Our Story
The Vineyard
Just like a work of art, wine is a complex puzzle, where quality and taste are based on a number of factors that influence the final product. These elements include: soil, air, water, climatic influences, but also the human factor. All of these were brought together in the terroir. This elegantly used term could only highlight the amazing contribution of each piece in the completion and gratification of the SERVE wines.
The vineyards are chosen with endless patience and special attention, which is an extremely thoughtful thing. These must be perfectly adapted to certain varietals, so that the resulting wine would be an exceptional one, the kind of wine that offers you a distinguishing flavour and experience.
The story of each and every glass of wine begins with the handpicked first grape. With intricate care and skill, we gather from more than 59 hectares of vineyards, the varietals used for production of red wines. All the way from Dealu Mare, an area so-called “Country of Red Wine”, we collect step by step the grapes that are set to fulfill their purpose, namely that to be in a glass of ruby-red hued wine. Also in these regions, wine varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Feteasca Neagră, Pinot Noir, Merlot, but also some of the white ones, like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling de Rin and Fetească Albă develop its exotic flavour. The collections are carefully created for you to take part in a unique experience, that can only be topped by the scents and sensations left by the pure, mono varietal character of some wines.
The Winery
Tales from our beginnings
Beginnings are always beautiful. The thrill of discovery encourages you to go further and quench your thirsts. For us, at SERVE, the beginning represented laying a solid brickwork for building up a bright future. During the first stage (1995-2001), we worked with pieces of equipment and machinery mounted in an already existing wine cellar.
But the prospect of our future was actually shaped in 2000, when we started the construction of a completely new SERVE winery on a site in Ceptura, near our vineyards. A year later, the first bottling process took place, and in 2002, the first harvest was vinified. Our concerns gradually faded, their place being taken by enormous joys that guided our steps up to present. The immense pleasure we have for what we do inspires us, giving us strength to go beyond ourselves and to continue the beautiful story.
Beyond our strong feelings, we invest in the premium quality processes. So much so, that we sought to combine the modern, the traditional and the ease of use when it comes to choosing equipment and machinery. This is all for you, to relax and enjoy a unique experience with each glass of wine. Togeher with the intense development, we also increased the winery’s capacity, whilst following the best and latest winemaking techniques. Therefore, in 2005 we completed the processing capacity for white grapes, with 2700hl in stainless steel, and two years later, we increased the controlled temperature storage capacity (air conditioned hall with 2000hl stainless steel vessels storage capacity). Later on, we built and set up a special space for wine maturation in oak barrels (also air-conditioned) with a capacity of 1000hl. All of these aspects actively contribute to achieving the perfect taste of the most tempting wine with a quality SERVE guarantee.
The Visionary
How everything started with an idea
„I am lazy and enthusiastic, rather a creative individual than a man of accomplishments, convinced that a pinch of wonder and madness can transform the world we live in. Finally, maybe a right-wing anarchist.”– Contele Guy TYREL de POIX
There are people who come into your life and leave their mark without you realizing it. And there are those individuals who completely change your destiny, ideals and leave behind a formidable legacy that those left behind can only do but honor it.
Count Guy de Poix is an example of perseverance, dedication and infinite generosity. He spent much of his youth, divided between two great passions, skiing and dentistry, which he managed to combine for several years in Val d ‘Isere. But for the Count, the road in life became even more clear as he started listening to his heart. Another great love of his was represented by wines through genealogy and inclination. Born into a family of entrepreneurs and businessmen activating in various fields, the Count begins his journey in the world of wine by taking over an old vineyard reconditioned by his father. This was the foundation on which he built his entire existence. He began to dedicate himself to oenology and decided to lay the foundations of his inheritance, just like his parents did.
Inspired by a quote from Hugh Johnson’s ‘World Atlas of Wine’ (“The Western world of wine has already been conquered”), Guy Tyrel de Poix was determined to identify a target of investments in Eastern Europe. It was still an uncertain time in the Eastern European world, to which language barriers were also added. Athough it seemed post-apocalyptic, in the count’s vision, Romania stood out among other countries thanks to its distinct and undeniable beauty, but also its francophone character.
World Athlas of Wine
and the beginnings of SERVE
Two visits and a description of only six lines about the Romanian terroir in the „World Athlas of Wine” were enough to start a new era in the Romanian wine industry. Thus, in 1994 S.E.R.V.E (the Romanian acronym standing for Euro Romanian Society of Exceptional Wines) was born, the very first private company in the Romanian wine sector. Guy Tyrel de Poix and his future wife, Mihaela de Poix, will create SERVE, a wonderful story that is rewritten with every glass of wine enjoyed every day. Success has refined the quality and encouraged the spread of special values.
Count Guy Tyrel de Poix left behind a special legacy, which he knew Mihaela and SERVE team would definitely honour. They continued to carry on the name and high standards of SERVE, but also its special significance for Romania’s viticulture.
