Nature in a glass of wine - Domeniul Bogdan Story
With its 154 hectares located in Murfatlar vineyard, Domeniul Bogdan is a very daring winery: it started in 2011 with the goal to grow vines on its entire surface as naturally as possible, without using chemical products for the soil or plants. The goal is to create organic wines and biodynamic wines from the best quality, healthy and tasty grapes.
I had the opportunity to visit Domeniul Bogdan winery in the summer of 2022, to see the winery, the new tasting room that they launched on that occasion and to talk to the people from the winery. For me it was the first contact with a winery that produces biodynamic wines and it piqued my interest to learn more about it.
Domeniul Bogdan is guided by the principles of biodynamic agriculture - the science of life forces, the plantation system with the most pronounced holistic approach, this being their vision of the future of agriculture, towards healthy food. Thus they created the first biodynamic wine farm in Romania.
Respect for life in all its forms is the basis of the philosophy at Domeniul Bogdan: respect for nature, for the earth, plants, animals, insects, for the environment, for the people who work on the farm and last but not least, for the people who consume the wines. High quality grapes can only be obtained by respecting the principles and rhythms of nature, this way of cultivation allows the terroir to express itself by developing authentic flavors and producing wines with personality.
The intention of the winery is to integrate biodynamic agriculture with the latest winemaking technologies to produce exceptional wines.
The Ecological certification of Domeniul Bogdan was obtained in 2016, from Austria Bio Garantie, an Inspection and Certification Body active since 1994. Currently Domeniul Bogdan holds the Ecocert certification.
I had the opportunity to visit Domeniul Bogdan winery in the summer of 2022, to see the winery, the new tasting room that they launched on that occasion and to talk to the people from the winery. For me it was the first contact with a winery that produces biodynamic wines and it piqued my interest to learn more about it.
Domeniul Bogdan is guided by the principles of biodynamic agriculture - the science of life forces, the plantation system with the most pronounced holistic approach, this being their vision of the future of agriculture, towards healthy food. Thus they created the first biodynamic wine farm in Romania.
Respect for life in all its forms is the basis of the philosophy at Domeniul Bogdan: respect for nature, for the earth, plants, animals, insects, for the environment, for the people who work on the farm and last but not least, for the people who consume the wines. High quality grapes can only be obtained by respecting the principles and rhythms of nature, this way of cultivation allows the terroir to express itself by developing authentic flavors and producing wines with personality.
The intention of the winery is to integrate biodynamic agriculture with the latest winemaking technologies to produce exceptional wines.
The Ecological certification of Domeniul Bogdan was obtained in 2016, from Austria Bio Garantie, an Inspection and Certification Body active since 1994. Currently Domeniul Bogdan holds the Ecocert certification.
Dobrogea terroir and biodynamic viticulture
On the one hand, terroir means "land, terrain", but in the world of wine it is more than that: it represents the land, but also what it's made of, the position in relation to the sun, the latitude at which it is located, the environmental factors of the region respectively (proximity to the sea/ocean/rivers/lakes, the wind specific to the area, the climate of the region, the number of hours of sunshine per day and per season, the temperature difference from day to night as well as that between summer and winter).
In short, terroir represents almost everything that can influence the growth of the vine, the formation of flowers, grapes, their ripening, but also the time of harvesting which can be affected by natural hazards (e.g. a hailstorm that occurs before the harvest can destroy it or a simple rain can dilute the accumulated aromas of the grapes).
Domeniul Bogdan has vineyards in Dobrogea, in Murfatlar region, a place located between the Danube and the Black Sea that has a millenary tradition in viticulture and winemaking. The vineyards are located near Peștera village where they have a soil rich in humus, starting with chernozem in the upper part, followed by limestone, sands, clays and others. The vineyards have warm days and cool nights and enjoy the Black Sea breeze that provides ventilation and gives the wines a mineral character.
In the production of quality, healthy and tasty grapes, Domeniul Bogdan does not use synthetic chemicals (herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers) for the soil or for the plants, but stimulates the natural fertility of the soil, biodiversity in the soil and in the vineyard and uses the moon calendar.
Even if they have a large area of 154 hectares to take care of, manual work is the rule in grape cultivation. Both the pruning work in the vineyard and the harvest of the grapes are done by hand, in this way having the possibility of selecting the ripest berries that will then turn into quality wine.
In its activity, Domeniul Bogdan brought along renowned oenologists and consultants.
Leonello Anello, PhD in Biodynamic Agriculture is one of them. Leonello is the founder of modern biodynamic methods (1990), founding member of the Toscana section, certification inspector of Demeter Italia Association, associate member of the Italian Society for Soil Sciences and of the International Union of Soil Sciences and international guarantor of "Vini Biodinamici" certification system.
Until recently, they worked with the late Philippe Cambie, one of the most acclaimed oenologists at international level, who was named "Oenologist of the year 2010" and had 15 wines rated with 100 Parker points. Wines such as Primordial Fetească Neagră 2020 harvest (so appreciated at the tastings organized by Winesday in the last 2 years) are made alongside Philippe; the winery still has surprises bearing its signature.
From 2022 Stéphane Derenoncourt joined Domeniul Bogdan's team as a consultant with his company, Derenoncourt Consultants. Stéphane is a viticultural consultant from Bordeaux who has a solid reputation both in France and the world as an expert in vine cultivation. The Domaine de l'A wine estate in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, as well as Château Canon la Gaffeliere, Château Pavie Macquin, Château Prieuré-Lichine are linked to his name.
Nature in a wine glass
The wines from Domeniul Bogdan express the terroir of Dobrogea, the care they give to the vineyard, as well as the wines from the time they are produced until they reach the glasses of wine lovers.
Domeniul Bogdan has several wine ranges that you can choose from:
On the one hand, terroir means "land, terrain", but in the world of wine it is more than that: it represents the land, but also what it's made of, the position in relation to the sun, the latitude at which it is located, the environmental factors of the region respectively (proximity to the sea/ocean/rivers/lakes, the wind specific to the area, the climate of the region, the number of hours of sunshine per day and per season, the temperature difference from day to night as well as that between summer and winter).
In short, terroir represents almost everything that can influence the growth of the vine, the formation of flowers, grapes, their ripening, but also the time of harvesting which can be affected by natural hazards (e.g. a hailstorm that occurs before the harvest can destroy it or a simple rain can dilute the accumulated aromas of the grapes).
Domeniul Bogdan has vineyards in Dobrogea, in Murfatlar region, a place located between the Danube and the Black Sea that has a millenary tradition in viticulture and winemaking. The vineyards are located near Peștera village where they have a soil rich in humus, starting with chernozem in the upper part, followed by limestone, sands, clays and others. The vineyards have warm days and cool nights and enjoy the Black Sea breeze that provides ventilation and gives the wines a mineral character.
In the production of quality, healthy and tasty grapes, Domeniul Bogdan does not use synthetic chemicals (herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers) for the soil or for the plants, but stimulates the natural fertility of the soil, biodiversity in the soil and in the vineyard and uses the moon calendar.
Even if they have a large area of 154 hectares to take care of, manual work is the rule in grape cultivation. Both the pruning work in the vineyard and the harvest of the grapes are done by hand, in this way having the possibility of selecting the ripest berries that will then turn into quality wine.
In its activity, Domeniul Bogdan brought along renowned oenologists and consultants.
Leonello Anello, PhD in Biodynamic Agriculture is one of them. Leonello is the founder of modern biodynamic methods (1990), founding member of the Toscana section, certification inspector of Demeter Italia Association, associate member of the Italian Society for Soil Sciences and of the International Union of Soil Sciences and international guarantor of "Vini Biodinamici" certification system.
Until recently, they worked with the late Philippe Cambie, one of the most acclaimed oenologists at international level, who was named "Oenologist of the year 2010" and had 15 wines rated with 100 Parker points. Wines such as Primordial Fetească Neagră 2020 harvest (so appreciated at the tastings organized by Winesday in the last 2 years) are made alongside Philippe; the winery still has surprises bearing its signature.
From 2022 Stéphane Derenoncourt joined Domeniul Bogdan's team as a consultant with his company, Derenoncourt Consultants. Stéphane is a viticultural consultant from Bordeaux who has a solid reputation both in France and the world as an expert in vine cultivation. The Domaine de l'A wine estate in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, as well as Château Canon la Gaffeliere, Château Pavie Macquin, Château Prieuré-Lichine are linked to his name.
Nature in a wine glass
The wines from Domeniul Bogdan express the terroir of Dobrogea, the care they give to the vineyard, as well as the wines from the time they are produced until they reach the glasses of wine lovers.
Domeniul Bogdan has several wine ranges that you can choose from:
- Pătrar- the range of 100% biodynamic wines
- Primordial - range launched under the signature of Philippe Cambie and continued by Stéphane Derenoncourt
- Cuvee Experience - a different range of blends from one year to another in which each grape variety contributes to create a new, unique wine every year
- Domeniul Bogdan Premium - range of varietal (or monovarietal) wines which are meant to present the typicity of the variety
- Domeniul Bogdan Classic - retail range designed to introduce you to the varieties grown at Domeniul Bogdan
- Duh - a wine transformed into a work of art
The cultivated varieties, all in a biodynamic regime, are the following:
- Fetească Neagră
- Pinot Noir
- Syrah (Shiraz)
- Merlot
- Riesling
- Muscat Ottonel
- Chardonnay
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Tămâiosă Românească
Domeniul Bogdan wines carry with them the elegance of the place, the Dobrogea's sun and the soul of the people who work every day so that the wine that reaches your glass is tasty, natural and suitable for as many tastes as possible.
Carmina Nițescu
Winesday.ro & Winesday App
Carmina Nițescu
Winesday.ro & Winesday App
