We are a young family of entrepreneurs from Bistrita-Nasaud county, Jelna village, fascinated by wine and wine culture. We do nothing but to continue and protect a story, a wine-making spirit that’s been sleeping for many centuries here in Jelna. Vineyards on the hills of Jelna appeared since 1766, in the Josephine map, this being the first mapping of Transylvania and it was done under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
We keep 26 hectares of vines, the average age is 5 years, and the varieties are: Sauvignon Blanc, Fetească Albă (white maiden), Fetească Regală (royal maiden), Muscat Ottonel, Pinot Noir.
We are going to plant Fetească neagră (black maiden), Merlot and Cabernet Savignon, as well as a little Novac or Negru de Drăgășani, in 2018.
We are a small handicraft winery, family owned, we produce currently about 80,000 bottles a year and we plan to grow up to 100,000-120,000 bottles a year.
“One of the oldest mention of the wines in this area was found in the Jelna’s church records, which stated that Petrus Murator, the painter of the church, was paid in wine barrels, “explains Ovidiu Moldovan – Jelna winery co-owner.
In conclusion, we believe that it is our duty as people of the place, born and raised here, to revive what the harsh history has decided to kill in the last century, the land, the vine, the wine and the culture of Jelna. There is a pure, natural, full of human spirit that unites the Romanians, Saxons and Szekelys of Jelna. An entity, we like to believe that has been formed by meritocracy, at times when settlement of social beds in Transylvania would not have allowed this.
