The fallout will be felt through 2015 as grapevine regeneration works will be needed, experts say.
“This year was disastrous (in Dragasani i.e.), with 95% of winemakers in the area seeing their production entirely ruined. Damages amount to EUR12,000 per hectare and against Dragasani’s 1,000 hectares, this means EUR12 million,” said Gheorghe Iordache, owner of Casa de Vinuri Iordache, with 30 hectares of vineyard.
The hills of Dragasani vineyard have a soil similar to that of Tuscany region, so that the area is good for wine premium production. The area attracted investors such as National Bank governor Mugur Isarescu, lawyers Valeriu and Cristiana Stoica or the descendants of Stirbey family.
Stirbey family descendants cultivate around 20 hectares, a field made up of five vineyards. Stoica lawyers set up a 30-ha vineyard operated by Avincis company. The best-known investor in Dragasani is governor Mugur Isarescu. Casa Isarescu-branded wines are produced by Mar SRL company and the plantation has around 40 hectares.
At present, there is no information about Mar SRL’s 2014 harvest. The company’s representatives made no comment on the issue by edition close.
Raluca Bauer, the representative of Agricola Stirbey, says production was 70% hurt by the hail, but the good weather has allowed the company to engage in the “grapevine salvation operation”.
More than 5 million hectoliters of wine were produced in Romania last year, a very good year in terms of production and Romania ranked 11th in the world. Romania’s potential in terms of wine output is put at 6 million hectoliters.
After 2013, though, 2014 brought problems. According to the latest information, Dragasani has been the hardest hit vineyard, but winemakers from other regions also announced they expected lower productions.
“Probably around 30%-40% less than in 2013, which was an exceptional year by productivity,” said Cristiana Irinel Stoica, the owner of Avincis. The lawyer believes 2014 seems to be the most challenging year so far for wine production.
Cristian Nedelcu has been Dragasani municipality mayor for six years and says he has not seen such a difficult year for winemakers in the area, either.
The hills around Dragasani, 16,000 hectares overall, are one of the 37 vineyards in Romania, which has around 200,000 hectares of vine.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)