Rhein & CIE Azuga 1892 Cellars

Rhein & CIE Azuga 1892 Cellars have been established in 1892 by Wilhelm Rhein, who, upon the request of King Carol I, contributed to the development of the area. With a history closely linked to the history of the Royal House of Romania, Rhein Cellars is the oldest establishment where sparkling wine has been produced without interruption, through the traditional method. The remarkable qualities of Rhein Extra sparkling wine have been acknowledged ever since 1906, the wine being awarded today in the most prestigious international competitions.

From a historical point of view, during the same period many champagne houses are established and developed in France, Italy and Germany. Few people know that Romania is the fourth country in the world where sparkling wine was made by natural fermentation in the bottle (after France, Germany, Russia). The cellars were built on the surface. The double thick walls of approx. 1.50 meters, with air cushion and specific climate of the area facilitates the creation of favorable conditions for the production of naturally fermented sparkling wine in the bottle. The temperature is maintained naturally, during the summer period it does not increase above 14° C, and in the winter it does not decrease below 5° C.

THE OFFICIAL SUPPLIER OF THE ROYAL HOUSE OF ROMANIA

The history of Rhein & CIE Cellars is connected to the Royal House of Romania ever since 1904 when it became the official supplier of the Royal House of Romania until this moment when in 2020 The Iconic Estate received again the status of Official Supplier of the Royal House of Romania for wines and RHEIN EXTRA sparkling wine, a reconfirmation of high standards and unique attributes of The Iconic Estate wines, internationally recognized. The RHEIN EXTRA sparkling wine was present in the menu made on the occasion of the coronation ceremony of King Ferdinand, in Alba Iulia, 15 of October 1922. The heir of the oldest sparkling wine company continues the tradition as the official supplier of the Royal House of Romania by bringing back the elegance and charm of RHEIN EXTRA from the interwar period and the same quality liquid since then.

THE ICONIC ESTATE

THE ICONIC ESTATE is a combination of history, tradition, experience and passion, dating back to 1892.

The Iconic Estate is one of the largest Romanian bottled wine producers and exporters, having over 60% of the annual production sold abroad. Our wines are awarded by the most prestigious international competitions and we are the first Romanian wine producer to be awarded The Grand Gold Medal at “Concours Mondial de Bruxelles”. Our winery is successfully capitalizing on the potential and diversity of Romania’s most prominent wine regions, owning around 250 hectares of vineyards in Dealu Mare and other wine regions. A part of vineyard is irrigated by drip and it’s certified as organic.

Dealu Mare (or Big Hill), located within Dealurile Munteniei (Muntenia’s Hills) wine region, has deep roots in the history of the region which is called the “land of red wines”. The typical warm, dry microclimate and the rather long autumns favours a slow and thorough ripening of the grapes. There is a long vegetation time of 210-240 days with a maximum humidity of 55-80%. The soil here is strewn with marine fossils and the grapes enjoy the perfect combination of warm days and cool nights.