Most awarded winery, world record set by the Cotnari Winery

November 9, 2025

COTNARI, Iasi County, Romania--The Cotnari Winery (Cotnari SA), won, in the past few years alone, no less than 588 (five hundred eighty eight) medals, at international wine competitions, of which 322 Gold medals and 266 Silver medals, for their wines presented in competitions, thus setting the world record for the Most Awarded Winery, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

The Cotnari Winery's 's portfolio includes the following wine ranges: Seasons Cotnari, Classic, Cotnari, Yellow Label, Selections, Spirit Wine and Wine Library. The plantation consists of the varieties Grasă de Cotnari (510 ha), Tămâioasă românească (460 ha), Fetească albă (220 ha) and Frâncușă (210 ha).

"Cotnari wines have exceptional qualities obtained by limiting the average production of grapes to one hectare to only 70-80% compared to other vineyards in Romania or wine-growing countries."

"The tradition of viticulture and vinification is over 2500 years old in Romania, according to the discoveries inside the Cătălina Fortress, in Iași, which dates the vine cultures from the time of the Geto-Dacian king, Burebista, the Jurnalul de Afaceri reports.

"Around 1830, the grains destined for the wine were collected from the 720 pods of the vineyard. A century later, its size had been preserved, so that in 1990 the Cotnari vineyards covered no less than 2000 hectares. Today, the vine stretches over 1700 ha of land that covers the gentle hills of the Moldavian Plateau ", says Constantin Deleanu, president of the Cotnari company.

The production obtained by the company is about 12 million kilograms of grapes from Romanian varieties: Grasa de Cotnari, Frâncușa, Fetească Albă and Tămâioasă Românească, and about 7.5 million liters of DOC wine (wine with controlled designation of origin), in a storage capacity of 20 million liters of wine.

„The Cotnari company has several major advantages: history, tradition, two local varieties of the vineyard - Grasa de Cotnari and Frâncușa - the cultivated vine area, the terroir, the modern technology, the specialists. All this separates us from the rest of the competition and makes us say that it is not easy for anyone to compete with us ", says Constantin Deleanu, the President of the Cotnary company.

"The Cotnary Wineyard organizes for tourists vineyard visits, wine tastings and visits to tourist attractions in the area. It also sells online the Cotnary wines, from their own online store or through retail partners."

"Grasa de Cotnari is the standard variety of Cotnari Vineyard. Unique in the world, for over ten years it has been the best-selling wine in Romania. In the glass it develops a complex, conquering aroma, of dried apricots, of beeswax, with distinct notes of raisins, underlined by the contribution of the noble mold.

""The full taste is dominated by walnut kernels and raisin jam, with a light shade of sweet almonds, says Sergiu Nedelea, sommelier. It is a good accompaniment to fish dishes, chicken, seafood, selected cheeses, pasta with white sauce or can be an invigorating appetizer."

""Cotnari SA is a Romanian wine-producing company. Its history begins in 1948 when the State Agricultural Enterprise (IAS) Cotnari was founded from the merger of the State Agricultural Farm (GAS) Cotnari, a producer of grapes and wine, with GAS Deleni, which had fruit tree plantations and was engaged in sheep breeding.

"Based on Government Decision no. 266/1991, IAS Cotnari was privatized and Cotnari SA was founded. In 2000, Cotnari was left with only grape production, winemaking and wine marketing. In 1948, the company owned an area of 2,000 ha. Today, the company owns 900 ha and leases 800 ha.

"The producer's portfolio includes the following wine ranges: Anotimpurile Cotnari, Clasic, Cotnari, Etichetă galbenă, Selecții, Vin de spirit and Vinoteca. The plantation consists of the varieties Grasă de Cotnari (510 ha), Tămâioasă românească (460 ha), Fetească albă (220 ha) and Frâncușă (210 ha). (Wikipedia)

"In short, the Cotnari terroir has the following features:

soils formed from mold, marl, sand, clay and sandstone portions;
high altitude ranging between 231 and 395 meters;
temperate-continental climate with cold drafts influence from the east;
good level of rainfall;
southern exposure of the vines disposed on plateaus, hillsides, terraces and valleys. (Premium Wines of Romania)