Location
The hills overlooking the banks of the Danube are an area suitable for viticulture, but in order to create memorable wines, a thorough study has been carried out and a few varieties have been chosen to give the best results.
The Grapes
Alongside Merlot (47 ha) and Cabernet Sauvignon (23 ha) chosen to create Bordeaux -style wines, the Fetească Neagră (10 ha) was also planted. These are used to create monovarietal wines or as part of elegant assemblages with a strong local touch.
THE ALIRA PROMISE
QUALITY AND FLAVOR
Since the goal is to obtain strong wines with a high concentration of flavors and aromas, there is a high emphasis on quality instead of quantity.
Production is normalized to a maximum of 6 tonnes per hectare. Alira wines are stored in oak barrels between 4 and 14 months, depending on the collection and the desired result.
ATTENTION FOR DETAILS
Alira wines are the result of a whole set of actions that begin in the vineyard and then continue in the wine cellar. Thus, the grapes are picked manually, then carefully selected, also manually. Must is made only from the top-quality grapes, under the careful supervision and coordination of oenologist Marc Dworkin.
Next comes the ageing in French oak barrels.
Cabernet Sauvignon – a black grape variety, originally from France, it dates back to the 17th century when a lucky cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc took place. It is considered the “King of Red Wines”, both for its full body and aromatic complexity, but especially for its aging potential. With a later ripening than the Merlot variety, Cabernet Sauvignon can withstand lower temperatures and higher humidity due to thicker skin compared to other types. Wines produced from Cabernet Sauvignon are very different, depending on the climate, the soil, the time of harvest and the technique used in winemaking. When youthful its dominant notes are black fruits (bitter cherry, redcurrants), spices (green pepper, hot pepper) and vegetable (pepper, burdock, green olives) with strong tannins which are aggressive. Oak and bottle aging give the wine an excellent aromatic complexity, including notes of cedar wood, ink, tobacco, skin or mushroom.
Merlot – a variety of black grapes, resistant to cold and drought, with fast enough maturation, considered to be the most widespread in the world (about 300,000 hectares cultivated). It is used both for the production of monovarietal and coupage wines. A native of France, in the Bordeaux region, is one of the five varieties admitted to produce the great red wines of the area. Merlot wines usually have a medium body, are more delicate, tannins next to predominant flavors of berries and plums. Aged in oak the wine becomes more refined and softer, gaining intricate flavors.
Fetească Neagră – the Romanian variety, known since the Dacians, is now considered to be the portrait of the Romanian viticulture. Capricious, but resistant to frost and drought, this grape is planted now in most of Romania’s wine-growing areas. Depending on the clone, the soil, the region, and the vinification, the wines obtained from this variety are incredibly different. We can find fresh, light wines, as well as some dense, complex wines. Used alone or in assamblages, the wine from Fetească neagră variety have a good aging potential. Without having a clearly established typicity, perhaps due to multiple forms of expression, the wine can be characterized as having a medium intensity, a velvety texture and predominant flavors of black fruits and dried plums, over which can appear notes of dried herbs, pepper, leather, tobacco and vanilla.