From Bucharest: Exclusive Dealu Mare Wine Tasting Tour

Dealu Mare tastes like a side trip worth taking, and this 10-hour private outing pairs two boutique wineries with a 12-wine tasting plus cheese-and-charcuterie pairings. What I like most is the mix of Romanian grape focus and real estate visits, not just a quick sip-and-go stop. The main tradeoff: the day runs full and lunch isn’t included, so you’ll want to plan for your own meal.

This is a classic Bucharest wine escape into Prahova County, following the historic Old Wine Road between vineyard hills and elegantly restored manors. You’ll spend time with hosts at Lacerta and 1000 Chipuri, learn how different production choices affect flavor, and taste indigenous varieties like Fetească Neagră in a setting built for red-wine lovers.

Key highlights to know before you go

• Two wineries, two styles of winemaking: Lacerta’s modern-but-traditional setup, then 1000 Chipuri’s family craft.
• 12 wines in one day: includes Fetească Neagră and other Romanian picks like Tămâioasă Românească.
• Food pairings at both stops: cheese, cured meats, and dried fruit show up repeatedly.
• You’ll see aging in action: at 1000 Chipuri, you sample wines from oak barrels or stainless steel tanks.
• English-speaking guide with strong storytelling: guides such as Mihai, Bogdan, and Andrei are repeatedly praised for warmth and context.
• Scenic Old Wine Road drive: vineyard hills and historic manors make the ride part of the experience.

Dealu Mare, a Bucharest day trip built for red wine fans

Dealu Mare is Romania’s best-known wine region, and it makes sense why red-wine drinkers get excited here. It sits along the 45th parallel, and that climate combo helps grape growers produce wines with depth, structure, and the “velvety reds” reputation Romania is known for.

The smart part of this tour is that it treats Dealu Mare like more than a checklist stop. You’re not just tasting. You’re also learning how the region’s grapes and winemaking choices end up in the glass, then pairing those tastes with local foods that actually match the flavors.

Price and what you’re really buying for $260 per person

At $260 per person for 10 hours, you’re paying for three things: private, guided winery time, and two separate tasting menus with food. That’s important because a winery visit is mostly about access, not just drinking wine. Here you’re getting tours at two estates plus a guided tasting of six wines at each winery, for 12 wines total.

This is also a full-day commitment from Bucharest with private transport, so the price reflects more than wine cost. If you compare it to cheaper group tours, you’ll usually find less time at each stop and fewer chances to ask questions. If you care about learning the “why” behind flavors, that extra time is where the value tends to show.

One more practical note: lunch time is built into the schedule, but lunch is not included. That’s the one cost you should mentally budget for so you’re not surprised mid-day.

The Old Wine Road drive, where the scenery has context

The ride out of Bucharest isn’t random highway time. You follow the Old Wine Road through vineyard hills and past elegant manors, which sets the tone before the first glass arrives.

That matters because Dealu Mare is a wine region tied to place. When you see the estates and the slope country up close, the tasting stops feel more grounded. You’ll come to the wineries already “in the mood,” which makes the guided explanations easier to follow.

It’s also a comfort win: you’re in a comfortable vehicle with a licensed English-speaking tour guide, not navigating your own route and timing across the region.

Stop 1: Lacerta Winery and the idea of winemaking by gravity

Your first estate visit is at Lacerta Winery, described as one of the region’s more modern facilities while still grounded in tradition. The headline detail here is their approach to production: they incorporate gravitational principles, minimizing the use of pumps to protect wine integrity.

That’s not just technical trivia. How you move wine during pressing and transfer can affect handling, oxygen exposure, and overall consistency. If you’re the type who likes to connect tasting notes to real choices, this first stop gives you something tangible to listen for later.

What you’ll do at Lacerta

You’ll get a guided winery tour and then a tasting of six wines, paired with a local cheese and charcuterie platter. The pairing matters because many wine tastings can turn into a blur. Here, the food gives your palate a reference point, especially when you’re jumping from lighter expressions to deeper red styles.

A useful mindset for the first tasting

Start thinking of it as orientation. Your first six wines are often where guides point out what to notice, like grape character, tannin feel, acidity balance, and how the region’s “red-wine DNA” shows up.

Lunch break: plan for a meal you control

There’s time set aside for lunch between the two winery visits. The catch is simple: lunch is not included in the tour price.

So bring a plan. If you’re the kind of eater who needs something substantial before more wine, you’ll be happiest if you use that window to eat normally, not just snack. If you prefer lighter food, that’s fine too, but do it with intention so your second tasting experience stays fun.

Stop 2: 1000 Chipuri, family ownership and tasting from oak or tanks

Second stop is 1000 Chipuri, a family-owned boutique winery with a reputation for craftsmanship. The vibe you’re likely to feel here is more intimate, and that can change the whole pace of the visit.

One of the most interesting details from the experience is how the tasting connects to aging. You’ll have a chance to sample wines directly from oak barrels or stainless steel tanks, so you can taste how maturation choices influence texture and flavor direction.

What you’ll do at 1000 Chipuri

You’ll tour the winery with guidance, then taste six more wines. This tasting includes pairings with cheese, cured meats, and dried fruit. It’s a strong food lineup because it covers salty, fatty, and sweet-dried notes, which helps you track how each wine reacts on your palate.

This is also where indigenous grapes get attention. Fetească Neagră is specifically highlighted as a standout Romanian red, and you’ll want to be alert for how it differs from international-style reds like Cabernet Franc. Tămâioasă Românească also comes up, often compared to a dry Muscat style, which is a useful contrast after you’ve been working through the heavier reds.

The 12 wines experience, and why the pairing plan helps you remember them

Twelve wines in one day sounds like a lot, but the structure is built to make it manageable. You taste six at each winery, and each tasting is paired with local foods. That rhythm gives you repeated anchors, so the experience turns into something you can sort out later.

At Lacerta, you’re working with cheese and charcuterie. At 1000 Chipuri, the pairing expands to cured meats and dried fruit, plus the opportunity to taste wines associated with oak or stainless steel aging.

If you’re wondering how Fetească Neagră will actually show up, this is a good format. Indigenous varieties can be easier to appreciate when you’re not tasting them in isolation. The guide can help you compare grape character against the food, then compare that against the international varieties later in the day.

Practical tip for enjoying all 12

Sip, don’t chug. Between wines, take the time to taste the pairing, not just the wine. When you let food lead for a moment, the next pour makes more sense.

Guides make it personal: Mihai, Bogdan, and Andrei set the tone

One of the biggest reasons this tour earns such consistent praise is the guide experience. In the feedback, names keep coming up: Mihai, including Mihai Vateselu, plus Bogdan and Andrei.

The common thread is how they teach. Multiple guides are described as friendly, down-to-earth, patient, and genuinely interested in sharing Romanian wine and cultural context. You’ll also get time to ask questions, and a few people specifically highlight one-to-one conversations with the wine makers, which turns the tasting into a real chat rather than a scripted performance.

That also affects the pacing. One review notes that the guide allowed the day to run in the way the group wanted, which is rare in rigid tours. In a day packed with wine, that flexibility can be the difference between feeling rushed and feeling in control.

A quick Romanian wine backdrop that helps your tastings click

This tour doesn’t ignore history, and it helps you connect why the modern Dealu Mare revival matters. Romanian wine production goes back to early traditions in the Dacian Kingdom, and it grew in the 19th century. Later, Romanian wines earned recognition tied to royal figures such as Queen Victoria and Tsar Nicholas.

Then came a long drop after World War II, when Soviet influence and a communist system pushed for mass production over quality. Since the fall of communism in 1989, Romania’s wine industry has been rebuilding, regaining international recognition, and ranking as the world’s 12th largest wine producer today.

Why this context matters for you: it explains why boutique wineries and modern techniques can feel both new and deeply rooted. When you’re at Lacerta learning about gravitational handling, and then at 1000 Chipuri tasting wines linked to oak and stainless aging, you’re seeing the craft side of that revival.

Who this tour suits best, and who should think twice

This is a great fit if you:

• Love guided wine tastings with real explanations, not just samples.
• Want to try Romanian varieties like Fetească Neagră, alongside more familiar names.
• Prefer a private group day with comfortable transport and structured winery access.
• Enjoy learning how winemaking choices show up in taste.

You might think twice if you:

• Want a relaxed, half-day pace. This is a full day with two estates and 12 wines.
• Need lunch to be included in the price. Lunch isn’t included, even though you get scheduled time to eat.

Should you book this Dealu Mare wine tasting tour?

If you’re visiting Bucharest and you want one standout day that feels like wine travel, not just drinking, I’d book this. Two wineries plus 12 wines plus structured food pairings is a strong package for a wine region day trip, especially with a guide who brings both warmth and context.

My final advice: treat it as a tasting day, plan for lunch at your own expense, and go in curious about how Romanian grapes and local winemaking choices show up in the glass. If that sounds like your kind of trip, Dealu Mare is a smart choice.

FAQ

FAQ

How long is the Dealu Mare wine tasting tour from Bucharest?

The tour lasts 10 hours.

How many wineries and wine tastings are included?

You visit two wineries and taste 12 wines total, with six wines at each winery.

Is lunch included?

Lunch is not included. There is time set aside for lunch during the day.

What is included with the tastings at each winery?

At both wineries, you get cheese and charcuterie pairings included with the guided wine tastings.

Where do you get picked up in Bucharest?

Pickup is included in Bucharest. The guide waits in the hotel lobby next to the reception desk, and if your accommodation has no lobby, the guide waits at the entrance in front of the building.

Is the tour private and what languages are used?

It is a private group tour, and the guide speaks English and Romanian.