Regional/Cultural Day
Culesul Viilor
In the wine regions of Dealu Mare, Cotnari, and Murfatlar, the grape harvest is celebrated with music, dancing, and the first tasting of the new wine. The tradition is to invite the neighbors, share the food, and drink until the sun comes up. The Romanian wine tradition goes back to the Dacians, who cultivated grapes on the hills of Transylvania and Moldavia long before the Romans arrived. The most famous Romanian wine is the Feteasca Neagra (Black Maiden), a dark, full-bodied red that pairs perfectly with sarmale and mamaliga. The grape harvest is not just a festival : it is a community event, and the tradition is to work the vines in the morning, press the grapes in the afternoon, and celebrate in the evening.
