian mountains, whether lived or savage, are a must for the people who appreciate that and look for adventures. They are usually full with forests, despite the massive cuts from the last years, and you can find many labelled paths, for your delights. There are also many cabins, some of them neglected and very primitive, while others are unexpected luxurious and expensive, judging the environment. In the Fagaras mountains, near the Transfagarasan Road, you can find in winter even an ice hotel. Staying there is a matter of taste indeed.

If we shall speak about the Romanian Carpathians, I won't forget to mention the terrific Transalpina Road

You can also observe the charming Romanian Carpathians from the car, or the bus, during a trip on the fantastic Transalpina Road, Bicaz Gorges, Suceava-Bistrita, or Rucar-Bran. Amazing in some areas, you will be able to observe the Millenial unchanged way of life of the shepherds, who climb the mountains in Spring with their flocks looking for good grass, and return only in autumn. They are stone strong, don't suffer on stress or depressions.

Lepsa in Vrancea County

Some mountains areas have developed themselves through building many pensions for the touristic crowds, and I must name a few: Bocovina, Rucar-Bran, Tara motilor in the Apuseni Mountains, or Lepsa in Vrancea county.( wine tasting in Focsani, Panciu, Odobesti is a must)

A necessary mention for the Dobrogea Mountains, who will make you a sad philosopher. They measure only 700 Meters height nowadays and you can climb them very easy, but in their times of glory were higher than the Mount Blanc. Much older than the Carpathians, they are almost completely eroded now. Nearby, the vineyards from Niculitel.

Apuseni Mountains offers some unique landscapes

There are many things to do in the Romanian Carpathians, and you can get some magnificent landscapes with your camera. But during the climbing is not allowed to drink wine, don't forget. You can ask any further details at dorugiu@gmx.net, I still have some discounts for September.

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THE BEST ROMANIAN WINES

There is always a matter of individual taste, but also a matter of collective judgement. Someone might like the white wines, another stays for reds. In addition  comes the preparation ways, e.g. dry, medium dry and sweet with all their variations.

Another issue of individual taste: younger wine or older wines ( only a few wines can be drinked if older than 10 years). If you are tough indeed and if you know the basics about Romania and its wines, you can prefer one of its vineyards: Cotnari, Panciu-Odobesti, Murfatlar, Dealu Mare, Recas, Minis or even a special year.

But what about the vine varieties? Well, with any risk, but this is a long discussion, but we ought to have it! Thanks. First, there are the well known international varieties, needing no further presentation: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Ottonel, Riesling,Aligote, Hamburg Muscat, Chardonnay,Merlot,Cabernet Sauvignon. It was not easy adapting these varieties to the Romanian special conditions, but the tradition is now already 100 years old ! You will be maybe deep surprised drinking some of the best glasses of these noble assortment here in Romania, but I tell you that is normal!

Second, there are some traditional varieties, whose tradition goes 2000 years ago! They are rich, and tasty, they are very impressive, and you must prepare your visit and tasting in Romania knowing something about them:
1. Babeasca (Old Maid wine) is available in white and red.
2.Feteasca (Young Girl wine) also available in white and red.
According to the age of your partner, you should make the selection between Babeasca and Feteasca!
3.Cramposie
4.Frangusa
5.Sarba
I wasn't able to find any translation, and I am deeply sorry for it. Better drink and define them finding some similar with yours usually wines!

And finally something for the conaisseurs: there are some excellent old wines here around, starting with the collection of the former Romanian dictator Ceausescu (a wine afficionado, among others)! Also, in some secret hidden places you can find something really special: Aligote Bucium 1986; Pinot Noir Minis 1994; Cabernet Sauvignon Murfatlar 1937 (sic); Cadarca Minis 1970; Chardonnay Murfatlar 1938,1962, 1964; Merlot Murfatlar 1970; Sarba Valea Calugareasca 1970 etc. Cheers, dear friends, you are waited in Romania!

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Best temperatures for the wines

          The hot summer is surely and quickly coming with temperature which are in Romania near the 40 degrees Celsius. No one would like to drink hot wine, and neither hot water at this temperature! The question is how long shall we chill the wine, until what ideal temperature?

          There are some prescriptions you should remember (ideal temperature for wines to be served!)

easy white wines with high acidity                        8-10 degrees Celsius

white, aromatic,roze wines                                  10-12 degrees Celsius

easy red wines                                                    14-16 degrees Celsius

red heavy wines                                                   16-18 degrees Celsius

prestige red wines                                                18-20  degrees Celsius

            At these above mentioned temperatures the qualities of the listed wines are better  enhanced, and the imperfections hidden. On professional wine tasting in Romania or elsewhere, the temperatures are slightly different from the above table. 

             The best chilling is made in the refrigerator or in the cellar (ideal); for the quickly chilling in restaurant the most used method is the cooler, but you, or the personal, shall observe the forming layers, having different temperatures! If you don't pay attention  to this simply fact, the main guest getting the first glass will receive the hottest wine, which is never the best. So, please, before serving a cooled wine always slightly shake the bottle! And you don't need tranportation anymore !

             Another golden prescription applying not only in Romania, is to serve the wine not very cool in winter, neither very hot in summer. French specialists used to recommend letting the wine chambree (to the room temperature), but this thing is only o.k in April or September; May is already too hot! Professional tasters use also to say "every wine with its temperature, and every taste with its temperature!" Important to remember that over 20 degrees Celsius due to slight evaporation not all the hidden flavors are to be discovered, and under 4 degrees Celsius is almost impossible discovering  the flavors and the tastes.

            Keep in mind the speed of heating: when in a room with 21 degrees Celsius every cooler wine wins a degree Celsius every 3 minutes. Many times we can make this speed bigger by simply taking the wine glass between the hands!

             What about heating a wine? The most modern method is the microwave oven, but you can't control very exactly the final temperature! Also, always remember that wine is a living drink and the microwaves kill all the useful germs! So better use the old method of heating by another vessel, where the water reaches the temperature we need, nevertheless this method requires much more time!

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Romanian myths and legends about wine

In Romania there is a long tradition about wine making and wine, lasting from proven 4000 years ago. For a Romanian living in Bucharest or other big city these traditions make no sense, they have only historical significance.

Losing traditions is one of the major arguments against globalization, and I would like to reveal all these hidden myths for a better understanding of Romanian art civilization.

First of all, when greeting a guest the Romanian show a lot of joy and hospitality, they give bread, salt and wine.

Second, wine is related since the times before Christ with fertility (remember Dyonysos and his huge long lasting celebrations!). Today, by every wedding ceremonial held in an orthodox church there is a ritual for the bride and her groom to drink more times from a  glass of wine, and eating from a slice of bread. Further, when the bride reaches the new home, she must rotate three times around a table with a glass of wine and a bread. The money donations for the young couple are collected on a slice of bread drenched with wine, hoping in a miraculous multiplication of the amount!

Wine is widely used by the orthodox church during almost all its rituals. Even a baby reaching its first oblation  receives a few drops of wine on his lips.

Similarly, by the funerals, be sure to find a bottle of wine in the coffin to be drunk in the after world. The priest splashes the coffin and the dead body with wine; it is forbidden to drink hob a nob, and before drinking be sure to a few drops on the ground in memoriam.

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