Aurelia Badiur
Aurelia Badiur is among the few young people who contribute, year after year, to the reinvention of Romanian wine. Originally from Chisinau, graduated in France and with internships in Champagne and Bourgogne, Aurelia proved her talent at Domaine Dumetrier, one of the few producers who, along with the classic varieties from Dobrogea, dared to cultivate unusual varieties for the region – Mourvedre, Semillon, Malbec or Negru de Dragasani.
What was the moment when you realized that your personal destiny is linked to wine?
I was surrounded by wine loving people since I was a child. My grandparents were my number one inspiration, there was no vacation without a visit to their vineyards, and I took advantage and asked them dozens of questions.
My family believed in my passion and they were the ones who supported me my studies in France. Once I got there, the real story began and it became clear that I was on the right path when during my first oenology internship in Bourgogne, where I assisted an oenologist. Since then, I fall more and more in love with this field every day, the passion only grows more and more.
What style of wine do you prefer, in general?
I like all wines that give me true taste pleasure, emotions, whether they are white, rosé or red, but I have a special place in my heart for well-structured red wines with high phenolic potential, hence my passion for the Medoc, especially Saint-Estèphe , Saint-Julien and Pauillac. This passion also comes from the place where I trained as an oenologist, these are the wines that have been the foundation of my career and will always have their place in my soul.
How do you choose different wines (wine brands or styles) depending on certain moments – seasonal, anniversary, warm or friendly discussions, sophisticated dinners or everyday?
Life is too short to drink only one type of wine… I always try to discover new wines – there are so many wines in the world that deserve to be tasted. Sparkling wine, on the other hand, always has its place when I have a moment that deserves to be celebrated. As for the season – I’m more atypical, I can drink red wine in the middle of summer and a rosé in the winter in the mountains.
What was the perfect, memorable pairing, where everything involved – wine, food, people – fell into place?
It was when I returned home for Christmas after my first year of studies in Bordeaux, and I brought a bottle of Chateaux Lagrange 2014 and some representative bottles from the Medoc, with which I matched French pates, fois gras, saucisson and some the most emblematic cheeses. I had shared the French culture with the most important people in my life, it was a moment of pride for me, for being able to bring Bordeaux closer to them.
How much decision-making power do women have in the Romanian wine market?
They have and they don’t have some influence 🙂 I will only talk about my influence in the field of wine.
My area of influence is the Domaine Dumetrier wines, here I have the freedom of expression through the grapes and the wine I make. But the truth is that it is not me who has the decision-making power, but the terroir, the vineyard, the climate and the soil – these things are at the foundation of everyday decisions and inspiration.
In March, Wines of Romania set out to honor the role of women in the world of Romanian wine. We are therefore preparing a series of materials – interviews, articles and social media posts – to draw the public’s attention to the role of women in oenology. Come back for more portraits, and until then you can read below about:
