Murfatlar Chardonnay was the first wine I ever spent money on by my own choice, not because my parents sent me to the store. I don’t know what your stories are about the first wines of your youth, but for me, that time felt almost magical – unbreakable friendships and long days full of unexpected opportunities.
In 11th and 12th grade, I had already established a ritual with Marini, Greblă, or Riți, and we knew that if it was Friday or Saturday night, we would definitely meet at Roland Garros, a legendary venue that still owes us many hours spent there.
We didn’t know much about wine, and we weren’t the kind of high school students who came from wealthy families. So, more often than not, our menu consisted of just a beer or a soda – because that’s all we could afford. But every now and then, the stars aligned, as Neti would say, and it was a true pleasure to say, “Chardonnay by Murfatlar and three glasses” when the waitress asked what we wanted.
A bottle of Murfatlar Chardonnay cost about 300,000 lei back then (2003/2004), but wine nights were usually good nights – if not legendary ones. Nights when it was easier to strike up a conversation with the girls from Avram Iancu at the next table or with the French tourists who had come to Cluj for volunteer work.
These were the nights when you were certain to miss the last bus from the city center to Zorilor, meaning you had no choice but to walk uphill all the way home.
But those 40 minutes on foot didn’t matter. It didn’t matter if it was hot or cold – those were the magical nights when you knew, somehow, that anything could happen. For me, that feeling is forever tied to the memory of Chardonnay de Murfatlar, with its slightly sweet taste, which was only tamed if the wine was properly chilled in the fridge or served on ice.
Wines of Romania Explanation
Although traces of human habitation in the Murfatlar area date back nearly 3,000 years, and Dobrogea holds the oldest evidence of winemaking on Romanian territory (so far), viticulture is a relatively modern activity in this region.
The first vineyards were planted in 1907 by the Anti-Phylloxera Service, in an attempt to identify soil types where phylloxera—the insect that devastated much of Europe’s vineyards—would not thrive. The region’s sandy and limestone-rich soils proved excellent for this purpose.
However, for decades, the focus was on quantity rather than quality, meaning that many wines produced here before 1989, and even into the early 2000s, were semi-dry or semi-sweet.
One of the largest players on the Romanian market, Murfatlar România (as it was called at the time), was also among the first companies to invest in consumer education, launching the "Sec de Murfatlar" (Dry from Murfatlar) campaign in 2004.
Since then, Chardonnay de Murfatlar has evolved significantly. It has adapted to modern tastes, becoming predominantly dry, and has even had some memorable moments. Today, the company is once again reinventing itself and promises many more surprises for the future.
About Andi Daiszler
Andi Daiszler is a communications specialist, president of Asociația Daisler, and the founder of events such as Strada Potaissa – A Different Kind of Flower Market and the Lights On Romania international light art festival. He created Romania’s most famous light installation of the past 30 years – MI-E DOR DE TINE – and co-founded the Blue Monday mental health campaign.
The Wine of Youth – A Collection of Stories
"The Wine of Youth" is a series of stories about the first wines that introduced us to this fascinating world—at the legal drinking age, of course.
Even though we may not drink those wines today—or some of them may no longer exist—they are tied to some of the most unforgettable moments of our lives. These are the years that shape us as individuals and define our values.
At Wines of Romania, we want to rediscover these wines—and these values—through your stories, retracing the journeys we’ve taken since then, both as people and as wine enthusiasts.
Send us your stories at info@winesofromania.com
Every week, we publish your wine stories m and celebrate nostalgia with a bottle of wine for the most authentic among our followers.
Send us your story about how you took your first steps into the world of wine and which grape variety stole your heart. We’ll send you a bottle of wine as a gift—to celebrate this memory the way it deserves. Who knows, maybe even THAT wine!
