Oliver Bauer accustomed us to wines full of personality. Prince Stirbey Rosé Brut  is an example of nonconformist from the color to the taste. It is a sparkling wine made by the classic method from an indigenous grape variety. The result is a very particular bubbly, full of expression, of a blood red color. The producer name it rosé but to me it is more remembering of the red sparkling Shiraz of Australia. Red or rosé, it is very good. Its beautiful chromatic will decorate the Christmas table while its lively bubbles will accompany the emotions of the carols.

By Olimpia Pleșa Brandhuber

Prince Stirbey Rosé Brut got the harmony and fine effervescence specific for exceptional sparkling and an individual taste coming from an unusual grape variety. It emphasizes joyful, and long lasting pearls once poured in the glass . Among aromas of red berries, roses and brioche, the distinction is a tannic note which takes this wine out of any established pattern. They are in no way disturbing but harmonize perfectly with the consistency and firm structure . It is a gastronomic wine by excellence, a good companion for savory food, cheese and red meat.

Oliver Bauer uses Novac, a unique variety created by crossing in Romania. The grape, which he felt into admiration with, is very uncommon and well adapted in Drăgășani Wine Region. He argues enthusiastically that this variety has some characteristics similar to Pinot Noir, the grape used for production of champagne.

For a sparkling to be more than just and agreeable wine, it needs time to perfect itself.

Diverse layers of aromas are developing while the wine is resting on lees. The more the patience, the more pleasant the reward.  After 6 years, Prince Stirbey Rosé Brut has a desirable complexity and a remarkable freshness, in a pleasant harmony.

The grapes, well ripe, were harvested in the autumn of 2011 and immediately pressed minimizing the contact with the pigmented skin. A part of the wine fermented in stainless steel tanks and another part in big oak barrels where it was kept for another 6-8 months before being bottled.  The wine was resting for 5 years in the cellars to develop diverse aromas and get ample while preserving its freshness.

Oliver Bauer is the oenologist for Prince Stirbey Winery and Bauer Winery. For him “ Even if we produce large quantities of wine, Romania is too unknown in the big world of wine to produce simple wines, for volume. We can make ourselves noticed if we make authentic wines”. Prince Stirbey Rosé Brut proves to be an avant garde wine I am very happy to share with you. You can order  on the site of the producer

I wish you Merry Christmas my friends!

Cluj, the 5th of december, 2017

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