Cramele Reca Estate, established in 1988 by three visionary families, transformed 650 hectares of neglected vineyards and a rusty, former state-owned winery into Romanias leading modern winery. Today, under the guidance of Englishman Philip Cox and his Romanian wife Elvira, the estate produces a diverse range of wines, including natural and orange wines from organic grapes. Combining old-vine character with newer plantings and state-of-the-art facilities, Reca is recognised for its innovative, high-quality wines that consistently over-deliver.

Viticulture

The vineyards are set within a mountainous terrain that dominates the landscape, providing a distinctive microclimate and natural elevation that encourages even ripening and enhances the aromatic complexity of the grapes.

Winemaking

The grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and lightly crushed before undergoing a 3.5-week maceration with full skin contact at low temperatures, completing a 100% malolactic fermentation. Twenty per cent of the maceration takes place in clay amphorae, with the remaining 80% in stainless steel. After blending, the wine is lightly aged for two months in one-year-old French barriques, followed by natural cold stabilisation. Bottling is carried out without filtration or additional sulphur, preserving the purity and freshness of the wine.

Tasting Note

This natural, minimal intervention wine presents a dark straw colour with subtle orange hints. The nose is a delicate mix of quince, poire William, and a touch of vanilla. The palate is complex and structured, with elegant stone fruit flavours, supported by firm tannins and a long, refined finish. It is a fresh, vibrant, and pure expression of Romanian winemaking.

Food Matching

Pairs beautifully with hard and semi-hard cheeses, turbot, tuna steak, and chicken.

Technical Details

Varieties: Riesling de Rhin 34%, Muscat Ottonel 27%, Others 39%