5
The Vineyards
Wine brings people together
As you stand here, take a moment to gaze upon the terraced slopes. Biertan's location among the hills provided the Saxons with the opportunity to showcase their skill, perseverance, and talent as farmers and, especially, as winemakers.
Here in the Transylvanian ”Weinland” pictured on Johannes Honterus’s map, just as they did in the Moselle Valley, the Saxons adapted the hills, as they did in their home lands. They terraced the slopes to catch the first rays of the sun and maintained the traditional Roman method of growing vines on stakes. This method of vine cultivation is labor-intensive, and after the exodus of the Saxons, the maintenance work became increasingly rare. This explains why today, the terraces before you are mostly barren, though they once flourished with productive vineyards.
Time and circumstances have left their mark on the village, but the signs of the wine culture remain ever-present. From the subtle decorations on house facades to the cellar doors that open directly onto the street to ease the transport of grapes and wine, traces of the wine legacy linger.
If the wines from Weinland played a part in important historical events, one variety in particular continues to make history: ”Feteasca Regală” or ”Daneșană”. This white grape variety, one of the most important in Romania's viticultural heritage, has gained prominence over time and is now cultivated beyond the country's borders.
These "lands of gold and must," as Transylvania is described in the Saxon anthem, were impoverished with the arrival of phylloxera, an insect that attacks vine roots, causing them to wither. This tiny pest, accidentally brought from America, posed a severe challenge to the viticulture community, but it also highlighted the dedication and expertise of two Saxons, Caspari and Ambrosius. They created nurseries and grafted European vines onto American rootstock with great success, helping the region gain fame throughout Europe.
Biertan gave the world a savior in the form of the Caspari family, who moved to Mediaș. Among many accomplishments, Friedrich Caspari became a commissioner for combating phylloxera in Transylvania. He developed some of the most important nurseries, achieving exceptional results in grafting and ensuring the survival of the vines. He managed both his own nurseries and those of others on both sides of the Carpathians, supplying many of Europe's renowned vineyards, which had been gravely affected by phylloxera.
Hard work and a calculated approach to labor made must and wine more valuable than gold in this region, with wine serving as a form of currency. In fact, the church was built using wine in exchange for the stones necessary for its foundation. Wine was used to pay taxes, and in many cases, the initial value, calculated in florins, became much greater by the time it was sold. People from all social strata were paid in barrels or buckets of wine.
Today, we can only admire the skill, dedication, and commitment to community and nature, as well as the understanding of the land that surrounded them, which influenced and transformed them, and thus we hope that at some point in the future we will be able to enjoy Biertan wine once again. Meanwhile, the neighbouring village of Richiș still holds vineyards with noble grape varieties processed in a traditional manner with traditional tools. Not to be missed if you are a wine enthusiast.
Because wine has been, is, and will always be loved by the people here and beyond. ”In vino veritas”.
Text by Petru Solomon, a wine enthusiast, researched and written during the 2024 Heritage Lab workshop. Audio guide created by the Designers, Thinkers, Makers Association and Biertan City Hall, as part of the Culture & Cultures. Connecting the dots project, co-financed by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund.
Audio guide produced in 2024 via the Culture&Cultures. Connecting the dots project.
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