The estate
History
The vineyard of Catleya is located in Corcova, a small village located in the Oltenia region of Romania.
Corcova has a rich history. It was during the Belle Époque period in Paris that Prince Antoine Bibesco, Marcel Proust and their friends were tasting the Corcova wines, while evoking the pear flowers of this mythical place.
It was Bibesco, a Romanian prince, francophile and man of many talents, who decided to expand his vineyard over the finest areas of Corcova. Helped by the French agronomist Sauget, they helped these wines gain their high quality and reputation.
Always an admirer and friend of Bibesco, Marcel Proust wanted to visit Corcova, but his illness prevented him from undertaking the journey.
However the aura of Corcova is present in his writings and Bibesco was the inspiration of one of the main characters in the novel In search of the lost time.
In Marcel Proust’s renowned masterpiece, the Catleya orchid is a symbol of love.
Since 2007, three French wine enthusiasts fell in love with Corcova and its Proustian aura and chose this symbol to represent the vineyard replanted on the historic site of Bibesco’s domain, and Catleya was born.
As it evokes both the beauty and the sensory pleasure of rediscovered time, like the fragrance from a rare orchid, Catleya captures the Proustian essence that will trigger your memories and experiences you feel while enjoying our wines.
People
Laurent Pfeffer, wine engineer and oenologist - trained in Bordeaux, he first discovered Romania during a period of study at the Tirgu Bujor vineyards.
After realizing the viticultural potential of Romania, he decided to return to look for land suitable for growing vines. Fate directed him to Corcova, where he discovered the history and winemaking tradition of this region. In 2007 he decided to settle here and founded the Catleya estate.
Frédéric Vauthier, owner of Château Lucas, Lussac Saint Emilion (Bordeaux), which covers an area of 20 hectares, is part of the 18th generation of his family to produce wines in this area.
The other two associates, Dominique Pfeffer and Raymond Claude, respectively Laurent's brother and uncle, take care of the promotion of wines in France.
Our values
We believe that the best recipe for a successful wine is well-grounded values. That is why our wines are the result of a long process during which we make no compromises.
We believe in attention to detail. The founder and oenologist of the Catleya estate, Laurent Pfeffer, is personally involved in each stage of winemaking and applies this philosophy, acquired in France, to everything he does in Romania.
We believe in authenticity, so we produce in small quantities, with full control over quality and with an understanding of the personality of each varietal we grow.
We respect nature, so when we cannot manage a process manually, we take care to use the most modern and non-invasive technology - not only for soil and plants, but also for animals.
Finally, we deeply believe that wine has the power to create privileged relationships and moments; it is the link that unites conversation, pleasure and regained time.
Catleya is our way of sharing our values with those who discover us - values we carefully place in every bottle we produce.
