Discover Romania’s secrets at the London Wine Fair

From its medieval castles and ancient forests through to its Black Sea beaches and beautiful Danube Delta, Romania’s scenery is guaranteed to take tourists’ breath away. Next week, nine of the country’s producers aim to do the same at the London Wine Fair.

Romania is something of a sleeping giant in the wine world. Its 187,000ha give it the eighth largest area under vine – ahead of Australia, Chile and Portugal – while its 3.7 million hectolitres place its output as the sixth largest in Europe and the 12th largest in the world.

Slowly, Romania’s fame has been spreading. Astute restaurants, wine merchants and bottle shops have been adding its creations to their lists and shelves, mirroring the success that supermarkets have enjoyed with the country’s crowd-pleasing Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir.

Romania has the eight largest area under vine of any country in the world.

Native grapes and international varieties

Yet Romania’s expertise covers breadth as well as depth. Alongside international varieties ranging from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc through to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the nation is also noted for its intriguing indigenous vines.

Visitors to Romania’s stand at the London Wine Fair will get the chance to discover local grapes – including Fetească Albă, Fetească Neagră and Fetească Regală – alongside distinctive specialist varieties, such as Busuioacă de Bohotin, Grasă de Cotnari and Zghihară de Huși.

That breadth and depth of expertise – spread across reds and whites, still and sparkling, dry and sweet – echoes Romania’s long winemaking history, which stretches back to the Bronze Age. Its viticulture was later shaped by the Romans and monasteries, followed by French influences post-phylloxera, while European Union membership has helped transform the industry.

Drawing on that heritage are the winemakers of today. The wineries bringing their bottles to London hail from throughout Romania, including a quartet of winemakers – Casa de Vinuri Cotnari, Crama Hermeziu, Domeniile Averești and the new entry Via Huși – making the journey from the Moldovan Hills.

They will be joined by Crama La Salina of the Transylvanian Hills; Crama Pandora from Vrancea; Corcova from the Muntenia and Oltenia Hills in the south-west; Crama DeMatei of Dealu Mare; and Viticola Sarica Niculițel from Dobrogea, near the Danube Delta. Together, they will amaze visitors at the London Wine Fair.