History
In the heart of the Dealu Mare region, in an area with sunny rolling hills, we find Aurelia Visinescu vineyards - an ancient place with deep roots in the history of vine cultivation. The nearby archaeological evidence suggests a rich tradition in vinification, dating back to the time of the Dacians. It is not a coincidence that the language that Romanians speak today still holds quite a few Dacian terms of great significance in vines cultivation.
It is well known in Romanian history that, acting on the advice of his great priest, Deceneus, Burebista, a famous Dacian king, decided to burn the vines. Less known are the reasons behind his decision. It was not only to reduce the consumption of wine among the Dacians but more to diminish the invaders' interest in his territories (known for the excellent wines found there) and thus to protect his people from enemy invasions.
Historians speak in their writings about the high-quality wines found in the region. For example, the great Homer himself mentioned in his texts that the Greek Warriors entered Thrace to find wine. Aurelia Visinescu wines are known worldwide for their unique characteristics, uniting the historical legacy of the terroir with the modern technologies adapted to the New World of winemaking.
Vineyard
Aurelia Visinescu vineyards are part of the famous Dealu Mare region (located in the Southern Subcarpathians) and spread over approximately 275 hectares - of which 250 hectares were replanted. In comparison, the old vines were kept on 25 hectares.
The area includes numerous hills and valleys, from the Teleajen River in the west to the Buzau River in the east. With its southern position, the hilly massif is an ideal place for vine cultivation. The altitude of Aurelia Visinescu vineyards ranges from 175m to 400m. The conditions favour, in particular, the production of black grapes, but white grapes also enjoy highly favourable conditions, resulting in very aromatic and fruity white wines.
The Southern positioning, sunny location and vibrant soils, consisting of chernozems and limestone, offer our vines properties that are almost impossible to find in other regions of the country. The temperate continental climate, with frequent hot air coming from the Mediterranean side, also contributes to the exquisite quality of the wines produced at Aurelia Visinescu.
It is not a coincidence that Aurelia Visinescu vineyards are located on Parallel 45, the exact geographical coordinates of Bordeaux or Burgundy, two famous regions in the wine industry. The result is a terroir with extraordinary potential for producing high-class wines.
The Winemaker
An international oenologist with more than 30 years of experience in the field of winemaking, Stephen Donnelly is known worldwide under the nickname "Flying Winemaker" or "Wine Trouble Shooter". Stephen began his career in Napa Valley, studying at the famous Davis University in California. Since then, he has confirmed his talent, skill, and experience by creating exceptional wines in England, Hungary, South Africa, India, and currently, Romania.
Each country's terroir has its characteristics and typicity. Yet, he has won international medals for every producer he has worked with.
He started creating great wines in our country in 1995. Since 2007 he has been Aurelia Visinescu`` s winemaker, having already won over 300 awards (gold, silver, and bronze medals) for our wines at some of the most important international wine competitions, such as Decanter World Wine Awards, like Mondial de Bruxelles, Mundus Vini, International Wine Challenge, International Wine and Spirit Competition, Berlin Wine Trophy, and many others.
The Wine Cellar
Aurelia Visinescu Cellar was opened in the spring of 2013 with a surface of 5.200 square meters, one of the newest and largest cellars in the Dealu Mare region. The construction is buried on three sides to integrate into the scenery seamlessly and, more importantly, to benefit from an increased and more precise thermal control.
Aurelia Visinescu is one of Romania's most modern wine cellars, with a production and storage capacity of around 3 million litres.
The cellar includes three central units:
The production-fermentation section (with a processing capacity of almost 1 million litres).
The conditioning-storage area (with a total of 1.6 million litres).
The area where the maturation and ageing processes take place.
The cellar also contains office spaces and several areas where visitors can taste the wine.
The total investment in the cellar & vineyard amounts to 12 million euros (of which 6 million in the cellar and the other 6 in the vineyard) - half of the investment being covered by EU funding. Everything so we can offer you authentic Romanian noble wines of the highest quality.
Awards
Over 300 awards obtained at prestigious international events support the high quality of Aurelia Visinescu wines. Events such as Decanter World Wine Awards, Mondial de Bruxelles, International Wine and Spirit Competition, Berlin Wine Trophy, Wine Enthusiast, and more ranked Aurelia Visinescu wines with gold, silver or bronze medals.
Whether we are talking about the gold medal obtained at Decanter (the first ever for a Romanian wine) or about the great gold medal received in Bruxelles, Aurelia Visinescu wines continue to impress at the most exigent international events, thus adding significant value to Romania's image as a premium wines producer.
"As a winemaker, my role is to bring the best out of each grape variety, and my philosophy is that when it comes to quality, there can be no compromise." - Stephen Donnelly