The "Ştirbey" vineyards favor quality over quantity

With a low market share, the wines produced by the "Ştirbey" belong to the "premium" and "super premium" segments, and are sold to restaurants, hotels and specialized wine shops, either via various distribution companies, or directly by the winery of Drăgăşani, which frequently holds wine tastings and meals. The "Ştirbey" winery produces 80,000-100,000 bottles a year, and the company officials said that the company is looking to keep output steady, while increasing the quality of its wines. Prices for "Ştirbey" wines range from 25 to 160 lei/bottle.

"Given the current state of the Romanian economy, we are always trying to make direct contact with our distributors and with our customers, to allow us to react promptly to any changes and we are happy with the results of this strategy", Baron Jakob Kripp said. The most important investment made this year was a bottling line, which will help streamline the process.

The goals of the "Ştirbey" estate are to produce high quality wines and to sell them domestically and abroad, to promote the domestic wine types of the Drăgăşani vineyard, as well as to preserve the features of the various wines, by maintaining the vineyards using natural treatments and by careful processing of the grapes.

The princely family Ştirbey, which has been mentioned for the first time in the 15ht century, which originates from Walachia, left its mark on the country over several generations. Since the beginning, it has improved the economic efficiency of its domains, by investing in the processing of farm products. In the beginning of the 20th century, after the vineyards were destroyed by the phylloxera, prince Barbu Ştirbey was the owner of the largest vine nursery in the country, which bred mostly domestic types of grapes, which were threatened by the increasing influence of international grape varieties.

In 1946, the princess Maria Ştirbey inherited the vineyards of Drăgăşani from her father. After the nationalization of 1949, the vineyards were taken over by the State Agricultural Company (IAS) Drăgăşani. In 2001, the vineyards and the wine cellar were returned to the heirs of the Ştirbey family. Baroness Ileana Kripp, the niece of the Ştirbey princess planted new vines and retooled the winery.

The "Ştirbey" domain of Drăgăşani kept its original dimensions, - 30 hectares, of which 20 covered in vine, planted on the Dealul Oltului hill, at a height of 260 - 340 meters, the wine cellar built in 1920, which was renovated in 2003, the home and the offices. After 2001, eight hectares of grapes were refreshed. Four hectares were planted with "Cabernet Sauvignon", "Novac" and "Negru de Drăgăşani" vine, two hectares with "Merlot" and two hectares with "Sauvignon Blanc". The rest of the vineyard is planted with domestic breeds:ş "Cramposie Selecţionată", "Fetească Regală" and "Tămâioasă Românească".

Today, the "Ştirbey" domains include the following vineyards: the "Ştirbey" vineyard- 4 hectares, "Bibescu" - 4 hectares, "Bengescu" - 5 hectares, "Tiberie/Sud" - 3 hectares, "Tiberie/Nord" - 3 hectares and "Rozopol" - 4 hectares.

The exquisite wines produced by the "Ştirbey" winery have won several international awards and medals.