Arad, April 2, 2025 – The international promotional tour for Marinela Ardelean’s latest book, 50 Wines and Dishes from Romania, kicked off yesterday, April 1st, in Arad, in the tasting rooms of the Unauthorized Wine Tasters Club. The event marked a special occasion, taking place ten years after Marinela Ardelean held her very first tasting at this club. The author specifically chose to begin the tour in Arad, given that two of the club’s founding members, Valentin Sămînță and Dan Coclici, were part of the book’s editorial team.
Published by the renowned Italian publishing house Antiga Edizioni, the book brings together 50 top wineries from Romania, each represented by a wine selected by the author and paired with gourmet dishes created by renowned chefs such as Ana Consulea, Alexandru Dumitru, Radu Dumitrescu, Marco Favino, Radu Ionescu, Chef Nico Lontras, Emilia Maxim, Nicolai Tand, and Mihaela Sava (PrajiturEla). The book also marks a decade of the author’s dedication to promoting Romanian wine on the international stage.
Beyond food and wine pairings, the book includes a chapter dedicated to wine tourism, recommending 12 exceptional wine destinations in Romania, offering readers a complete cultural experience.
The foreword is signed by distinguished personalities such as Gabriela Dancău, Romania’s Ambassador to Italy; Ramona Chiriac, Head of the European Commission Representation in Romania; and Federico Mollicone, President of the Committee for Culture in Italy.
The volume is trilingual – in Romanian, Italian, and English – as part of Marinela Ardelean’s efforts to promote Romanian wine and gastronomy internationally.
The event took place in the tasting rooms of the Unauthorized Wine Tasters Club, where participants had the opportunity to taste five representative wines, selected from the book’s 50 wines, presented by Marinela Ardelean and paired with cheeses from Carrefour Romania’s program Poftim, Brânză Românească!:
- Cuvée Celest Sparkling Wine –Villa Vinèa Winery
- Vol. 2 Aligoté –Sarica Niculițel Winery
- Diamond Busuioacă de Bohotin –Averești Estates
- Apogeum Fetească Neagră –Apogeum Winery
- Avincis – Alutus Primus
- Flori de Gheață (Ice Wine) – Tohani România
The launch event concluded with a book signing session, where participants had the chance to personally interact with the author and share their common passion for Romanian wines.
The promotional tour for 50 Wines and Dishes from Romania is made possible with the support of AQUA Carpatica, Carrefour Romania (through its programs Deschidem Vinul Românesc and Poftim, Brânză Românească!), and Wonderland Resort – which recently became a Gold Partner of Wines of Romania and the only location in Romania to list all 50 wines featured in the book. 50 Wines and Dishes from Romania is available in Cărturești bookstores and select Carrefour stores.
About Marinela Ardelean
Marinela Ardelean is a renowned expert in wines and spirits. Originally from Maramureș, she holds an Executive MBA and a PhD in Marketing, with a thesis on the relationship between country branding and Romanian wine. She is the author of several books on Romanian wines, co-founder of the RO-Wine, and the creator and owner of the Wines of Romania platform.
About the Unauthorized Wine Tasters Club
The Unauthorized Wine Tasters Club was inaugurated in 2012, following the founding in 2010 of the first NGO dedicated to promoting Romanian wine by a group of wine enthusiasts from Arad and Timișoara. In 2016, it was named the most successful wine club at the inaugural edition of RO-Wine | The Wine Festival of Romania.
Upcoming Events in the Book Tour:
- April 2 – Timișoara: West University of Timișoara – Institute for Advanced Environmental Research (ICAM)
- April 3 – Oradea: Millesime Association
- April 10 – Rome: Embassy of Romania in Italy
- May 14 – Iași: Baia Turcească
- May 29 – Baia Mare: Aramis Invest
The tour will continue in several other cities, offering the public the opportunity to discover exceptional wines and hear the stories behind them directly from the author.
For additional details, interviews, or information about upcoming events, please contact the event’s PR team at info@winesofromania.com or call +40 733 439 411.
