The vine legend

When God created the world, all the trees and the small shrubs started to praise themselves to be the biggest and the most beautiful, turning their green crowns of brunches toward the sun: “I am the king of the trees, I have the finest wood” said the oak tree. “I am tall and my fruits are delicious” said the walnut tree. “Look here, I’m not as tall as you, but God made me so beautiful with red perfumed flowers”, the conceited rose spoke.

As the plants argued and praised themselves, the poor wine stood sad with its head bent, lying humble on the ground. ,, Oh! Poor me, cried the vine, covered by dust. I was not gifted by the Holly Father with a strong stem, nor with strong brunchHearing its complain, God sent a good man there. The man saw the vine lying week on the ground and compassioned, he tied the wine by a beech Fagus. The stem climbed on the tree, the grapes started to ripen and grow to be as sweet as honey. The vine gave the man a bunch of delicious grapes.

The man made wine from the grapes and the wine sweetened his wild heart. This is how the man was rewarded for his good deed. The oak and the other trees watch the vine full of grapes. Despite their greatness, they stood empty, while the wine grew sweet grapes. The legend says that the fruits of the vine are Jesus’ tears poured in the Holly Gral.

The origin of vine cultivating and wine production stands in ancient times. To cover the route of the vine across Romania territory means to recompose the past from its origins. The documents and vestiges spoke about the natural conditions existent in this part of the world, favorable to vine cultivation. It was also mentioned the importance of this plant in the life of the people, the way it entered in their lives, beliefs and traditions.

The Romanian viticulture - a historical approach

The historian A.D.Xenopol confirm this opinion, considering that: „Tracia, the oldest home of Gets and Dacian was a vine region and the native country of Dionysus the Greek God of wine.

Speaking about the way the wine was consumed by the people, Xenopol fallows Homer’ information: „the men and women drink their wine according to Scitian tradition without water, using instead of cups or glasses large horns of deer or bulls, that were passed from hand to hand.”

Vasile Pârvan speaking of the important role of the viticulture in that period affirms: ,, During that time the vine cultivation become the main occcupation of the population in the Carpathians area”. Making a lapse in time across the long period, we enter Middle Age in which the vineyards prospered and grew solid on the sunny hills of Carpathians Area on larger surfaces and with improved methods.

In time, the viticulture in The Romanian Provinces developed particular characteristics in each vineyard according with a tradition settled trough generations. History repeats: the man reunite with his best loved plant, he is empowered finding it strong and alive and trough it he recuperates himself.

Creaţa “The curly” Banat Riesling-produces middle size berries, golden skinned, with very juicy pulp.

Galbena de Odobeşti – Odobeşti Golden- a very productive sort, large silvery/ green berries Grasa de Cotnari produces middle size grapes with round berries, soft skinned, yellow/rust colored and with a juicy core and a distinctive taste reflected in the wine

Local sorts of vine

Feteasca albă („The girl’fruit”) produces small grapes with thin skin, yellow- green colored, very juicy.Fetească regală- Royal Fetească produces grapes with irregular, small round berries, having a juicy core and a discreet aroma.Busuioaca de Bohotin -Black Busuoiacă an old Romanian vine, with round , abundant dark red berries, very juicy core and a particular fragrance.Black Fetească- Fetească neagră produces cylindrical shaped grapes with round thick berries and a blue almost black peel and a colorless, juicy pulp.

Then quality and originality of Romanian wines is assured by a rich source of assortments carefully selected and provided by the vineyards.Romanian Wine assortment contains some very important local varieties and also foreign varieties of wine all with high oenological quality. Among them there are some remarkable wines:Local assortments:-white wines: Grasa de Cotnari, Feteasca albă, Feteasca regală, Galbena de Odobeşti.

Romania wine assortments

-red wines: Băbeasca neagră, Feteasca neagră-flavored wine: Tămâioasa românească, Busuioaca de BohotinForeign assortments:White wines: Italian Riesling, Sauvignon, Pinot noir, Chardonnay-red wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir, Merlot-flavored wines: Muscat Ottonell

Nutritive qualities of the grapes

The grapes are very nutrient and energetic fruits. One kilo of grapes contains between 600 and 800 calories. Like the fig, the grape brings a very high level of sugar, contains vitamins A, B, C and also magnesium, potassium, iron and calcium. To benefit from these qualities it is recommended to include the grape in our daily diet. An excellent tonic, the grape is frequently used in medical treatments/ the grapes cures for detoxifying the body, convalescent person and sportsman.

They have anti ageing effect, they fight free radicals. They have fortifying properties: the grape sugar represents an important source of energy for the children - mental energy because the grapes are rich in phosphorus. Due to the high percentage of potassium they help eliminate the liquids. The nutritionists recommend the grapes as ones of the beneficial fruits for the human body and suggest a detoxifying cure of minimum 2 days to be taken in every fall.

The white wine therapy is indicated in cases of water retention.The red grapes therapy is used in cosmetic treatments- natural masks made of red grapes have anti ageing effects, oxygenate the skin and give luminosity. The wine therapy can be realized with extract of ,, Vita vinifera” in specialized salons.

The wine therapy

An amazing natural cure is grape’seed oil, a cold-pressed oil with multiple benefits in preventing and healing diseases. It appeared in France, famous for its vineyards, and then in Italy, then it spread in all Europe.The cold pressed oil is used in alimentation, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry. This oil has a nice golden color, a slightly sweet taste and it is odorless. It contains important quantities of vitamin E and vitamin F and minerals: copper, selenium, zinc.

The grape seed oil

Cooking: Due to its clean, light taste, it is often used as an ingredient in salad dressings and mayonnaise and as a base for oil infusions of garlic, rosemary, or other herbs or spices.

In cosmetics it is used as a preferred ingredient for control of skin moisturize in creams and bath salts or in aromatherapy.

Medicine: Grape seeds contain several antioxidants and it is recommended in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency, edema, high cholesterol, hypertension and cancer.The grape seed oil also prevents and alleviates   several diseases: cardiovascular affections, Alzheimer, tumors, infections, skin problems, rheumatism, allergy.

Grape seed oil in cooking, cosmetics and medicine