Fresh, floral and elegant, a deliciously refreshing, yet rich palate and a clean, satisfying finish. 2014 was its first production, the wine had a honeyed nose with lime blossom and white peach. Using the Traditional Method, utilising a second, in bottle fermentation, to produce the bubble, each bottle is then aged on yeast lees for a minimum of 24 months before being disgorged and aged further under cork. He led me to a cellar on the property, where I saw quite literally hundreds of bottles, all with differing labels, across 68 distinct wines, made from 23 different grape varieties, destined for different countries.įocusing on sparkling wines, Philip introduced me to Muse 2014, a sparkling wine made from 100% Chardonnay, a Romanian ‘Blanc de Blancs’. Philip has seen his winery grow substantially due to his wine being fruit driven, easy drinking, clever marketing on labels, beguiling the fact that the wines are Romanian. He now finds himself leading the way with one of the largest wineries in Eastern Europe, no small feat! He was impressed by the buoyant optimism that existed at the time, despite the terrible conditions he found, but more so due to Romania’s geographical location (on the same latitude as France). Headed up by Commercial Director and co-owner, Philip Cox, originally from Bristol, Philip entered the business some 30 years ago as a beer salesman in Germany, but saw great potential in Romanian wine. Documents suggest the winery was already in existence with a receipt for the purchase of land dated to 1447! Located at the foot of the Carpathians in Western Romania, you’ll find one of those making huge inroads in wine production, Cramele (Winery) Recas. Romania now has a great potential to produce fabulous, quality and premium wines and with no exception, sparkling wines, as I found out on my recent trip to Romania. However, in the last 10 years, with Romania becoming part of the European Union in 2007, this has given the wine industry a massive boost, stimulating local and foreign investment. Romania’s wine industry was severely impacted by the country’s politics and is, to some degree, still felt today, due largely to the reputation of Communist-era mass-produced, low-quality wine and the lack of investment in wine education for homegrown oenologists. To a certain extent you are as Romania has a history of winemaking stretching back millennia and it was this potential that has driven this dynamic duo to dedicate their lives to driving forward Romanian winemaking to it's current state of rude health.Ī 20 million euro investment in the vineyards and brand new winery, as well as the recruitment of seasoned new world winemakers, has enabled Cramele Recas to produce top quality reds and whites from a broad range of varietals at very competitive prices.Īn important aspect in the wine production is the innovation chapter which was distinguished since the debut of the Reca? Winery activity as one of the first Romanian producers which succeeded in convincing the market with clean, dry and modern wines.Few people think of Romania when it comes to wine, but according to OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine), as of 2016, Romania was the 13th largest wine producing country in the world! The second is that if you didn't know where you were, you'd be convinced you were in Tuscany or any other "Classic" wine producing region. The first is the scale of the transformation that Englishman Philip Cox and his wife Elvira have managed to achieve, replanting 700 hectares of decrepit vineyards, replacing them with immaculately tended sites the equal of anywhere else in the world. : "Getting Ready for Summer" Wine TastingĬalusari Pinot Noir is soft and juicy with bags of red berry fruit and hints of vanilla, smooth, economical and easy to drink.Īt Cramele Recas, Englishman Philip Cox and his wife Elvira have replanted 700 hectares of decrepit vineyards, replacing them with immaculately tended sites the equal of anywhere else in the world.Ī brand new winery, and the recruiting of seasoned new world winemakers, has enabled them to produce top quality reds and whites Īs you walk through the rolling vineyards of the 700 hectare Cramele Recas estate, two things are inescapable. : "Martínez Bujanda - Meet the Producer" Wine Tasting
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