Romania's Domeniile Mennini wines are rich in tradition and attitude

Who does not want to taste frizzante wines on a hot summer day? Our Southern Romania vine-inspired, late summer adventure included a visit to Domeniile Mennini, Colibasi, Strejesti. This winery is located within the Dragasani wine region, an area where wine making has been a tradition for over 2000 years. In fact the winery is located, at the very same location as the former Wine Research and Development Resort Dragasani. Today Domeniile Mennini is not only building on such a rich tradition but also taking a new approach to wine making.

Domeniile Mennini © Spaswinefood

Speaking of the area as having a rich wine making tradition, that tradition is still very much alive. Our driving route to Strejesti took us through many small towns whose home gardens include grape vines. Fields of sunflowers were also common sights along the highways that we traveled in Southern Romania. So many times I caught myself looking out the car window onto a sea of yellow. As we left the main highway to head into the winery we passed by fields of sunflowers.

Onto Domeniile Mennini © Spaswinefood

This is a rich agricultural area that also includes many orchards.

Arriving at Domeniile Mennini © Spaswinefood

The winery's property consists of 300 hectares of vineyards and orchards, with 70 hectares devoted to the production of high quality grapes. You will find indigenous grape varieties grown here, such as Negru de Drăgăşani, Tămaioasă Romanească and Fetească Albă; whereas the international grape varieties include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Domeniile Mennini Winery
Domeniile Mennini is a modern winery built in 2012. It is equipped with the latest technology for high quality wine production. 

Touring Domeniile Mennini Winery © Spaswinefood

Domeniile Mennini Winery © Spaswinefood

Domeniile Mennini Bottling Area © Spaswinefood

After a brief winery tour there was a decision to be made. Should we taste inside or outside?

Domeniile Mennini Tasting Room © Spaswinefood

It was such a nice day and so we decided to taste outside. My two traveling companions however, just had to pose in the tasting room before leaving.

Posing, Domeniile Mennini Tasting Room © Spaswinefood

The outside garden setting was just perfect for wine tasting on such a lovely August day.

Domeniile Mennini  Garden Room © Spaswinefood

Prior to wine tasting we were offered some delicious fruit from the orchard.

Fruit Platter, Domeniile Mennini © Spaswinefood

Domeniile Mennini Wines
The winery recently launched its new wine series.

Wine Tasting, Domeniile Mennini © Spaswinefood

The winery is focused on producing frizzante style wines. Our tasting began with two very delightful rosé frizzante wines. Frizzante is an Italian term used for slightly sparking wine (for a more in depth discussion of Italian sparkling wines see Wine Folly).

The first two wines we tasted were its frizzante wine series, Stelle di Mare and Cubule.

1. Domeniile Mennini, Stelle di Mare

Domeniile Mennini, Stelle di Mare © Spaswinefood

2. Domeniile Mennini, Cubule

Domeniile Mennini, Cubule © Spaswinefood

3. Domeniile Mennini, Tvdor (Premium & Retail Series)
Tvdor offers two wine series. The premium wine series includes Chardonnay and red wine blends (Negru de Drăgăşani and Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Negru de Drăgăşani), and Pinot Noir Rosé. There is also a Tvdor retail series: two wine blends (Negru de Drăgăşani with Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot) Sauvignon Blanc with Tămaioasă Romanească, and a Pinot Noir Rosé.

Domeniile Mennini, Tvdor Chardonnay © Spaswinefood

There is an interesting story behind these wine labels that honor the legend Tudor Vladimirescu. Also the wine labels are temperature sensitive.

Domeniile Mennini, Tvdor Label © Spaswinefood

 Domeniile Mennini Temperature Sensitive Label © Spaswinefood

Domeniile Mennini, Tvdor Cabernet Sauvignon & Negru De Drăgăşani

Domeniile Mennini, Tvdor Cabernet Sauvignon & Negru De Drăgăşani © Spaswinefood

The winery also produce a Colinelle Oltului wine series and Jambru wine series, which we did not taste during our visit. The wines I tasted indicated a very promising future for this winery. Domeniile Mennini 's slogan  "a wine tradition, with attitude!" perfectly describes these wines.

This family owned winery prides itself on producing high quality wines. What was special about our visit was an opportunity to not only taste the wines but also to meet the owner, Paolo Mennini, his son and some Domeniile Mennini staff members. It is always so special to meet the faces behind the wines.

While I had tasted Romanian wines on a number of occasions prior to visiting Romania, nothing compensates for a first hand experience in country. I invite you to join me in my Spaswinefood inspired travels in Romania and elsewhere at Spaswinefood. I would like to give special thanks to Razvan Stoenescu and George Wine, for being such wonderful hosts during our vine-filled explorations.

Sharon

August 2016

Colibasi, Strejesti
Romania

© Spaswinefood

Domeniile Mennini: Tradition and Attitude © Spaswinefood


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