Romania: Viticulture

Vine-training systems used here traditionally were mainly gobelet or single, double, or multiple bows, as in the mosel. From the late 1950s, a state plan to raise foreign currency by export-funded research led to a predominance of neatly wired rows using concrete posts and mainly guyot and cordon training. In older vineyards, vine density is typically low, although new vineyards can have as many as 4,500 vines per ha.mechanization of all vineyard operations has become the norm, a change forced by difficulties in finding labour. eu funds have poured in, to the benefit of Romanian vineyards. More than 30,000 ha/75,000 acres have been planted since EU accession in 2007, particularly in areas such as Dobrogea, Târnave, Banat, and Dealul Mare. High-quality clones have been planted, with vsp and much closer spacing (4,000–5,000 vines/ha). A further 250,000 to 300,000 tonnes of grapes were expected annually by 2015. Older plantings and lesser varieties such as muscat of hamburg and chasselas are disappearing. By 2014 irrigation has been installed on less than 5% of Romania’s vineyards but this was expected to change, especially in new vineyards, in view of climate change concerns and severe droughts in 2011, 2012, and 2013.