Crama Pietroasa Veche

Crama Pietroasa Veche is located in the commune of Pietroasele, at the foot of Dealul Istrița, in Buzău County, in the heart of the Dealu Mare wine region — one of Romania's most renowned viticultural areas. The winery is part of the Pietroasa Research and Development Station for Viticulture and Winemaking, established in 1893, following a phylloxera outbreak, as the first institution of its kind in Romania. Today operating under the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest, the station combines scientific research with wine production, which is why its products are known as "the only university wine in Romania". As far back as before 1900, more than 700 grape varieties were brought here from around the world, forming the basis for new varieties and clones, and in 1932 the country's first "school for cellar masters" was established on the premises. The winery's flagship is Tămâioasa Românească de Pietroasa, a golden, aromatic dessert wine that has earned the vineyard numerous international distinctions over the years, dating as far back as the 19th century. Alongside it, the winery produces local varieties such as Grasă de Pietroasa, Fetească Regală, Fetească Neagră, and Busuioacă de Bohotin. One of its greatest treasures is the wine library, which preserves old collections dating from the 1940s; among the local legends is that of a 1942 Tămâioasă, said to have been saved during the Second World War by hiding the barrels, whose hollow sound when tapped reportedly deceived the soldiers who inspected them. Crama Pietroasa Veche, today a listed historical monument, already had a modern winemaking facility as early as 1940. Beyond its viticultural significance, it stands in the immediate vicinity of the site where, in 1837, the famous "Cloșca cu puii de aur" treasure was discovered (now on display at the National History Museum of Romania), making it possible to combine a visit to the winery with an archaeological stopover. The station has laid out a dedicated visitor trail encompassing the vineyards on Dealul Istrița, the old and modern winemaking lines, the wine library, and a tasting room, making it one of the most appealing wine tourism destinations in Buzău County.