Description: Modern economics teaches of the virtues of foreign direct investment. But this is nothing new.
Indeed, Northern Valahia has profited greatly from the investment carried out by Transylvanian Saxons across their national border. It is the case both of Buşteni, the oldest paper mill Romania’s (Vallahia’s), and of the Rhein Azuga Cellars.
In both cases, there were Transylvanian Saxons who invested some money across the border. The cellars at Azuga have been built in 1892 by Rhein, such a Saxon. It functions from then on as a sparkling wine producing unit, after the traditional champanoise method. It is fortunately placed at the main road between Bucharest and Braşov, in a culturally interesting area—Sinaia is close-by and Braşov too.
Amongour grandparents, there is an anecdote that circulates of the time, when Rhein Azuga were "the providers of the Royal House". Namely, the company’s name was too long at the time—"Vin-şampanie Azuga" (Wine and champagne Azuga)—so their competition, also located in Azuga, wondered why the long name, "when a word says it all—Mot". This annoyed greatly the people at the Rhein company, which it did however not impede them to exist until today, however under a different ownership. Since, however, the term "Champagne" may only be used by the sparkling wine produced in the French region, this also needed to be changed here to a mere "sparkling wine".
The tour of the cellars presents some of its history and ends with a great sparkling wine tasting. Lunch or dinner can be taken here, upon prior arrangement.
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