It doesn’t matter your budget, it doesn’t matter the geographical area where you roam right now, you always have some nearby place to get some good food and some wine to fit it. We are launching a series of stories about holiday destinations for wine enthusiasts (but also for those who love food, history, traditions or other wine-related fields) mirroring the smallest and "hip" cottages with a domain bearing witness to the past centuries.
It’s not quite hobbits, but not far
The small cottages from Gramofon Wine remind, vaguely, of the peace and quiet of the hobbits in Lord of the Rings. Which fits absolutely perfectly with the friends who gather her for dinners or barbecues and with the speakers playing smooth jazz and blues. "Tiny house" they’re called name, a name somewhat borrowed from a youtuber who wanted to see how long he would resist in such a small house.
You can take our word for it – it has nothing to do with resistance. You can stay anytime, all the time, you have everything you need there, from a tiny kitchen to bathrobe and slippers, from air conditioning in the summer to a heated floor in the winter, a double bed, an extendable sofa (if you want to bring a kid or in a group of three people), all of it 27 kilometers from Ploiesti or 56 kilometers from the Otopeni Airport. Or Henri Coanda airport, as you prefer. The food is locally sourced, with local taste, it goes quite fine with the local wine. And if you meet people, from owners to employees or consultants, you really have a lot to learn from them. Remember this: the village of Iordacheanu. You can also catch a taxi from Mizil, it’s not too much of an effort.
Jidvei, a castle and a lot of history
For wine lovers in Transylvania, our advice is to make time for a tour of the wineries, ending with an evening at the Bethlen-Haller castle! From the stories of those who create the wine to the local gastronomy (from pike roe to big game!), from the wineries with the latest technology to the endless slopes covered by the Jidvei vineyards, – everything means a unique and unforgettable experience.
Bethlen-Haller Castle was built in the Renaissance style by the father of the chancellor of Transylvania, Miklos Bethlen, between the years 1560 – 1624, after which it was remodeled in the Baroque style between 1769 and 1773. The renovation completed a few years ago captures the atmosphere of the era, from exterior to the last detail of the interior, but without ever leaving the impression of being frozen in time – all the advantages of the modern world are available.. Initially, the castle fortified by four towers was rather a hunting and leisure destination or a vacation retreat to the Bethlen family, than a fortification with a defensive role. Today, it retains its role as a relaxation destination. And, with a bit of luck, you can discover master Ioan Buia, a man who can talk endlessly about wine, after almost half a century spent in the winery…
Jidvei hides another medieval gem
Bethlen-Haller Castle is just one of the medieval buildings built by the Bethlen family. Another gem owned by the Jidvei company and undergoing restoration is Bethlen Castle in Miclaus, built by the Miklos-Bethlen family between 1668 and 1673 and developed later, until the first decades of the 18th century. The castle, which became known because it had one of the most beautiful historical gardens in Transylvania, served for a while as the second wine fermentation department of the former IAS Jidvei, for the sparkling wines production. It is possible that some of you remember it as a filming location used in the movie "Horea", from 1984.
We will talk more about the spectacular destinations in the Romanian vineyards, but wherever you are on this vacation, remember to stop at a winery. For a tasting, for taking a small reserve at home or on vacation, for a memorable landscape and, above all, for the people who give Romanian wine its soul!
Photo sources:
- Jidvei
- Gramofon Wine
