Murfatlar opens new winery under Romanian responsible for official South African World Cup wine

Murfatlar Romania has opened a new wine production unit dedicated to premium varieties. The new winery, located inside the company’s existing production facility near Constanta, required a EUR 550,000 investment.

As part of its strategy to grow its premium segment wines, Murfatlar has hired Razvan Macici (pictured) as consulting enologist. Macici is famous for being the cellar master of the Nederburg winery in South Africa, a position he has held since 2001. Over the years he has won a large number of industry awards for wines across the range.

In 2010 Macici was behind the official wine of the FIFA World Cup, developing a special edition collector’s trio of South African wines.

Macici comes from a family with a tradition in winemaking. He was born in Romania and grew up in the vineyards of Dealu Mare where his father, Professor Mihai Macici, a prominent Romanian enologist, worked. He graduated from the Horticulture Faculty in Iasi.

“Everybody knows that Murfatlar produces large volumes of wine but now we will also focus on producing premium wines, and our ambition is to make the best varieties in the country,” said Macici, adding that his activity will not be limited to this segment alone but that he will be involved in the production process of all the Murfatlar wines.

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The opening of the new winery comes approximately a year after the company set up a division dedicated to premium varieties. It will produce between 150,000 and 180,000 bottles of high quality wine per year with prices varying from EUR 10-25.

Cosmin Popescu, managing director of Murfatlar Romania, said that despite the general dip in consumption the market for premium varieties was a growing and dynamic one that is attracting many producers, especially smaller ones. In the first phase Murfatlar will focus on the domestic market and distribution will be done through specialized wine shops and horeca. Referring to grape production this year, Popescu said 2011 had been an excellent year both in terms of quantity and quality.

Murfatlar estimates a production of 18,000 tons of grapes, 30 percent up on the previous year. The company owns approximately 3,000 ha of vineyard – the largest surface owned by a single winemaker in Romania – 30 of which will be exclusively used for premium wines.

Murfatlar has a 25 percent market share for 750ml bottled wine. Last year the company reported a RON 140 million turnover (approximately EUR 33 million) and hopes to post RON 185 million (about EUR 43 million) this year with RON 45 million being generated by the company’s own network of wine shops.

Simona Bazavan