Vinalia – The mansion of Ceptura, a recently discovered corner of heaven

by Yleana ·

„[I]t is the wine that leads me on, the wild wine that sets the wisest man to sing at the top of his lungs, laugh like a fool – it drives the man to dancing… it even tempts him to blurt out stories better never told.” ― Homer, The Odyssey

How to live superlatively in a recently discovered corner of heaven

If I had to choose between any drink (including water here) and a good glass of wine, I would definitely choose wine. The magical liqueur that delights your taste buds is meant to offer us a foray into the wonderful world of grapes, to find out its secrets from the bean to the finished product. When we set out on our misstion to discover new places, I never thought I would get here, in this wonderful place where time stood still for two days. The moment I entered the road to the hills of Ceptura I was surprised by the beauty of the place and I thought to myself … I would like to stay here for several days. It was as if Valentin heard my words in his mind and confirmed them out loud. “I think we’re staying several days.”

Vinalia – The mansion in Ceptura, the wonderful place where we had the opportunity to spend the night is more than you can imagine, and behind what is seen here hides not only a history but also a story based on the passion for wine, here hides a place worth exploring. The passion for wine is of course the one that brought Mr. Tiberiu Bardan, right here on the wine road in Ceptura de Jos. Mr. Tiberiu Bardan chose to buy this wonderful place, revived it, renovated it, replanted the vineyard, so today, the mansion has one name, Vinalia, dedicated to the Roman holiday that honored wine and the vine as well. The 10 hectares of vineyards are home to several grape varieties: white grapes – Sauvignon and Tămâioasă, and four varieties of red grapes – Merlot, Fetească Neagră, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.

Thus began here at the mansion a beautiful story, which we had the opportunity to live and feel the pulse of the work done in every inch. The mansion preserves a neo-Romanian architecture but with minimalist interiors. I am referring here to the rooms that are arranged with great taste, with a special elegance, but which harmoniously combine the classic elements with the modern ones, in which the clear signature of a person passionate about wine is observed. When I read on the mansion’s website the description “when you book a room in our mansion, we like to think you are booking an experience”, well I want to tell you that it is much more than that, because this wonderful place is alive , it is alive, it lives and impresses you every minute, it seduces you like an oasis, transposes you into a relaxation area and charges all your batteries. Moreover, it gives you what many of us need very often – peace.

The chosen dishes are served with a good wine

I was thinking the other day about a tomato soup and where I could eat a tasty one, because here at the mansion we had dishes prepared with great love and skill by hardworking hands, hands that managed to put simple plates but very delicious in order to rebel against our taste buds. An entree consisting of homemade pâté served with onion jam, pickles and toast, an absolutely perfect tomato soup from all points of view and pan-fried polenta – these are just some of the dishes I tasted and which impressed us because of the taste. For those who come here and want to taste something special from the menu, I confidently recommend baked meatballs with parmesan sauce (I do not know how they made the sauce, but it is absolutely insane), but also mashed potatoes with truffles – very fragrant, but very fine.

Restaurant

Restaurant

Our only “problem” was breakfast, extremely opulent but delicious. I’m not a gourmet, but the air here made me want food and wine, obviously. The staff is jumpy and professional, ready to offer customers a unique experience in a special setting. Whether you choose to sit on the terrace of the restaurant or indoors, you will feel treated with respect and you will benefit from everything you want. Regarding the arrangement of the restaurant, I must say that it is absolutely authentic, interesting, modern and classic at the same time, with many defining elements that make this place so wonderful. We can talk a lot about wine. We had the opportunity to taste them all, because you have to understand that this place is not just a mansion, it is a winery that produces wine, a very good wine, which I recommend you try. From a fine and fragrant Sauvignon Blanc to a fresh and fruity rose (it is a blend of Merlot and Shiraz), each wine has its own personality and a story to tell. Personally, I really liked Feteasca Neagră, maybe due to the fact that it is a fine and aromatic wine, which fits perfectly on a cheese platter, it is a settled wine, which invites you to find out its secrets.

The evenings spent on the terrace of the restaurant with a sea of grapes in front of you transpose you in a total relaxation. The evening stories with Mr. Tiberiu Bardan, who shared his experience with us, will remain in our minds and we hope to return here soon. I have relived since then and until now every moment spent there every moment that will remain in my mind forever, I have told my friends countless times the story here. We will owe him for the wonderful days … because not all words in the world can describe the experience. You have to come here to live what we have lived.