The company that bought Cramele Rotenberg last year, is now launching its first products in Romania, under the Stoker Wines brand. And not by chance because one of the founders of Stoker Wines is Dacre Stoker, Bram Stoker’s great-great-grand nephew himself.
The new collection of wines brings together carefully selected Romanian grapes, picked from the vineyards of Ceptura de Jos in the Dealu Mare region. Stoker Wines means a unique sensory experience, which will debut with the 2018 Merlot and the 2023 Rosé, wines that reflect the tradition, craftsmanship and authenticity of the Romanian heritage.
“We are excited to launch Stoker Wines in Romania, where the connection with Bram Stoker has remained strong and captivating, even though it has been 127 years since the novel Dracula appeared. We want to create wines that reflect the quality of the vineyards of Ceptura de Jos and offer an authentic foray into the atmosphere full of mystery and shrouded in tradition around Bran Castle and the Transylvania region, while promoting responsible tourism linked to the legend of Count Dracula. If Dracula was the first gift that the Stoker family gave to Romania, Stoker Wines is definitely the second,” said Dacre Stoker.
“The two wines from the Stoker Wines collection will soon be available throughout Romania, and by the end of 2025 we aim to expand to the USA, Great Britain and Ireland. We want to collaborate with other businesses in the area and support them in a real way, to contribute to the promotion of Romania’s viticultural, gastronomic and cultural heritage at an international level,” said in his turn Kay Larkin, co-founder of Stoker Wines.
The signed bottles, in limited edition, will be available in major cities in Romania, which will also host exclusive events and tastings. With the slogan “wine that tells a story,” Stoker Wines will offer wine enthusiasts a unique cultural experience that combines the taste of wine with the fascinating story behind it.
Last year, the entrepreneur Mihail Rotenberg, known for the telecom businesses he owned in the 2000s and his contribution to the emergence of the wireless internet, also gave up the activity in which he had been involved for the past more than 15 years, the Rotenberg Cellars in the Ceptura area, county Prahova, selling the business to an American partner, according to Profit.ro.
Doina and Mihail Rotenberg sold the entire company Cramele Rotenberg, the buyer being the American company Mina Wines. In 2007, Rotenberg decided to retire and devote his time to his passion for art (he founded an art gallery together with businessman Eduard Uzunov) and wine (he bought a plot of land with vines and restored the Old Winery from the Lower Ceptura).
I hope he does not brand and wine bottle Dracula”