Somewhere in Dobrudja, just off the Black Sea, the land of Murfatlar stretches out under the blue Romanian skies with its endless vineyards.
Dionysus himself was once dancing on these hills, blessing the wines with his magical touch. Murfatlar’s wines have been loved ever since and today they are some of the most popular in Romania and abroad.
The sun shines most of the year in Dobrudja and the Black Sea breeze carries fresh aromas over the land and enough moisture to nourish the grapes and to give that unique Murfatlar bouquet that won so many international prizes for all the wine producers in the region. You’ve never tasted paradise if you didn’t taste a Romanian home-made wine. When in Dobrudja do buy a bottle or two from a private winery.
Murfatlar’s best wines are sweet wines, particularly due to the high level of sugars present in the grapes in this region. However, if you fancy dry wines, you will not be disappointed. Representative wines from the region are Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot and Black Feteasca are quite popular as well, but remember that the sugar level in the grapes is quite high, so the taste might be sweeter than you expect, even in the “dry” wines if you don’t buy from a certified producer.
These are: Murfatlar, Medgidia and Cernavoda. From the three, Murfatlar (the brand that carries the name of the region) is the most popular and also the one with the most international prizes.
Lacrima lui Ovidiu for example is a range of special fortified wines produced after a traditional recipe inspired by the wines of Porto, Malaga, Madeira or Xeres. These wines are unique in Romania and they’ve also managed to win international prizes in time.
In 2006 Murfatlar won the golden medal for its Murfatlar Trei Hectare 2003 Chardonnay at the most important international wine contest: Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. The same year the company won 11 other medals in important competitions. In France at Chardonnay du Monde, Murfatlar won the bronze medal for its 2004 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay Legacy. The company won over 140 medals since 2001 and it’s also the first Romanian wine company ISO 9001:2001 certified.
