Monday 14 October 2013

Beyond the Forest


Spooky eh? Where else could this be but Transylvania. I'd venture to say that this is one of the richest wine regions in the world in terms of myths, legends and fascinating history. The legend of Count Dracula began here, based on the true history of Vlad Dracul. And we walked past his house in the stunning fortified town of Sighisoara (he didn't answer).

We discussed impaling (Vlad's son Tepes became extemely well-known for the practice) and, would you believe it, embroidery too. Apparently embroidery was The Impaler's second favourite hobby, after the killing thing.

This somewhat colourful history aside, the town of Sighisoara is beautiful with pretty buildings, dramatic rooftops and cobblestone streets.



It was the perfect start to our Transylvanian adventure even if it was a trek to get there: 4.30 start on a Sunday, early (very budget) flight, landing at Targu Mures "Transylvania's International Airport" (look it up - I had to!). And then a lot of time on a bus, driving through the Transylvanian countryside. This really is Europe's final wine wilderness...



Whilst we didn't see an actual vampire, I can understand why stories abound in this corner of the wine world. Transylvania - or "Ardeal" in the ancient tongue - translates literally as "beyond the forest", and for long hours we drove through beautiful wilderness, ancient villages, and dark imposing old Saxon towns with winding streets leading to beautifully preserved buildings. But here even the houses have intent; in the pituresque towns of Sibiu and Sebes, one could be tricked into thinking they are watching your every step...


We discovered that the gory history of Transylvania even reached into the wine world. Burebista, the warrior king from the first century BC made the brave, and foolhardy move of banning wine production. Can you believe it? Well, the locals couldn't and he met a gruesome end, รก la Julius Caesar. There's a lesson there: don't ever mess with the wine.



Conquering Emperor Trajan was a big oenophile, insisting that only the best - Romanian - wine be served at his infamous victory dinners (of roasted pigeon and hay-smoked hare, apparently). Even Plato - widely acknowledged to be a pretty smart guy - reckoned that Romania had the "best vineyards in the world". Fact. So how could we learn more about these wonderful vineyards and long winemaking history? Of course, on horseback...


I hope this photo looks commanding, as though I'm in charge. Pretty sure the horse was. Even though I'm Aussie, I've never been the horseriding type. May have been on a pony when I was 10! But I braved it, and managed to survive the ride through the Halewood Sebes vineyards. Wow was it worth it. The grapes may had been harvested but the leaves had started to take on their autumn hues. It's easy to see why there is so much great wine coming from Romania with beautifully tendered vineyards like these.

But it's not just the vineyard. We are lucky to be working with the unsung superstar winemaker of Romania. Lorena has travelled and worked extensively in other wine producing regions, in particular spending several vintages in California honing her craft. This comes through in her love of smart, aromatic whites and boldly-flavoured, blockbusting reds.


Not surprising then that my favourite find of this trip was the perfect blend of the New and the Ancient world. Local grape Feteasca Negra (in Romanian the Black Maiden) is a dark, luscious beauty that, paired with spicy Shiraz is amazing. And all the whites have been picked at just the right time so they are aromatic and super crisp. A new Sauvignon is on its way. Tropical, explosive flavour. A lot to look forward to. 





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