Attraction
Podgoria Cotești
Podgoria Cotești is a wine-growing region with over 600 years of history, situated between Valea Milcovului and Valea Râmnicului, 13 km from Focșani on DN2. With 6,589 hectares of vineyards, it is a natural continuation of Podgoria Odobești and is distinguished by its reddish-brown gravelly soils that accumulate solar heat — a specific terroir that lends its red wines particular depth. The vineyard region is entirely Wallachian in origin, and its centre, the commune of Cotești, is documented as far back as 1471.
Podgoria Cotești is one of the three renowned wine-growing regions of Vrancea County — alongside Odobești and Panciu — and extends across 6,589 hectares of vineyards, between Valea Milcovului to the north and Valea Râmnicului to the south, 13 km south of Focșani on DN2. It encompasses the wine-producing centres of Cotești, Vîrteșcoiu, Cîrligele, Urechești, Tâmboiești and Dumbrăveni. It is considered an entirely Wallachian wine region, with no Moldavian or Transylvanian influences in its formation. The region's centre, the commune of Cotești, is documented from 1471, when Captain Stan Cotea Odobescu received an estate in the area as a princely grant. The geological character of the area is remarkable: the reddish-brown soil, composed of layers of aerated gravels and pebbles, absorbs solar heat during the day and releases it to the vines at night — a natural mechanism that enhances the qualities of red grape varieties. This property gives the Fetească Neagră, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from Cotești a depth and complexity that are specific to this region and not found in other nearby wine-growing areas. Alongside the red varieties, Fetească Albă, Muscat Ottonel and Sauvignon Blanc are also cultivated. A noteworthy cultural detail: the winery of the boyar Duiliu Zamfirescu — the Romanian writer known for the novel "Viața la țară" — has been restored in Podgoria Cotești using European funds, transforming it into a tourist attraction. The wine region is also home to four representative monasteries of Vrancea: Mănăstirea Dălhăuți, Mănăstirea Cotești, Mănăstirea Vărzărești and Mănăstirea Recea, as well as the Alexandru Vlahuță Memorial House and the Cotești Communal Museum, which holds a private collection of viticultural and agricultural tools. Wineries open to visitors include Crama Valahă Cotești, Crama Pandora (45 ha, boutique wines) and several small producers offering cellar tastings. Podgoria Cotești is part of the "Drumul Vinului Vrâncean" route, which passes through all three of the county's wine-growing regions, from Dumbrăveni to Panciu.
Cotesti judetul Vrancea