How often do we wine fanatics get to see a winery that once belonged to a Romanian Prince? – Not many that we know of! But here’s one about the famous Catleya Winery rooting back to the Belle Epoque period in Paris that we think might interest you!
The province of Corcova has an abundance of flush history like most places in Romania. Antoine Bibesco, born in Paris, 1878, was a Romanian Prince, a landlord, a diplomat, and a writer who spent a great deal of his early life moving between France and Romania.
Bibesco had an inheritance of vineyards, forests, farmland, and orchards, worth way over 2000 acres in this region and he enjoyed spending quite some time in Corcova with his family and friends. He even extended his vineyard amassing plots over the finest areas to about 100 hectares during the early 20th century. The vineyards, the property, the modern winery were all looked after by his agronomist, Aristoteles Sauget.
Aristoteles Sauget was the reason behind the enhanced quality and production of wine at the Catleya Winery. His advanced winemaking techniques are what made Catleya Winery a household name in that region, along with the writings of Marcel Proust, where a character in his book was motivated by Bibesco himself. His eminent work of art, the Catleya orchid is a representation of the love he held for Bibesco and Corcova.
In the year 2007, three fellow wine enthusiasts were fascinated by the rich history of Corcova as well as its Proustian essence and decided on the unique Catleya Winery symbol to signify the olden times. They refurbished the territory of Bibesco and transformed it into the Catleya Winery.
Every year, the harvest is pre-planned at the Catleya Winery in order to extract the right balance of intricate flavors, the maturity of tannins, acids, sugars, and possibilities of newer colors. Fermentation takes place for about 4-10 days, where the winemakers make sure to taste the wines on a daily basis to regulate the intensity and flavors of every drop. The process of maturing lasts for months to extract the best and strong wine flavors from every barrel.
With breathtaking sights and deep-rooted historical ambiance, Catleya Winery can be the perfect winery tour for you to enjoy one of history’s first Gravitational Winemaking Facility and premium bottles of Cabernet, Fetească Neagră, Merlot, Sauvignon, Fetească Alba, Cabernet Franc, and Fetească Regală.
Closest Airports to Catleya Winery
Driving direction to Catleya Winery
Getting to Catleya Winery is quite easy via Craiova (CRA), Bucharest (OTP) or Timisoara (TSR) airports with short transfer times from all three airports. Transfer options include car hire, private transfer, public bus and train services directly to the vineyard of Catleya, Corcova.
Check https://www.rome2rio.com/ for more information.
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Drive from Craiova Airport (CRA). Distance 86km. 1 hour 11 mins drive.
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Drive from Bucharest Airport (OTP). Distance 319 km. 4 hour 16 mins drive.
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Drive from Timisoara Airport (TSR). Distance 268 km. 3 hour 40 mins drive.
Catleya CellarWine tasting
The vineyard of Catleya, located in Corcova, has a rich history. It was during the Belle Époque period in Paris that Prince Antoine Bibesco, Marcel Proust and their friends drank the wines of Corcova, while evoking the pear flower of this mythical place. To taste this wine, made with careful attention at the Catleya winery, represents a chance to live a sensorial experience; with its intense colour, rich aromas and flavours, all evoking vineyards in bloom and the sunny slopes of Corcova as captured in the writings of Marcel Proust.
Classic
- 5 wines tasting and winery tour: 50 RON including tax / person (10 euro including tax / person);
- Languages spoken: English, French, Romanian;
- Minimum and maximum number of tourists forming a group: 4 – 20.
Price: 50 RON / person.
Prices may change from time to time and we take no responsibility. For more details check https://budureascawines.com/ro/degustari/.
Wine Tasting Tour
Taste the best wines in the cellars where they’re made, admire vast vineyards, and learn about traditional winemaking processes on a wonderful day trip to the Catleya Winery.
Schedule:
Monday – Sunday – from 10:00 to 18:00
Reservations should be made in advance, at least 3 days before the desired date.
Minimum and maximum number of tourists forming a group: 4-20.
Languages spoken: English, French, Romanian.
Optional services:
- Wifi;
- Cold buffet – with a reservation at least three days in advance;
- Parking.
Payment options: only cash, no credit accepted.
Prices to the services offered by wineries, hotels and specialty stores listed on the website may not be accurate and may be altered at any time.
Launch / Diner menu recommendations
Pairing food with a complimentary wine makes it taste even more delicious. But is there more to it than matching white wines with fish and red wines with steak? Of course!
Here are a few basic tips for matching meal courses with the perfect wine:
– Pair intense wines with heavy dishes, such as beef and lamb;
– Pair lighter wines with light dishes, such as salad or chicken;
– Desserts pair well with sweet wines or dessert wines;
– Consider whether flavours are bitter, acidic, sweet, salty or spicy;
– Focus on sauces and cooking methods, not just the main ingredient.
You can either “complement” or “contrast” when pairing food and wine. For example, choose an earthy red wine to complement a rich mushroom dish, or contrast an acidic white wine with a creamy fish sauce. Neither the food nor the wine should overwhelm each other.
Book your tour
The tourist potential of Mehedinți county is formed by the grandiose landscape formed by the Danube River and its gorge, by the diversity of the relief in the mountain area, by the existence of special floristic and faunistic elements, many of which are included in scientific reserves. Corcova is a commune located in Mehedinți County. With sunny hills and good weather, it becomes an important tourist attraction, mainly because of the Catley Winery and their spectacular wines. Besides the winery, you can make a day of it and visit so many more tourist attractions from the area.
For more amazing locations visit hotels.flyus.com.
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Romanian Currency – A Brief Cost Guide
The only currency used is the Romanian leu. Despite being a European country, euros are not accepted anywhere in Romania.
- Set aside approximately 10 – 30 RON per day for attractions.
- On average 50 – 60 RON for a dorm bed, or 120 RON for a room in a modest hotel.
- Between 40 – 80 RON a day for food, depending on your appetite.
If you’re into luxury accommodation and expensive meals, these costs will be higher!
Tipping in Romania
Tipping is expected as Romanian waiters are paid a very low wage, so be sure to also factor this in when drawing up your budget.
Do I need a VISA?
Regardless of your country of origin you need proper and valid passports.
More information can be found here:
http://romaniatourism.com/entry-requirements.html.
For US Citizens:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Romania.html.
* Pricing and availability are subject to change. All itineraries/tours/guides are based on airlines, travel agencies, hotel, tour policies, schedules and operational conditions at the time of booking.