The Secretsof the Rhein&CIE Cellars 

What does Azuga have that other champagne houses don’t?

1. The Secrets of the Original Construction

From the outside, the Rhein & CIE cellars in Azuga don’t look out of the ordinary. A sturdy, mountain-style building, much like many structures typical of the region. But in truth, when the Rhein brothers built them in 1892, they created something that defies oenological logic: an above-ground cellar that behaves exactly like an underground one. The first and only of its kind in Romania.

With double walls as thick as fortress ramparts and a cushion of air that regulates both heat and cold, the building maintains a remarkably stable temperature all year round: never above 14°C in summer, never below 5°C in winter. It’s as if the cellars have a season of their own — a microclimate within the alpine climate — perfectly suited for producing the official sparkling wine of the Romanian Royal House.

 2.  The Secret behind Rhein Extra's Finesse

Inside, the silence is so deep you can almost hear the yeasts at work. Bottles are kept with near-military discipline: perfectly aligned rows, precise angles, daily manual rotations. Secondary fermentation doesn’t tolerate haste, and here, only the natural flow of time sets the pace.

Few people know that while Europe was establishing its great champagne houses, Romania — thanks to this very place — became the fourth country in the world to produce sparkling wine using the traditional method. And the delicacy of Rhein Extra’s bubbles, honored in Paris, London, and Barcelona, didn’t happen by chance. It arose from this unique blend of rhythm, reverence, and patience.

3. The Secret of the Cellar's Relevance Today

Step into the tasting room and the air shifts instantly. You’re wrapped in a dense, story-filled atmosphere. Here matured the sparkling wines served at the 1922 coronation of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie. Here rested the bottles that once traveled aboard the Orient Express. Here, layers of effervescent pearls have been laid over layers of recent history.

And 130 years after its founding, the cellars still operate exactly as they did in their original form. This isn’t nostalgia. It’s stubborn devotion. And perhaps this is the greatest secret of the Rhein & CIE cellars in Azuga: while the wine world has modernised obsessively, this place remains faithful to one idea: that perfection can only rise from continuity.

DAR 1892 — Untamed Heritage
Enjoy responsibly.