Pogany Dobra Wine Estate, Dobra, Satu Mare

n the vineyard, the cuttings are neatly lined up in orderly rows as if they are queuing up to meet the horizon. The relief is slightly undulating, as befits a vineyard – there are gentle valleys, clay hills and low elevations, arranged naturally at random so that the grapes capture the light, store all the heat of the sun and later, in the tanks, deposit it as an offering to the yeasts in the form of sugar. That’s where the magic begins, from the vineyard and the sun gathered by human hands and left to ferment in a controlled manner, in silence, in the wine cellar (the locals proudly say that ”there are as many cellars as there are houses in the village, or even more”). The climatic and geographical conditions of the area are perfect for making good wine. Wine is important in the economy and the lives of the locals; their gratitude and their pride as producers is expressed annually on the third Saturday of October, when the ”Grape Festival” is organized in Dobra, dedicated especially to the village people but also to guests from abroad.

Today the view cannot take in the 300 hectares of vineyards in this hilly area with a wine-growing tradition. At Pogany Dobra the vine is young, with pulsating sap, as it was planted in 2011, 2012 and 2014, therefore no replanting or additions are needed, but the extension of the vineyard is possible. A small part is cultivated with table varietals such as Black magic, Kardinal, Matilde and Victoria (approx. 2-3 ha each). The wine varieties and their areas are:
                                  - Fetească neagră approx. 25 ha
                                  - Merlot approx. 30 ha
                                  - Cabernet about 30 ha
                                 - Pinot noir approx. 30 ha
                                 - Italian Riesling approx. 25 ha
                                 - Fetească albă approx. 25 ha
                                 - Sauvignon blanc approx. 25 ha
                                 - Muscat ottonel approx. 20 ha
                                 - Tamaioasa romaneasca approx. 20 ha
                                 - Traminer roz approx. 15 ha
                                 - Large Burgundy approx. 10 ha
                                 - Cadarca approx. 15 ha
                                 - Pinot gris approx. 15 ha
                                 - Cabernet franc approx. 5 ha
 
Together with the vineyard land, the winemaking space is also purchased with everything necessary for harvesting  (tractors, combines, trailers, etc.) and processing the harvest - a platform on which two buildings are erected on a metal structure and sandwich panels (one with controlled temperature) with storage capacity of approx. 800,000 liters in stainless tanks of different capacities. There are also gleaners, presses of various capacities, pumps, filters - a whole processing line that still requires some investment. Soil analyzes and other documents can be made available to those interested, and the owners believe that the of the investment has a promising calendar, being possible in 3-4 seasons. They also base this conviction on the fact that Pogany Dobra wine is appreciated by connoisseurs, the Pogany labels being evaluated at international and local competitions (Feteasca neagra from 2015 received, for example, silver at the Concourse International de Vins, Brussels 2019).