Alira was one of the wineries that managed to impose itself on the market almost immediately, from its first wines (100% Merlot), extremely concentrated, extractive and dark, as the market demanded in the years 2005-2010. Those were the years when investors from the "West" were trying to discover the true potential of the Balkans, a period of flourishing business and rapid development.

For Karl – Heinz Hauptmann, this means anything, from volatile oil businesses in the Republic of Moldova to large real estate projects in Bucharest (Opera Center, Bucharest Business Park, etc.), or a boutique winery in Bulgaria, Enira. Oenologist Marc Dworkin, originally from Bordeaux, had worked with Hauptmann’s associate, Count Stephan von Neipperg both in France and Bulgaria, so getting involved in the Romanian wine market was a natural step.

Dworkin was the one who chose the place of the future vineyard and took care of the first generations of wines. Today, with consulting contracts in Israel, China, France, Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria, Mark Dworkin is less present in everyday life. of the winery, but the imprint of his style remained evident.

The place chosen by Marc Dworkin turned out to be perfect and, after planting between 2006 and 2008, the 80 hectares began to gradually bear fruit, first Merlot, then Cabernet Sauvignon and Feteasca neagra. An unfortunate series of bureaucratic complications meant that the first harvests were vinified at other wineries, first at Corcova, then at other geographically closer wineries, which had managed to renovate.

Alira – a name derived from the communes of Aliman and Rasova, where the vineyard is located – manages to keep its unmistakable style and, regardless of the place where the technological processes take place, it releases easily recognizable wines, faithful to the warm terroir and the fertile soil of on the banks of the old Danube.

Fortunately, in 2016, the investor Patrik Simek appears on the scene, who founds Alira Grand Vins, a new company that, after a total investment of over 5 million euros, manages to complete the construction of the winery. In its new home, Alira reorients itself, following the market trends, towards more cheerful wines, dominated by fruit, less extractive. We had the opportunity, at the end of 2022, to taste the tank samples for next year’s rosé and red wines, and we assure you that freshness is the watchword of the new style.

Today, Alira can process and store a total of 1.2 million liters, all the equipment is of the latest generation, and the new construction can boast of being one of the "greenest" in the industry, having electricity provided by solar panels ( 104 kW), and the air conditioning by an underground thermal field.

The tourist part of the winery is built in a minimalist-industrial style, combining wood, glass and concrete in an elegant ensemble. The play between lawns and terraces, along with the landscape – the vineyards stretching towards the sunset – make this place a perfect destination for corporate events or evenings full of atmosphere, with friends.

A stone’s throw from the winery, near the border between Calarasi and Constanta counties, are the fortresses of Sacidava and Dunareni, witnesses to the fact that wine has been made here for at least 2,300 years. In fact, the symbol of the winery – a centaur – is inspired by a bas-relief discovered in Dobrogea, which tells the story of the conflict between the centaurs and the Lapiths.

The story says that the centaurs, invited by the Lapiths to a wedding, lost their minds because of the excess of wine and caused this bloody conflict. On the other hand, we know that the ancient Greeks nicknamed the Thracians centaurs, due to their warlike spirit, maintained, apparently, by the regular and consistent consumption of wine… If we also add that, apparently, in the great Trojan War, the Thracians would have sided with Troy , against the Greeks, the condescending attitude of the Greeks would be easier to understand.

There are no accommodation facilities at the winery (yet), but there are recommended guesthouses nearby. Moreover, you can be directed to lovers of local gastronomy, where you can discover the famous pastrami and local cheeses, or the traditional dried-smoked fish. Perfect for Sauvignon Blanc from Alira!