Why do Romanians dilute their wine with water?

Question

I thought it was just one person until I notice all her friends doing it as well. They told me it was normal in Romania to add water to their wine. Is this true? Why is this done?

Answer 1

We do the same in Serbia, Romanian's neighbouring country. But only with white wine. I suppose it came to us from the Austrians/Germans where they also have gemischt (white wine+water) as a habit.
I grew up in a family where wine was an everyday part of the meal. But my father has so many intricate rules what to drink with which kind of meal and what is never done, that I learnt wine is a very personal thing, as already said.
As children we were sent to get the soda bottles from a shop that used to bottle them on the spot, a thing extinct now from Serbia. This was added to white wine only, and men would have a silent agreement on who does it best, because even adding soda water from the siphon was an art in itself. Not too much and not to strong, press fewer times for light fizz, or more times for heavier bubbles, allowing to enjoy the complete glory of sparkling water, also to add to its digestive qualities.
As far as the red wine goes, or rose, we don't mix it with water.

Answer 2

I'm not Romanian but I will make a wild guess.

a.) Wine too strong in alcohol quantity.
b.) Left over habit from the past, when things were not in abundance.
c.) To make it last longer.

Where I come from, Greece, old people in villages, up until recently used to dip their home-made bread to soften it and flavor it in the wine they were drinking.
That is just as weird to do with wine. Like my habit to drink it out of water glass filled to the brim. And that up to two glasses.
I suppose that is a way to cheat on doctor's orders, of not more than two glasses. lol
As far as enjoying the wine, personal treats are the governing factor.

On further thought, watering the wine was an art performed by the "inochoos", the somelieur, during the banquets in Ancient Greece. So this treat you describe, can be the result of the common roots the Eastern Europeans share from ancient times.

Answer 3

We call it "şpriţ" (you read it "shpritz"). Regular wine is sometimes too strong, so we do this shpritz thing. We also combine it with Coke sometimes. it's casual in Romania not to drink regular wine.

Answer 4

That way they can drink more.

Answer 5

Because they are Catholics.