The modern story of the Samburesti wine can only have an aristocratic touch: Vintila Bratianu, a highborn boyar and one of the most important political men that Romania has ever had, proud of its vineyards, invites August Joseph Ville, one of the most famous French oenologists, to his lands in Samburesti. To his great surprise, Ville warmly recommends him to clear the land and replace the existing vines with French noble varieties. Having to make such an impossible decision, the great statesman proves intuition once more: he starts replanting the land. A few years later, his decision gets a gold medal at the Universal Exhibition of Paris in 1926. That’s how the Samburesti wine becomes a global legend. In 2005, Jean Valvis, the builder of Dorna and LaDorna brands, takes over Samburesti vineyards and revives the old traditions of those places.
Always seated next to the most powerful (it was the high class protocol wine under the communist regime; it is said that it was Stalin’s favourite wine), the Samburesti wine has never lost its noble origins, thanks to the people that cherished and respected it. No doubt that Nea Petrica was one of them: a real master of wine and such a good man that one always felt like hugging him (he used to warn everybody not to squeeze him too much “’cause wine could come out of my ears”). Grown-up in the vineyard, right there, on the lands of Vintila Bratianu, even after the collectivization, Nea Petrica kept the Samburesti handicraft alive though times as dark as the wine he handled: three parts of Cabernet Sauvignon for strength, one of Merlot for softening and another one of Malbec for colour.
Domeniile Samburesti proudly continues the tradition of this noble handicraft.
Before the 90’s
After the plenary session from 3-5 March 1949, the first State Agricultural Farms are founded. Thus appears GAS Samburesti, gradually regrouping the surrounding lands. In a short time, the unit becomes famous for the extraordinary quality of the wine produced which turned into the favourite beverage of the powerful class. The Party’s policy requires frenetic exports in order to cover external debts, so few Romanians have the privilege to enjoy a glass of the country’s best wines. The Wine Preparation Complex from Samburesti and the Wine Research Centre from Campu Mare were built in the eighties, under the leadership of the engineer Ionita Nicolaescu. The Wine Research Centre surveyed more than 100 vine species, studying their acclimatization to local conditions.
1990-2005
As with many other state-owned units shaken by the tumultuous transition winds, SC Viti-Pomicola Samburesti SA passes through a long period of decay, deepened by a faulty management, a permanent lack of funds for culture development and continuous internal fights between the new shareholders. Thus, the company becomes a pale image of its passed glory and the Samburesti wine is almost completely forgotten.
Present
In 2005, following two success stories with Dorna mineral water and LaDorna dairy products, the Valvis Holding Group takes over Viti-Pomicola Samburesti, including the existent debts. Based on an investment programme of over 14.5 million euros, the entire wine-growing surface is reconverted, the wine preparation complex is refurbished, a new modern bottling line is built and state-of-the-art irrigation systems are provided. The team enlarges with a new member: Pierre-Marie Guillaume, a French nurseryman, internationally recognized, owner of a family nursery with a history of more than 100 years, proud to produce the best vine varieties in the whole world. Replanting of the 500-ha vineyard starts in 2008 and is planned to last till 2010. 9 million euros are allocated to the wine patrimony recovery. The wine cellar is completely refurbished, 4 million euros being invested in wine-producing, processing, storage and bottling equipment. Moreover, 1.5 million euros are allocated to the renewal of the agricultural machinery fleet. Samburesti is coming back to life.
Best wines result from the happy combination of state-of-the-art technologies and old methods. That’s exactly how things go at Samburesti.
Here, one can find one of the oldest vine varieties in the world – Feteasca Neagra, trickle irrigated drop-by-drop.
Far away from the polluted civilized world, one can always feel the scent of the season, knowing nevertheless that weather is strictly monitored by the cutting-edge meteorological station. Here, one can taste a traditionally-made wine, bottled in compliance with the most severe hygienic standards.
- Jean ValvisPresident of the Board
- Cornel PopaAdministrator
- Manuel NicaSpecialist Oenologist – Chief Bottling Plant
- Zoe BadeaChief Wine Preparation Complex
- Cristian GhineaEconomic Manager
- Marin MarcuTechnical Manager
- Aurel MiricaChief Accountant
- Damian GhineaStaff Manager
- Ilinca StancuFinancial Accounting Manager
- Dumitru RosuFarm Chief Campu Mare
- Alexandru StancuFarm Chief Leleasca
- Florea AndronieFarm Chief Spataru
- Aurel ChiritaFarm Chief Otesti
- Ion DavidFarm Chief Samburesti
- Constantin PopaWarehousing Supervisor
