In its anniversary year, RO-Wine | The International Wine Festival of Romania welcomed wine lovers last weekend with its usual delights and a series of premieres. This was the second festival of the year, following Cluj (March 22–23), and the chain of anniversary events will culminate in the autumn edition, taking place October 10–12 at the usual Fratelli Studios venue in Bucharest.
As always, RO-Wine welcomed guests with three tasting areas – Hall A, reserved for producers from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, Hall B – the “Taste of Italy” Salon; and Hall C – the space dedicated to importers and top international wines. Guests had the opportunity to taste still wines from Romania, Moldova, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Greece, Argentina, New Zealand, the USA, and South Africa, alongside numerous sparkling wines – Cava, Prosecco, or Champagne – as well as traditional Maramureș horincă, vinars, limoncello, gin, and specialty coffee.
At this edition too, the “Taste of Italy” Salon, organized by ICE – the Italian Trade Agency, surprised visitors with an exceptional selection of prestigious wines and Italian products from over 20 producers from regions including Abruzzo, Apulia, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, Piedmont, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany, and Veneto.
For the first time, wine lovers had the option to purchase guided tours led by professional sommeliers. Also for the first time, guests were invited to vote for their favorite wine producer from each category as they exited the tasting areas. The winners of this edition were:
- For wineries from Romania and the Republic of Moldova: Crama DeMatei – Vintruvian Estates
- For the “Taste of Italy” Salon: Colle Moro
- For international wines: Pellegrino
Making their debut at RO-Wine, partenerii exclusivi pe sticlă, Rubin Glass Factory, au oferit diplome și premii speciale cramelor câștigătoare votate de către invitați. Rubin Glass Factory is a leader in the glass industry in the Balkan region, with over 60 years of experience in producing high-quality glass packaging. The company is continually modernizing, investing significantly in cutting-edge technologies and eco-friendly solutions to support the sustainable development of the industry.
An Increasingly "Gourmet" Festival
Since wine is always better with a snack, RO-Wine attendees also enjoyed a refined selection of products, from pasta and cheese stands to live cooking sessions and culinary shows, as well as tastings of olive oils and traditional products from Sicily, Veneto, and other Italian regions.
Long-time gourmet partner of the festival, Macromex Horeca, once again demonstrated its status as a top industry player through its own brands (Food&Glory, Edenia, Corso, La Strada) and partner brands (Philadelphia, La Lorraine, Dr. Oetker), delighting all participants.
Masterclasses, Surprises, and a New Edition Already in the Works
One of the festival’s highlights was the official launch of the first edition of the wine Nicolae & Alina of Romania. Many participating wineries chose to offer tastings of wines not yet officially released on the market. The 2024 vintage from Romania, at least for the white wines already prepared for launch, is shaping up to be a memorable one.
The festival also hosted, as usual, an extensive program of masterclasses and presentations, from special wine tastings to olive oil tastings and a special session featuring eight wines rated 100 points by the most important industry critics.
Among the most appreciated moments was the guided cheese tasting “Viaggio in Italia: Paese di Grandi Formaggi” (Journey Through Italy: Land of Great Cheeses), organized by ICE – the Italian Trade Agency. The session followed the official methodology of ONAF – the National Organization of Cheese Tasters and was led by ONAF master tasters Marco Benedetti and Giorgio Telmon, with the collaboration of Marinela Ardelean, expert in food and wine pairing.
Wine producers can already register for the third event of this anniversary year: RO-Wine Autumn Edition, which will be held at Fratelli Studios from October 10–12.
