1Drâncea
Klassifiziert📍 Vânători
Soil:Loam, sand
Varieties:Fetească Regală, Riesling Italico, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine centre (centru viticol) of the Plaiurile Drâncei podgorie, DOC origin.
Photo: Andrei Stroe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Muntenia & Oltenia Hills · Sub-regions
Plaiurile Drâncei
Vânju Mare, Drâncea and Plenița in south-western Oltenia: warm hills towards the Danube, red-wine potential.
3Wineries
Grape Varieties
Fetească Regală, Riesling Italico
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fetească Neagră
Most Famous Site
Vânju Mare
Vineyard Area
2.500 ha
Harvest
September – October
TERROIR PROFILE · Muntenia & Oltenia Hills
Plaiurile Drâncei Plaiurile Drâncei – Warm
Vânju Mare, Drâncea and Plenița in south-western Oltenia: warm hills towards the Danube, red-wine potential.
☀ Cool continental⛰ Slope: moderateFetească RegalăRiesling ItalicoMerlotCabernet Sauvignon
What is terroir? →SOILS
Limestoneprecise, mineral
Limestone delivers tension, structure and a cooler, more mineral character.
Gravel / Sandlight, approachable
Gravel and sand drain heavily — vines struggle for water, wines turn fine, light and elegant.
CLIMATE · Cool continental
Warm continental climate in south-western Oltenia with Mediterranean nuances owing to proximity to the Danube. Summers are hot and rather dry, spring brings generous rainfall and autumns are mild and sunny.
TOPOGRAPHY · moderate
Gently rolling hill country and hill slopes (plaiuri) around Vânju Mare, Drâncea and Plenița in south-western Oltenia. Vines grow on flat ridges and lightly sloping hillsides.
WHAT IT MEANS IN THE GLASS
ripearomaticindigenousregional character
Typical Flavours of the Region
Fetească Regală
WhiteGreen appleCitrusWhite blossomPear
Riesling Italico
WhiteGreen appleCitrusHayAlmond
Merlot
RedPlumBlack cherryChocolateTruffle
Cabernet Sauvignon
RedBlackcurrantBlackberryCedarwoodGraphite
Fetească Neagră
RedBlack plumBlackberryPruneClove
Region aroma cloud
Green appleCitrusWhite blossomPearHerbsHayAlmondPlumBlack cherryChocolateTruffleCedarVioletBlackcurrantBlackberryCedarwoodGraphiteBell pepper
→ Aroma wheel and variety profilesMuntenia & Oltenia Hills overview
This sub-region is part of Muntenia & Oltenia Hills. The map shows all 8 sub-regions — Plaiurile Drâncei is highlighted.
Overview
Wineries3
Detailed profiles3
Typical Varieties
Fetească Regală
Riesling Italico
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Fetească Neagră
Terroir & Climate
Wine Character
Plaiurile Drâncei lies in south-western Oltenia, in Mehedinți County. The podgorie includes Vânju Mare, Drâncea and Plenița; the name refers to the hill zone (“plaiuri”) around the village of Drâncea. The vineyards sit on slopes that fall away towards the Danube.
The climate is warm and dry, with long, hot summers and mild winters, as the proximity of the Danube evens out temperatures. The soils are mainly loam and sand, which warm quickly. Late-ripening red varieties therefore ripen reliably.
Fetească Regală and Riesling Italico are grown for white wine, with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Fetească Neagră for red. The potential lies mainly with the reds, which reach fullness and dark fruit in warm years. The whites are light and meant for early drinking. The podgorie is one of the smaller, regionally oriented wine areas of Oltenia.
Soil Type
Loam, sand
Climate
Warm
Classified Single Vineyards
3 sitesThe most important classified single vineyards in the region. Classification per VDP (German Prädikat Wine Estates Association) and traditional vineyard registers.
2Orevița-Vânju Mare
Klassifiziert📍 Vânju Mare
Soil:Loam, sand
Varieties:Fetească Regală, Riesling Italico, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine centre (centru viticol) of the Plaiurile Drâncei podgorie, DOC origin.
3Plenița
Klassifiziert📍 Plenița
Soil:Loam, sand
Varieties:Fetească Regală, Riesling Italico, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine centre (centru viticol) of the Plaiurile Drâncei podgorie, DOC origin.
Sources: VDP, state vineyard registers, Wikipedia vineyard articles, traditional vineyard literature.
Top profiles
3 detailed profiles — all filterable in the list belowCO
Crama Oprișor
Muntenien & Oltenien · Plaiurile Drâncei · Oprișor
Spitzenweingut
Fetească Neagră, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
VV
Vie Vin Vinju Mare
Muntenien & Oltenien · Plaiurile Drâncei
Sauvignon Blanc, Fetească Regală, Tămâioasă Românească
V–
Domaine Vinarte – Castel Starmina
Muntenien & Oltenien · Plaiurile Drâncei
Tămâioasă Românească, Riesling Italico, Sauvignon Blanc
All Wineries
3 resultsCO
Crama Oprișor
Muntenien & Oltenien · Plaiurile Drâncei · Oprișor
Spitzenweingut
Fetească Neagră, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
V–
Domaine Vinarte – Castel Starmina
Muntenien & Oltenien · Plaiurile Drâncei
Tămâioasă Românească, Riesling Italico, Sauvignon Blanc
VV
Vie Vin Vinju Mare
Muntenien & Oltenien · Plaiurile Drâncei
Sauvignon Blanc, Fetească Regală, Tămâioasă Românească
Events in Muntenia & Oltenia Hills
All events in Muntenia & Oltenia Hills →No upcoming events listed for this region yet. Submit an event
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Plaiurile Drâncei?
Plaiurile Drâncei lies in south-western Oltenia in Mehedinți county. The wine district includes Vânju Mare, Drâncea and Plenița; the vineyards lie on slopes falling towards the Danube.
Which wines stand out in Plaiurile Drâncei?
The potential lies above all in the reds, which reach fullness and dark fruit in warm years. The whites are light and meant for early drinking.
What is the climate like in Plaiurile Drâncei?
The climate in Plaiurile Drâncei is warm. The harvest runs from September to October.
Which grape varieties define Plaiurile Drâncei?
The key grape varieties in Plaiurile Drâncei are Fetească Regală, Riesling Italico, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Fetească Neagră. The best-known vineyard is Vânju Mare.
When is the best time to visit Plaiurile Drâncei for wine?
The harvest in Plaiurile Drâncei takes place September – October – when vineyards and cellars are busiest. May to July suits tastings without harvest bustle; many estates open their tasting rooms off-season by appointment.
How many wineries are there in Plaiurile Drâncei?
Cellarmap lists 3 wineries in Plaiurile Drâncei across roughly 2,500 hectares of vines. Every profile shows location, contact, grape varieties and, where available, vineyards, classification and visitor information.
All wineries in Plaiurile Drâncei, A to Z
📖 Look up in glossary
All terms →Related wine terms — clearly explained in the Cellarmap glossary.