From Bristol to Romania: How an Englishman became a key figure in Romania's burgeoning wine industry

By Geoffrey Dean

Published: 21 June, 2016

When Philip Cox left Bristol for Romania in the early 1990s, little did he imagine that a quarter of a century later he would be the co-owner of the most profitable winery in Romania.

Cramele Recas, which currently produces 13 million litres of wine a year, hides the tale of an adventurous Englishman who quickly mastered Romanian, married a Bucharest girl and became one of the key figures in the country's burgeoning wine industry.

One of his highest vineyards is around 300 metres above sea-level near Timisoara in western Romania, where Recas' Selene Feteasca Negra is produced.

"It's meant to be the most famous Romanian variety, being 2,000 years old, " Cox said. "It's available for around £14 in the UK, but is the equivalent of £25 in Romania, as wine is more expensive here."

Although domestic demand in Romania is very high, Recas export about 50% of their wine. They do so to 27 different markets and have a staggering 320 different labels. Examples include Dreamfish Chardonnay and Wolf House Pinot Noir, which head for the US and UK respectively. The company's "I Love" label (featuring a heart) sells 8 million bottles per annum.

It is no surprise then that Recas are the most profitable winery in Romania. They employ four winemakers - two Australians, a Spaniard and a Romanian - and hope to increase production to 15 million litres this year. Two-thirds of the fruit needed comes from their 955 hectares under vine.

Thirty brand new 75,000-litre stainless steel tanks have just been installed to meet new demand, along with a new bottling facility, as part of a 35m Euro investment in state-of-the-art equipment. Lest anyone think Recas' watchword is volume, it is worth pointing out that they have many premium labels.

Cox says that the majority of Romania's estates are now focussing on premium wines. There has been an explosion of new wineries in the last six years - with around 100 established in that time, according to Cox.

One of these is Avincis in the southern central part of the country near Dragasani, which produces around 150,000 bottles per year (15% being exported). Vines had always been on the property - since Roman times, the co-owners Cristiana and Valeriu Stoica revealed - but the family lost it to the communist state after the Second World War and only got it back in 1997. They had to grub up the hybrids and high-yielding grapes that had been planted, and replace them with a mixture of quality Romanian and international varieties.

Avincis, which produces around 150,000 bottles per year (15% being exported), is undoubtedly a winery with a bright future, focussing on mid-market and premium wines. A talented young French winemaker, Ghislain Moritz, from Alsace, has been recruited by the Stoicas, who have invested heavily in the latest equipment as well as delightful guest cottages. The winery, built from local limestone, occupies a panoramic position near the homestead, with beautiful views over the nearby River Olt, a tributary of the River Danube. The vineyards are at 350 to 400 metres.

Some 40-year old Muscat Ottonel and Sauvignonasse vines have been preserved but the rest were planted in 2007-8. The indigenous ones include Cramposie, a naturally acidic white grape with apple and pear notes; and Negru de Dragasani, of which there are only 15 hectares planted in Romania (three being at Avincis). The 2012 vintage showed especially well with its spicy black fruit and silky tannins. No less enticing was a blend of Feteasca Regala and Pinot Gris, a rich, medium-bodied food wine. An off-dry white blend of Tamaiosca Romana and Muscat Ottonel went well with local cheeses.

A few kilometres from Avincis lies the Prince Stirbey winery, whose owners, Baron and Baroness Kripp also regained the property after the Romanian Revolution in 1989. Oliver Bauer, the German winemaker there since 2003, crafts a fine range, much of which is available through the Wine Society. This includes the Novac 2013, the only single variety version made in Romania (others blend it). A light-coloured red-fruited wine with smooth tannins and vibrant acidity (low pH of 3.2 and 13% abv), it was elegant and harmonious with spicy peppery notes. An equally impressive wine was the Stirbey Feteasca Regala 2013, a complex white with lovely texture and richness.

Another of Romania’s best-known appellations, that of Dealu Mare (an hour’s drive north of Bucharest), houses two wineries of real standing. One is known by its initials, S.E.R.V.E. (which translates as the European-Romanian Society for Exquisite Wines) and was established in 1994 by a Corsican, Guy Tyrel de Poix. Making 700,000 bottles per year, the winery has two ranges - Vinul Cavalerului and Terra Romana, the latter being the higher quality. Aurel Rotarescu, winemaker since the beginning, fashions some top-class labels, notably his Cuvee Guy de Poix, a big, rich complex red made from Feteasca Negra.

A short drive from SERVE takes you to Halewood winery, which the late British entrepreneur, John Halewood, founded in the 1997 with Dan Muntean. Halewood had won the Grand National in 1994 with his horse, Amberleigh House, and his winery has been no less of a success, with head winemaker Lorena Deaconu capably overseeing its plethora of labels. Half the annual five million bottle production is exported to as many as forty countries. Grapes come from not just Dealu Mare but also Transylvania and Murfatlar, by the Black Sea.