For those of you looking for a wonderful weekend (or longer) getaway, only about an hour's drive from Bucharest, why not consider the sensory and bucolic delights that await you in Dealu Mare?

Jardine Hills is an intimate, quiet location featuring three self-catering cottages, arrayed around a central swimming pool and jacuzzi area and providing access to a fully stocked outdoor barbecue area available to all our guests.

The cottages themselves are well appointed, with custom furnishings and modern amenities including fully equipped kitchens, high speed internet connectivity, and comfortable terrace areas for lounging with a glass of wine.

Winner of the 2017 Small Project Award from the Romanian Green Building Council, Jardine Hills strives to embrace eco-friendly concepts, including the use of electricity that is primarily generated by its own on-site small scale 26Kw solar photovoltaic plant.

We are ideally located in the lovely Valea Scheilor—whose rolling green hills invite you for that perfect weekend of cycling trips, hiking adventures, or visits to several world-class wineries.

"We had actually lived in Romania since 1996 and visited most of the country in the subsequent seven years. However, we first visited the Dealu Mare region only in November 2003 and immediately fell in love with this beautiful area, located so close to Bucharest", says Bryan Jardine.

"When we first visited our future home in Valea Scheilor, it was a wet, cold and generally miserable November afternoon—so not the best time of year to appreciate the beauty of this region. Still, when Bryan asked me what I thought of the property that would later become Jardine Hills, I was also entranced and told him we would be crazy not to buy it. We closed the purchase in February of 2004 and started renovation work on the main house in April 2004", recalls Mimi Jardine.

As the years have passed, we realize how fortuitous it was for us to buy in this region, since over the intervening period, world-class wineries have subsequently sprung up near us. 

Indeed, with Jardine Hills as your home base, you can consider a visit to Licorna Winehouse - only a few kilometers away. According to the general manager Bogdan Anghel: "Licorna Winehouse is a small vineyard with big ambitions. We aim to offer our visitors a unique experience with winemaking at its heart. Here, at Licorna Manor, built in 1909 by Italian stonemasons you can taste from a variety of award winning wines starting with Bon Viveur 2014, the first Romanian red wine with a gold medal at Decanter, a famous Feteasca Neagra 2015 or our current 2018 vintage, a smooth and aromatic Feteasca Alba 2020 and a small edition of single barrel ANNO 5 Merlot."

Just down the hill from Licorna, you find the wonderful boutique winery of Mierla Alba:

Mierla Alba Winery is an artisanal winery, intimate and romantic. This is the place where Daniel Dorneanu creates fine wines, the first being launched in 2020.

Chardonnay, Merlot, and Feteasca Neagra The place is cozy and very friendly with a relaxed and warm atmosphere.

Mierla Alba winery will seduce you with its artisanal wines, filled with heart and love

Not to be overlooked (and adjacent to Mierla Alba) are the impressive facilities of Crama Budureasca:  

The Budureasca wine cellar was created from almost 9 meters of earth dug into the gentle hills of Dealu Mare. Our history is recent, we started producing wine in early 2007. Even though we are young, we rely on the multi-decade experience of our winemaker Stephen Donnelly. Our vineyards, many of them existing since the early 1950s, give birth to aromatic and complex wines, which have won countless gold medals in the most prestigious competitions. 

Continuing southwest from Budureasca a few kilometers and you will come upon Metamorfosis, in Vadu Sapat.

As noted by Mr. Fiorenzo Rista, the chief oenologist at Metamorfosis: "We like to be hosts! If you like being a guest, we cannot wait for you to come to visit us at Metamorfosis, because we believe that there is no better occasion for us than to be discovered in our own home."

Heading back east towards Budureasca and Mierla Alba, you can find in Tohani the boutique royal winery of Apogeum.

As Virgil Mandru, the General Director of Apogeum notes: "Apogeum, is the home of Feteasca Neagra –the Romanian national variety of grapes that we love and have worked on for more than 20 years. Apogeum is the cellar dedicated to just one wine, but one which we consider unique for its origin and wine-making method that goes back 2000 years. We welcome guests to our royal estate and give them a taste not just of the beauty of the land and property, but also of a wine that is considered to be among the top 1% wines of the world".

Continuing due north from Apogeum we wind up into the lovely hills above Tohani, with vistas reminiscent of Tuscany. On your left you find the beautifully situated Velvet Winery.

As the owner Tudorel Pilaf states: "We are a boutique winery, located in one of the most spectacular areas of Dealu Mare at an altitude over 400 m with vines across steep terraces. On top there is a stunning view over the small lake and the vineyard hills. We welcome our guests in a modern and friendly wine tasting facility built right in the heart of the vineyard, surrounded by a charming landscape, away from the hustle and bustle of the cities, only one hour driving from the airport of Bucharest. We offer different services like wine tastings, workshops and picnics in the vineyard".

At this point you may be getting hungry and just north of Velvet, across the road, you find Ferma Dacilor. Renowned for its traditional and organic Romanian food, this is a wonderful location to spend an afternoon enjoying panoramic views over plates of delicious and freshly prepared Romanian food.  

"We have respect for our traditions, so this is the reason why we do things thoroughly, especially when we cook". 

"Our food is often marinated in the special wines from the neighboring Dealu Mare wineries. Ferma Dacilor has become in time a place of stories, where the past meets the present, only to remind us of our esteemed Romanian cultural heritage and the need for our ancient values to be preserved and proudly passed on to future generations." says owner and founder of Ferma Dacilor, Mr. Cornel Dinicu

Finally, no tour of the region around Jardine Hills would be complete without a visit to the modern and impressive LacertA winery facilities.

Open 7 days a week for visitors, LacertA Winery offers to visitors a nice tour through the state-of-the-art wine cellar and tastings of award-winning, world-class red, white, and rose wines. Please book at www.lacertawinery.ro . We export our premium wines in over 20 countries. Tours in Romanian, English, and German language.

We just won at Vinarium 2021 Gold Medals for our Cabernet/Shiraz, Merlot, and our flagship Cuvee IX. Guests of Jardine Hills are regular visitors of LacertA.

A brand new distillery is very soon ready to receive visitors for a great tasting of premium Grappa – made out of the best grapes Romania can offer.

For a visit please book in advance at office@lacertawinery.ro .

By now you should appreciate the number of activities and adventures that await you in Dealu Mare.

When we first began developing our vision for Jardine Hills, building our first home in the region in 2004, we dreamed of a time when our region would rival that of Napa Valley, Franschoek and other world-class wine destinations in both the number and variety of top quality, customer friendly vineyards and wineries. 

For those of you who visit us, I think you can agree that in 2021 this time has now truly arrived in Dealu Mare, Romania!

(p) - This article is an advertorial.