From California to Dealu Mare: My Romanian Wine Awakening

“Welcome to my wine blog, where I’m excited to share my adventures in the captivating world of Romanian wine, specifically in the Dealu Mare region. As we gear up for our 2025 trips, I’ll be sharing our experiences and recommendations on where to stay and explore starting with where we stayed in 2024.

As a relative newcomer to Dealu Mare, I’m learning as I go, and I’m thrilled to bring you along on this journey. It’s surprising how little-known this gem is, even among Romanians! Just recently, my wife was chatting with a Romanian friend in California, sharing our wonderful wine-tasting experiences in Dealu Mare, and our friend was completely unaware of its existence.

My own discovery of Dealu Mare came several years into my marriage to my Romanian wife (I have a T-Shirt that says “I’m The Husband of a Romanian Woman, Nothing Scares Me!). A relative’s photo of a stunning winery sparked my curiosity, leading me down a rabbit hole of research into the “Big Hill,” its vineyards, and the unique grape varietals native to Romania. Game on!

Having lived in California, wine was a significant part of our lives, from enjoying it at home to exploring the wineries of Napa Valley, Paso Robles and the Santa Cruz Mountains. The contrast between wine tasting culture in Napa Valley and Dealu Mare is something I’m eager to delve into in a future post – stay tuned!

This blog, ‘Royal Romanian,’ isn’t just for non-Romanians visiting Romania. It’s also for Romanians, whether living abroad or within the country, who haven’t yet discovered the incredible wineries of Dealu Mare and other Romanian wine regions.

Since my discovery of the “Big Hill,” I’ve become a passionate advocate for Dealu Mare. I truly believe it’s a must-visit destination, and I’m excited to share our unforgettable experiences with you.  Subscribe to RR and never miss a post.

One last note: if you’d like to read this in Romanian (vorbesc puțin românește – I speak a little Romanian), feel free to copy and paste this post into Google Translate.

Cheers, and let’s explore the wonders of Dealu Mare together!”