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In the distant 70s it was fashionable to collect stamps and postcards. Unlike other children, my father collected labels, including wine bottles. In the 80s, his childhood hobby had every chance of developing into a hobby, but Prohibition happened.
Not so long ago, during a tourist trip to Romania, I had an argument with friends about local wines. They believed that in the Soviet Union, citizens used exclusively domestic products and did not know anything about Romanian-made alcoholic beverages.
This is where the family collection of labels came in handy, which contained about 10 samples from the winemakers of the Socialist Republic of Romania.
Where and from what were these wines made?
In reality, not only local wines were sold on the territory of the USSR, but also drinks imported from the countries of the socialist camp. A considerable amount of imported wine was supplied from sunny Romania.
At that time, each member state of the Warsaw Pact was focused on the production of a certain type of product.
Romania is an ideal place for the production of high quality wines. The warm climate allows the cultivation of grapes in all its regions.
The largest Romanian wineries are located near the city of Focsani. The products produced in this area were very popular among the citizens of the USSR.
In the Soviet Union, drinks from the towns of Tarnava, Panchu, Nikoreshti, Odobesht, and Kotesti were well known. Here, to this day, well-known technical varieties are cultivated:
- Pinot Noir;
- “Cabernet Sauvignon” (berries of dark blue color);
- Pinot Gris (blue-purple berries).
- Sauvignon Blanc (white grapes);
- Muscat Ottonel (golden berries);
Sweet and semi-sweet varieties of wine were made from late varieties that grew in the southeast of the country. In this place are the vineyards of the Murfatlar region, which occupies about 10 thousand hectares. The mild warm climate contributes to the active growth and ripening of berry varieties:
- Chardonnay;
- Pinot Gris;
- Muscat Ottonel;
- “Cabernet Sauvignon”;
- Merlot.
On the southern side of the Carpathians, in the vineyards of the town of Delu Mare, for the most part, red grape varieties were cultivated. Alcoholic drinks known in the socialist countries were produced here:
- “Cabernet Sauvignon”;
- Pinot Noir;
- “Merlot”;
- “The Negro Fetish”.
During the tour, our group visited the oldest winery in Romania – Cotnari, located near the border with the Republic of Moldova. The products produced here were in great demand in the USSR. The wines of this company are known all over the world to this day.
How much did they cost, were they popular?
Sweet and semi-sweet varieties of wines were in great demand among the population. Imported products cost more than drinks produced in the USSR. The cheapest wine of domestic production was sold at a price of 90 kopecks. for a bottle. A decent drink cost from 3 to 6 rubles.
Romanian wines were much more expensive. For example, Muscat Ottonel was sold in 1981 at a price of 9 rubles. 50 kop. In the 60s, the cost of alcoholic products was much lower. Wine “Old Castle” was sold for 2 rubles. 70 kop.
Modern bottle of Muscat Ottonel.
Wealthy people drank expensive imported wines. It was easier for workers and employees to buy products from local factories, which were much cheaper.
What Romanian wines were imported to the USSR and how they looked
As far as my father remembers, there were several popular brands that you can buy freely. There were, however, elite wines. They got them “by pull”. The most popular among the builders of communism were:
- Muscat Ottonel is a dry white wine made from several varieties of berries. The local grape variety Feteaska Regala gave a special taste to the bouquet.
- Rulanda (Rulanda).
- Cotnari (Cotnari) – exceptionally tasty wine, which is made from local wines grown in the town of Cotnari. The drink has notes of apricot, raisins, honey.
- Murfatlar.
- Pearl mark Tarnave.
- Riesling brand Tarnave (Riesling). White wine that can be dry or semi-sweet. It has a special recognizable tart aftertaste.
- Old castle (Tarnave).
- Jidvei.
The easiest way was to buy wine “Old Castle”. It was a natural product made from pure juice and had a unique flavor of walnuts. Now, under this brand, a pathetic parody of the wine that was left to the Soviet Union is being sold in Russia.
What happened to them after the USSR
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the supply of Romanian wines to Russia was greatly reduced. The problem was the rupture of economic relations between countries.
The current generation of consumers knows little about wine products from Romania. Drinks produced in this country were rarely found on the menu of restaurants 5 years ago. Now the situation is gradually changing.
Decades later, wines from this country began to appear again in the alcohol markets of the Russian Federation. Real Romanian drinks are significantly more expensive than wines made in the Kuban and Rostov region.
They are recommended to buy in serious stores, so as not to run into a fake. Have you tried Romanian wines? What can you say about their quality?
Dear readers, remember that alcohol abuse harms your body. Take care of yourself!