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Cotnari Wine House of Iasi - a success story
Wine is an art, either as limited edition or as the best of a cellar at a given time; it opens a world of its own, it impresses, and it expresses itself in every drop, equally warming the spirit and heart - just like the products of the Cotnari Wine House.
The House project began in 2007, by setting up new vineyards of Busuioaca de Bohotin (a particular sort of muscat) and Feteasca Neagra (pre-phylloxera red) varieties. Historically, the vineyard was known for cultivating the same varieties before and after the late 19th century phylloxera plague - Grasa de Cotnari, Tamaioasa Romaneasca, Feteasca Alba and Francusa. The new vineyards preserved and continued the tradition of Romanian varieties of grapes, a feat of only a handful of Romanian winegrowers.
The increased consumption of red and rosé wine and the ever higher demand for quality dry and demi-sec white wines, following the spreading of New World wines and the opening of borders after 1990 and the evolution of the HORECA (hotels, restaurants and cafés / catering) industry were some of the reasons behind the foundation of the Cotnari Wine House.
As many specialized stores opened and wines were presented at different events promoting the age-old winegrowing art, culture and civilization that accompanied mankind's development and progress, customers became ever more educated and sophisticated.
The Cotnari Wine House is a distinct project founded by shareholders of the Cotnari Company; it has its own headquarters and marketing team. Trust was placed in those young people - especially in one junior oenologist George Malutan. When he was just 27, he was designated the oenologist of the year in 2008; his perspectives reflected his sound qualifications, and moreover, his passion and love for vine and wines, demonstrated in the quality wines he produced. Standing next to him were a legal counsel, a vineyard manager, and a distribution manager.
At present, the House exploits 350 hectares of vines, including 100 hectares of Feteasca Neagra (Maidens' Black), 75 hectares of each Busuioaca de Bohotin and Tamaioasa Romaneasca muscatels, and 50 hectares of each Grasa de Cotnari and Feteasca Alba (Maiden's White).
Exclusively dedicated to the HORECA industry with young, high-income and wine-educated public, the premium products focus on quality. The two series of wines of Cotnari House - Domenii (Domains) and Colocviu (Colloquium) - are presented in a modern concept, with novel elements, and especially with a clear message to culture and art.
History, art, science and innovation are found in the House project, with elements directly sending to culture and civilization placed on the labels of the Colocviu series, remarkable through its strong symbols: Rome - suggesting advanced technology and innovation (through investments in cutting-edge technology used by the House); Athens - with the Parthenon, acknowledged as the cradle of politics and philosophy, underlining the new philosophy on which the project is based, namely the policy change in the Cotnari vineyard, focusing on quality and on directing sales to the HORECA segment with premium and super-premium wines; Moscow - graphically represented by St. Basil's Cathedral in the Red Square, seen as a capital of arts, which best define the elites; Paris - with the Eiffel Tower, the City of Lights, one of the most cosmopolitan and romantic destinations for lovers across the world.
Less than one year after launching its wines, the Cotnari Wine House won several medals at specialized contests, as a well-deserved national and international acknowledgement. Colocviu la Roma (Colloquium in Rome) was awarded at the Vinul.ro Excellence Award in November 2012, International Wine Contest Bucharest in June 2012, Strugurele de Aur (Golden Grape) in Alba Iulia (central Romania) in September 2012, Vinalies Internationales Paris in March 2013, International Wine Contest Chisinau (Republic of Moldova) in February 2012, and International Wine Contest Bucharest in June 2014.
Cotnari Domenii - Busuioaca de Bohotin is also an award-winner at the International Wine Contest Chisinau in February 2012, International Wine Contest Chisinau in February 2011, Budapest - Vinagora 2011, Berliner Wein Trophy - Berlin 2013, and International Wine Contest Bucharest in June 2014.
The new producer of premium wines of the Cotnari vineyard now has a unique project of including the Vladoianu Castle, its headquarters, into the tourist circuit. The castle was built by nobleman Vasile Vladoianu, a former governor of the National Bank of Romania (the central bank), spouse of Ralita Bals, a descendent of the Bals noble family. It was designed by an Italian architect, and built with materials imported from Italy. During World War II, Russians used it as a hospital. Between 1945 and 1950, it hosted an orphanage; then the communist-era collective farm took over it; finally, it was given to the state-owned farm of Cotnari. The legitimate heirs of the former owners got it back in 2000, and sold it two years later.
Behind the castle there's the cellar where Governor Vladoianu used to produce and store the wines he produced from 50 hectares of vineyards he administrated. The cellar is 15 meters deep, 6 meters high, and 30 meters long; it can receive 100,000 litres of wine. The House of Cotnari first produced there a wine from Feteasca Neagra grapes in 2013, following the one million euros start of an investment that later amounted to 2.5 million euros. That money built a new cellar on the old site, with cutting-edge technology, to produce premium and super-premium red wines.(Source:AGERPRES.ro)