“La SAPATA” Winery– Dobrogean organic wines in Italian style
Mid of July 2024... high, suffocating heat... After we visited the Măcin Winery in the morning, here we are around noon in an extremely picturesque location on the edge of the Somova commune-Tulcea county.
It is said that the name of the commune comes from the catfish species, quite common in the nearby lakes.
We had read and heard a lot about the La SAPATA Winery. Now we were curious to discover the winery, the people and the wines produced here for ourselves.
The oldest vineyard in Dobrogea, Sarica Niculițel, was enriched with a new winery in 2009. Four Italians, owners and winemakers, by their names Roberto Pieroni, Andrea Pesaresi, Roberto and Ema Di Fillippi, founded the Danube Delta Winery-La SAPATA, in an area where vines have been cultivated for thousands of years, since Roman times and even during the Greek colonization.
The investment value was in the hundreds of thousands of euros. The plantations cover 25 hectares, and the 300 square meter winemaking complex is on the border of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve
The new entrepreneurs, who consider Romania their second homeland, promote a concept of organic agriculture, emphasizing the combination of technology with local tradition, in order to obtain quality wines.
The sandy soil in the area is worked with the help of horses, under the supervision and direct involvement of oenologist Roberto Di Fillippi.
This passionate winemaker makes a living from natural viticulture, transforming a dream into reality. He spends his time among the horses with which, his vineyards and companies: the one in Umbria (Italy) and the one here in Somova produce organic wines of the highest quality. He is rarely seen in a suit and tie, more often in rubber boots.
The practice of organic viticulture is facilitated by the fact that the aromatic plants that invaded the soil in the years when it was neglected or uncultivated, naturally enriched it, preparing it for quality production.
When we arrived at the winery we were greeted by Mr. Roberto Pieroni's wife, who was going to do the usual host thing by introducing us to the winery and the wine tasting. We had to wait another half an hour because a group of Mrs. Pieroni's high school classmates were going to arrive from Tulcea, so the wine tasting was going to be held in the family.
Meanwhile, our host explained to us where the name of the La SAPATA brand comes from: “When we started digging the winery, we found the rocks of an archaeological site, and the specialist who came to see what it was about discovered that that was the name of the site. We also thought it was an expressive name for our brand.”
The owners also wanted the winery’s name to express the vicinity of the Danube Delta by choosing the design on the wine labels, a stylized egret.
The grape varieties cultivated by the La SAPATA Winery are: for white wine, Fetească Regală, Rkaţiteli, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Ottonel and for red wine, Merlot, Băbească, Blauer and Sangiovese. Among the representative wines sold under the La Sapata brand are Băbească Neagră, the Aligote/Riesling blend and Fetească Regală.
The wine tasting was a delight… In addition to the 5 varieties of wine, the appetizers offered specific to the Dobrogea region were very well-timed and tasty.
The wine tasting was a delight… In addition to the 5 varieties of wine, the appetizers offered specific to the Dobrogean lands were very timely and tasty.
The pike roe, carp batogul, marinated mackerel fillet, tomato salad and goat cheese wonderfully complemented the Artisanal Rose Petitantul from Băbeasca Neagră, Feteasca Regală, Feteasca Neagră, Merlot and the wonderful Băbeasca Neagră.
My choice, as always after a wine tasting, was Băbeasca Neagră. The ruby-red color, the fresh, fruity and aromatic taste, the wine's bouquet with fine notes of dried plums and cherries made me discover this variety of wine, which I honestly tell you that I didn't know much about.
Babeasca Neagră 'La Sapata' from Delta Dunării Winery is probably the representative, the benchmark of this Romanian variety.
Dobrogea is an area where the love for the vine and a place-the Danube Delta, where nature expresses itself almost magically. An area where the union between human beings, the vine and the landscape has reached a unique balance in the world.
La SAPATA Winery reveals the potential of Dobrogea and awakens an ancestral history. Life forms, grapes, the surrounding nature, the joy of wine, occupy the heart of its activity.
When you taste a Fetească or a Băbească from "La Sapata", it is no longer about drinking the best wine, but about drinking a wine that makes you better!