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Muntenia & Oltenia Hills · Romania

Producer profile

Domeniile Franco-Române

Săhăteni estate in Dealu Mare, founded by Denis Thomas, with organic certification and Arrogance white and rosé wines.

Place
Romania
Known for
Dealu Mare organic white and rosé
Wine context
Chardonnay · Merlot · Pinot Noir
Editorial basis
World of Wine editorial profile · 6 sources

World of Wine editorial profile · Source list ↓

Atlas locationMuntenia & Oltenia Hills · Romania45.05° N · 26.51° E

At A Glance

Field
Detail
Region
Dealu Mare, Muntenia, Romania
Village
Săhăteni
Vineyard
85 hectares on south-facing slopes
Grapes
Romanian and international varieties
Wine styles
White, rosé and red wines
Defining feature
Ecocert organic certification

The Producer

Denis Thomas, a Burgundy wine grower and producer, established Domeniile Franco-Române in 2000. He introduced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Dealu Mare after seeing similarities between its climate and Bourgogne's. The estate obtained Ecocert certification in 2006, and Mihnea Olariu now leads the property after an ownership transition completed in 2020. Under his leadership, the winery modernized and doubled its production capacity.

Place

The winery is in Săhăteni, between Gura Vadului and Săhăteni in the Dealu Mare region. Its vines sit on south-facing slopes in the centre of the area. Southern exposure brings longer daily sunlight to the vines, while Dealu Mare's climate gave Thomas a Romanian setting he considered comparable to Bourgogne for French grape varieties.

Wines

The named Arrogance wines cover two styles. Arrogance Rosé is a dry organic rosé made from 100% Merlot, with salmon-pink colour, fine astringency and lively acidity. Its red fruit profile includes early cherries, wild strawberries, strawberries and redcurrants, with lime and pomegranate on the finish.

Arrogance Alb Demisec is the white counterpart, a semi-dry wine from Romanian grape varieties. The range therefore moves between a dry rosé with light tannic grip and a white shaped by residual sugar and freshness.

A Bottle To Understand It

Open with Arrogance Alb Demisec. It is made from 90% Fetească Albă and 10% Tămâioasă Românească. Jasmine, rose preserve and basil lead the nose, followed by bergamot pear, white grapefruit and elderflower. Lively acidity offsets the residual sugar, while bittersweet citrus and mineral notes remain on the long finish. The 13.5% alcohol is well integrated.

Final Word

Domeniile Franco-Române brings Dealu Mare vineyards, Romanian and international grape varieties, and white, rosé and red wines together at Săhăteni.

Sources

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mapFind Domeniile Franco-Române on the mapKeep the producer, its region and nearby places together.learningHow place shapes wineSee how climate, landscape and local choices become part of a wine.