SERGIU NEDELEA – PASSION FOR WINE CULTURE

THE ROAD OF WINE - THE BEGINNINGS

His story began many years ago, near the Vineyard – Valea Călugărească, practically the place where the famous Vineyard from Dealu Mare started, where he began to acquaint himself with wine, to befriend it, and to become companions on this beautiful journey.

“I must admit that the path of wine has not always been smooth, but I am glad to be a partner and companion on the wine road in our days.”

Shortly before the 2000s, he obtained the sommelier certification, a profession that became viable in the Romanian occupation code, thanks to Sergiu Nedelea.

He began to explore wines from other parts of the world once they reached Romania. New grape varieties took root here – Syrah was first planted in Oltenia in 1995, and it only made its way into bottles around the year 2000 when the vineyard began producing grapes for wine.

WINE CULTURE IN ROMANIA

Wine itself is an agricultural product; we perceive it when we taste it, enjoy it at home, or share it with friends at a restaurant. One could say it is a consumable, but not least of all, it is a cultural foundation.

Looking back, we have often heard that “we lack the necessary culture to taste wine.” Really? Let’s revisit our recent history, and we’ll realize that we are like any other nation, with a significant advantage: the fact that we are vine growers and, consequently, wine producers. This is a considerable asset for us.

AMONG THE FIRST SOMMELIERS IN THE COUNTRY

What does it mean to be a sommelier? It means being a professional in the service of wine because, in one way or another, you have to tell the story of wine. Essentially, what does a sommelier do? They recommend a wine in harmony with culinary dishes—this falls within the basic responsibilities of a sommelier. Knowledge of geography, history, and a bit of biochemistry is crucial because the story of the grape begins with the grape itself. In the end, being a sommelier means understanding the complexity of a wine and, more importantly, knowing how to convey this complexity to the world and to others.

WATER & WINE

Water and wine. Wine and water. Wine is a product of synthesis, a gift made by man to man, while water is a gift from God. We need hydration, and the higher the quality of water, the better our experience when tasting a glass of wine.

PRESENTATION OF A BOTTLE OF WATER

When presenting a bottle of wine at a customer’s table, things seem relatively simple, especially if you have knowledge about that wine: it has a label, it says something about the producer, and there’s a back label. But what happens when you have a bottle of Nazzuro water? Nazzuro water is filtered in real-time, conditioned, or transformed into sparkling water and served in reusable glass containers.

“It’s our water, isn’t it? It’s Nazzuro, Nazzuro Aqua. It’s freshly purified, it’s cold, and I’m sure you’ll love it. Give it a try!”

– Sergiu Nedelea, Sommelier

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