Our #winelover travels took us to Vinarte Bolovanu, their Samburesti estate in Olt County. Just as the name Vinarte conjures up beautiful, romantic images of wine in my mind, so do their wines. Romania's Vinarte perhaps had that goal in mind when they chose this name. Vinarte has three wine estates, which are located in Romania's most important wine regions: Samburesti – Olt County, Zoresti, Dealu Mare – Buzau County, and Terase Danubiene – Mehedinti County. It was indeed a pleasure for me to return to Vinarte and learn more about their wines.
Driving from the Dragasani to Bucharest our last winery stop on our #winelover Oltenia Wine Tour was Vinarte Bolovanu. Earlier during Spaswinefood’s travels in Romania we visited Vinarte Bolovanu. The vine-growing region where Vinarte's Castel Bolovanu vineyard is located, is one of the oldest and most beautiful in Romania.
Returning to Vinarte Bolovanu brought back memories of an earlier August 2016 visit. Both visits were with #winelover friends.
While at Vinarte Bolovanu, an estate of 60 hectares, we toured the vineyard, winery and did a wine tasting with our Vinarte host, Ion Treantă.
Touring a wine estate with #winelover friends is always fun. The Romanian #winelover community goes the extra mile to make visiting #winelovers feel at home. Vinarte's Castel Bolovanu Vineyard specializes in growing Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard in November was quite a contrast our earlier August visit.
During the August 2016 visit Ion explained the process that is used at Castel Bolovanu Vineyard to produce high quality Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
I discovered that at Vinarte Bolovanu the grapes are not only carefully grown, but also the wines are aged to perfection. During the cellar tour that we were explained how the wines are carefully aged.
Of course no tour is complete without a visit to the barrel room.
Here we tasted barrel samples of Cabernet Sauvignon. Often when we taste barrel samples during a winery tour the wines are quite young. However, I especially enjoyed tasting these Cabernet Sauvignon wines because there was some aging.
Yes, before leaving the cellar, I just had to take another look out the cellar door onto the vineyard. The light that day created shadows, just like in a painting. It was indeed a Vinarte moment.
Next, it was onto the tasting room, where we discovered more about Vinarte wines. The display of wine bottles with awesome labels caught our attention. Vinarte does indeed conjure up beautiful, romantic images of wine in the mind.
Just take a look at the Vinarte Soare and Vinarte Prince Matei labels for example.
Who can resist having their picture taken.
After a quick tour and an overview of Vinarte Bolovanu, their Samburesti estate in Olt County we were introduced to Vinarte's wines from Terase Danubiene in Mehedinti County.
Vinarte Terase Danubiene Wines
Now I will review the wines we tasted from their Terase Danubiene wine estate.
Of course there were snacks to go with the wines.
Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Wines
The first wine from their Terase Danubiene Estate in Mehedinti County was a Tămâioasă Românească.
Vinarte Tămâioasă Românească
When #winelovers taste wines there are always conversations around the table.
Next wine was Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Negru de Drăgăşani.
Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Negru de Drăgăşani
Then I tasted their Cuvée D'Excellence.
Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Cuvée D'Excellence
Their Vinarte Nedeea wine, a blend of Fetească Neagra, Novac, and Negru de Drăgăşani always impresses me. That day we tasted a 2016 vintage however, I have been most fortunate to have also tasted other vintages earlier, such as 2011.
Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Nedeea 2016
I still remember an earlier dinner at Epoch that included a Vinarte, Nedeea 2011. This is an excellent red wine made with Fetească Neagra, Negru de Drăgăşani, and Novac grapes (slightly different blend than 2016). Try this wine and you will understand why it gets top reviews.
Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Nedeea 2011
The last wine was a Prince Mircea Terase Danubiene Merlot Rezerva, Mehedinti 2013.
Vinarte, Prince Mircea Terase Danubiene Merlot Rezerva, Mehedinti 2013
In addition, during my earlier #winelover visit I tasted two Vinarte Bolovanu Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
The two wines (Soare and Castel Bolovanu) we tasted are part of Vinarte's Collection series.
1. Vinarte, Soare Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
2. Vinarte, Castel Bolovanu Sambusesti Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
These are very good Cabernet Sauvignon wines. I particularly liked the Soare.
Vinarte: Where Wine and Art Mix
While in the tasting room I noticed the display of Romanian textiles and other artifacts.
Yes, Vinarte wines inspire beautiful, romantic images. A poster in their tasting room suggested an artistic connection between winemaking and painting. For me it goes beyond that. Vinarte Bolovanu is where Cabernet Sauvignon hits high notes.
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| November 2017, Castel Bolovanu Vineyard, Vinarte Bolovanu © Spaswinefood |
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| November, Castel Bolovanu Vineyard © Spaswinefood |
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| August, Castel Bolovanu Vineyard © Spaswinefood |
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| Castel Bolovanu Vineyard, Samburesti, Olt County © Spaswinefood |
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| Diana Translating for Ion, Vinarte Bolovanu © Spaswinefood |
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| #Winelovers, Castel Bolovanu Vineyard, August 2016 © Spaswinefood |
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| Cabernet Sauvignon Grapes, Castel Bolovanu Vineyard © Spaswinefood |
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| Through the Cellar Door, Vinarte Bolovanu, August 2016 © Spaswinefood |
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| Barrel Room, Vinarte Bolovanu © Spaswinefood |
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| Thanks Ion Treanță, Vinarte Bolovanu © Spaswinefood |
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| Castel Bolovanu's Cellar Door, August 2016 © Spaswinefood |
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| Art & Wine, Vinarte Bolovanu © Spaswinefood |
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| Vinarte Soare 2000 © Spaswinefood |
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| Vinarte, Prince Matei 2000 © Spaswinefood |
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| Posing with a Vinarte Soare © Spaswinefood |
Vinarte Terase Danubiene Wines
Now I will review the wines we tasted from their Terase Danubiene wine estate.
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| Vinarte Wines from Terase Danubiene © Spaswinefood |
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| Snack Time © Spaswinefood |
Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Wines
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| Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Wines © Spaswinefood |
Vinarte Tămâioasă Românească
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| Vinarte Tămâioasă Românească © Spaswinefood |
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| Wine Moments at Vinarte Bolovanu © Spaswinefood |
Next wine was Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Negru de Drăgăşani.
Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Negru de Drăgăşani
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| Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Negru de Drăgăşani © Spaswinefood |
Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Cuvée D'Excellence
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| Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Cuvée D'Excellence © Spaswinefood |
Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Nedeea 2016
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| Vinarte, Nedeea 2016 © Spaswinefood |
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| Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Nedeea 2016 (back label) © Spaswinefood |
Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Nedeea 2011
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| Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Nedeea 2011 © Spaswinefood |
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| Vinarte, Terase Danubiene Nedeea 2011 (back label) © Spaswinefood |
Vinarte, Prince Mircea Terase Danubiene Merlot Rezerva, Mehedinti 2013
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| Vinarte, Prince Mircea Terase Danubiene Merlot Rezerva, Mehedinti 2013 © Spaswinefood |
In addition, during my earlier #winelover visit I tasted two Vinarte Bolovanu Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
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| #Winelovers, Vinarte Bolovanu Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting © Spaswinefood |
1. Vinarte, Soare Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
2. Vinarte, Castel Bolovanu Sambusesti Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
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| Vinarte, Soare Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Castel Bolovanu Sambusesti 2010 © Spaswinefood |
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| Vinarte, Soare Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 © Spaswinefood |
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| Vinarte Soare Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (back label) © Spaswinefood |
Vinarte: Where Wine and Art Mix
While in the tasting room I noticed the display of Romanian textiles and other artifacts.
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| Textile Display, Vinarte © Spaswinefood |
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| Vinarte's World © Spaswinefood |
This time on display at Vinarte Bolovanu was the recently published book on Romanian wines by Marinela Vasilica Ardelean.
This book is certainly a good source of information on Romanian wines. Our Vinarte Bolovanu visit was a first hand experience of seeing where the vines are grown, and aged. This is a example of what it takes to produce premium Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Indeed visiting Vinarte Bolovanu, and tasting Vinarte Terase Danubiene wines was so very special for me.
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| The Wine Book of Romania © Spaswinefood |
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| Castel Bolovanu Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon Forever © Spaswinefood |
Did I say having out with #winelover friends is Romania is priceless.
Remembering Grape and Sunflower Fields Forever
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| #Winelovers, Vinarte Bolovanu © Spaswinefood |
Remembering Grape and Sunflower Fields Forever
Shortly after leaving Vinarte I caught myself remembering those summer seas of yellow. Fields of sunflowers are common sights along the Southern Romania highways in summer. That August day after leaving the winery, before reaching the main highway back to Bucharest, we passed by fields of sunflowers. Just as sunflowers might inspire artists to paint, I can also see why grapes inspire winemakers.
I also took with me fond memories of the vineyard dogs. While a number of the vineyard dogs always catches my attention during winery visits there was one I remembered from our last visit.
I would like to give special thanks to Ion Treanță at Vinarte, and Razvan Stoenescu and George Wine, for being such wonderful hosts during our #winelover vine-filled explorations in Romania. I invite you to join me in my travels in Romania and elsewhere at Spaswinefood.
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| Sunflower Field © Spaswinefood |
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| Sunflower Fields Forever © Spaswinefood |
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| Dog with the Golden Eyes, August 2016 © Spaswinefood |
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| Dog with the Golden Eyes, November 2017 © Spaswinefood |
Sharon
November 2017
Samburesti, Romania
© Spaswinefood
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| Memories of August Grapes © Spaswinefood |
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