With summer hopefully just around the corner here in the UK, I thought I would take a look at six affordable summer wines for under £10 from a country that would perhaps not be your first choice, namely Romania.
Romania actually has a thriving wine industry and is one of the largest wine producers in the world and sixth largest in Europe after Italy, France, Spain, Germany and Portugal. Romania produces more wine than Austria and New Zealand.
The country’s viticulture dates back more than 6,000 years and has one of the oldest wine-making traditions in the world with its most cultivated grape varieties being for white wines, namely Fetească Albă (meaning “White Maiden” and one of the oldest grape varieties in Romania), Fetească Regală, Riesling, Aligoté, Sauvignon, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Tămâioasă Românească, Grasă de Cotnari and Galbenă de Odobești.
Romania’s main grape varieties for red wines are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Băbească Neagră, Fetească Neagră and Pinot Noir.
The good news is that this summer you can enjoy a very nice selection of wines from Cramele Recaș who have combined familiar styles with native Romanian grapes to create a range of refreshing wines with lots of character.
Although all five wines were produced last year and are still very young, they offer a great deal of freshness, moderate weight and bright acidity and are well suited for summer drinking and al fresco dining, being lighter. They are also perfect for those of you open to discovering new grape varieties.
The first of my six wines is a 2025 Paparuda Pinot Grigio / Fetească Albă, Estate Selection, priced at £9.95 and available from Tanners. Here, the Pinot Grigio has been blended with Fetească Albă, a local variety that brings floral lift and crisp citrus acidity to create a fresh and fruit-driven wine with grapefruit, peach and melon alongside bright citrus acidity. It is a light, clean and very versatile wine that pairs well with summer dishes such as grilled chicken, white fish and seasonal salads on those few warm evenings.
The second wine on my list is a 2025 M&S Found Fetească Albă, priced at £8.00 and available from M&S / Ocado. It is a crisp and fruit-forward dry white wine with peach, melon and citrus notes as well as hints of jasmine and sun-dried hay. It too pairs well with grilled chicken, white fish and salads.
New vintages of Fetească Regală and Pinot Noir demonstrate that Romania is a good source of accessible, food-friendly wines that offer something a little bit different to the usual go to summer wines.
Therefore, the third wine of my six summer wines is a 2025 M&S Expressions Fetească Regală, priced at £7.50, also available from M&S / Ocado. It has a slightly more textured style with quince, floral notes and subtle spice, balanced by a fresh finish and is suitable for vegans.
One of only two red wines on my list, is a 2025 Sorcova Pinot Noir, priced at £9.25 (currently on offer for £6.93) available from Waitrose. It is light, juicy red with red cherry and berry fruit, soft tannins and has a fresh, gently savoury finish. I also tried a 2025 Incanta Pinot Noir, priced at £9.00, which I particularly liked. It is a very approachable light wine with notes of fresh black cherry, raspberry and cinnamon bursting with strawberries and cherry flavours and pairs well with pasta dishes and classic charcuterie boards.
Last but by no means least is a 2025 Sorcova Fetească Regală, priced at £9.00 and also available from Waitrose. Pale yellow in colour, this is an aromatic light white wine with floral and citrus character and a clean, refreshing profile that is also suitable for vegans. It is best enjoyed chilled and is the perfect aperitif wine as well as pairing well with pasta and seafood dishes.
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based travel and motoring journalist and editor, a former member of The British Guild of Travel Writers and professional photographer.
Photographs by Simon Burrell
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