1Cotești
Klassifiziert📍 Cotești
Soil:Gravel, sandy loam
Varieties:Fetească Neagră, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fetească Regală
Wine centre (centru viticol) of the Cotești podgorie, DOC origin.
Photo: ciur nicu, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Moldavian Hills · Sub-regions
Cotești
Cotești, Vârteșcoiu, Cârligele and Tâmboești south of Focșani: the warmest part of Vrancea, red-wine focus with Fetească Neagră and Merlot.
4Wineries
Grape Varieties
Fetească Neagră, Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon, Fetească Regală, Fetească Albă, Tămâioasă Românească
Most Famous Site
Cotești
Vineyard Area
7.000 ha
Harvest
September – October
TERROIR PROFILE · Moldavian Hills
Cotești Cotești – Continental
Cotești, Vârteșcoiu, Cârligele and Tâmboești south of Focșani: the warmest part of Vrancea, red-wine focus with Fetească Neagră and Merlot.
☀ Cool continental⛰ Slope: moderateFetească NeagrăMerlotCabernet SauvignonFetească Regală
What is terroir? →SOILS
Gravel / Sandlight, approachable
Gravel and sand drain heavily — vines struggle for water, wines turn fine, light and elegant.
Loambody-rich, velvety
Loamy soils give wines volume and a soft, velvety mouthfeel.
CLIMATE · Cool continental
Warm continental climate south of Focșani with hot summers, cold winters and moderate rainfall. The long, warm growing season allows good ripening even for late-ripening red varieties.
TOPOGRAPHY · moderate
Flat to gently rolling terrace terrain south of Focșani around Cotești, Vârteșcoiu, Cârligele and Tâmboești. Vines grow on low rises and terrace edges with good sun exposure.
WHAT IT MEANS IN THE GLASS
ripearomaticindigenousregional character
Typical Flavours of the Region
Fetească Neagră
RedBlack plumBlackberryPruneClove
Merlot
RedPlumBlack cherryChocolateTruffle
Cabernet Sauvignon
RedBlackcurrantBlackberryCedarwoodGraphite
Fetească Regală
WhiteGreen appleCitrusWhite blossomPear
Fetească Albă
WhiteWhite blossomPeachApricotHoney
Tămâioasă Românească
WhiteRoseOrange blossomGrapeHoney
Region aroma cloud
Black plumBlackberryPruneCloveSmokeVanillaPlumBlack cherryChocolateTruffleCedarVioletBlackcurrantCedarwoodGraphiteBell pepperLeatherTobacco
→ Aroma wheel and variety profilesMoldavian Hills overview
This sub-region is part of Moldavian Hills. The map shows all 12 sub-regions — Cotești is highlighted.
Overview
Wineries4
Detailed profiles4
Typical Varieties
Fetească Neagră
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Fetească Regală
Fetească Albă
Tămâioasă Românească
Terroir & Climate
Wine Character
Cotești lies in the south of Vrancea County, south of Focșani, in the foreland of the Eastern Carpathians. Besides Cotești, the podgorie includes Vârteșcoiu, Cârligele and Tâmboești. Vrancea is Romania's largest wine region by area, and this section is regarded as its warmest part.
The climate is continental and warm, with hot summers and cold winters. The vineyards stand on gravel and sandy loam; these permeable soils warm quickly and favour the ripening of red varieties. The slopes are mostly only gently inclined.
The focus is on red wine: Fetească Neagră, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Fetească Regală, Fetească Albă and Tămâioasă Românească are also grown. The reds are fruity and full-bodied, the whites fresh, with aromatic notes from Tămâioasă. Vrancea is among the Romanian areas with the longest winegrowing tradition.
Soil Type
Gravel, sandy loam
Climate
Continental, warm
Classified Single Vineyards
4 sitesThe most important classified single vineyards in the region. Classification per VDP (German Prädikat Wine Estates Association) and traditional vineyard registers.
2Vârteșcoiu
Klassifiziert📍 Vârteșcoiu
Soil:Gravel, sandy loam
Varieties:Fetească Neagră, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fetească Regală
Wine centre (centru viticol) of the Cotești podgorie, DOC origin.
3Cârligele
Klassifiziert📍 Cârligele
Soil:Gravel, sandy loam
Varieties:Fetească Neagră, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fetească Regală
Wine centre (centru viticol) of the Cotești podgorie, DOC origin.
4Tâmboești
Klassifiziert📍 Tâmboești
Soil:Gravel, sandy loam
Varieties:Fetească Neagră, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fetească Regală
Wine centre (centru viticol) of the Cotești podgorie, DOC origin.
Sources: VDP, state vineyard registers, Wikipedia vineyard articles, traditional vineyard literature.
Top profiles
4 detailed profiles — all filterable in the list below
Crama Gîrboiu
Rumänische Moldau · Cotești · Dumbrăveni
GlobalRegional
SpitzenweingutBio
Șarba, Plăvaie, Fetească Neagră
CT
Crama Tata si Fiul
Rumänische Moldau · Cotești
Fetească Albă, Riesling, Muscat Ottonel
CU
Crama Unu
Rumänische Moldau · Cotești
Merlot, Fetească Neagră, Sauvignon Blanc
MD
Mosia Domneasca
Rumänische Moldau · Cotești
Muscat Ottonel, Riesling Italico, Chardonnay
All Wineries
4 resultsCrama Gîrboiu
Rumänische Moldau · Cotești · Dumbrăveni
GlobalRegional
SpitzenweingutBio
Șarba, Plăvaie, Fetească Neagră
CT
Crama Tata si Fiul
Rumänische Moldau · Cotești
Fetească Albă, Riesling, Muscat Ottonel
CU
Crama Unu
Rumänische Moldau · Cotești
Merlot, Fetească Neagră, Sauvignon Blanc
MD
Mosia Domneasca
Rumänische Moldau · Cotești
Muscat Ottonel, Riesling Italico, Chardonnay
Events in Moldavian Hills
All events in Moldavian Hills →No upcoming events listed for this region yet. Submit an event
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cotești and which villages belong to it?
Cotești lies in the south of Vrancea county, south of Focșani, in the foothills of the Eastern Carpathians. The wine district includes Vârteșcoiu, Cârligele and Tâmboești.
What is Cotești known for within Vrancea?
Vrancea is the largest wine-growing area in Romania by surface, and this section is regarded as its warmest part. The focus is on red wine: Fetească Neagră, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
What is the climate like in Cotești?
The climate in Cotești is continental and warm. The harvest runs from September to October.
Which grape varieties define Cotești?
The key grape varieties in Cotești are Fetească Neagră, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fetească Regală and Fetească Albă. The best-known vineyard is Cotești.
When is the best time to visit Cotești for wine?
The harvest in Cotești 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 Cotești?
Cellarmap lists 4 wineries in Cotești across roughly 7,000 hectares of vines. Every profile shows location, contact, grape varieties and, where available, vineyards, classification and visitor information.
All wineries in Cotești, A to Z
📖 Look up in glossary
All terms →Related wine terms — clearly explained in the Cellarmap glossary.