Marikaj – Albania – Est. 2002
ARVA
Rooted in history. Crafted for now.
Marikaj, Albania – 400m above sea level – 300 days of sun – 25 min from Tirana – 15 min from the beach – Collection – Reserve – Private Selection
ARVA
Latin – Cultivated Land – Fertile Earth
Arva describes land shaped by human hands into something greater than it was. Not just nature, but cultivation. Not just soil, but purpose. Ekrem Bardha took a raw hillside above Marikaj and, through vision, patience and relentless craft, turned it into a winery. Every stone wall, every vine row, every barrel is the result of that human dedication. The land was arva before he arrived. It is arva today. And it will remain arva – shaped, cultivated, alive.
The olive alley – Marikaj
01 – Origin
One man. One dream. Still growing.
In 1953, Ekrem Bardha fled Albania with nothing. His brother had been imprisoned. No money, no plan – only the will to survive. He arrived in America as a dishwasher, then a barber, then an entrepreneur who built 18 McDonald’s franchises.
Through every success, one image never left him: the hills above Marikaj. When Albania opened in 1991, he came back not as a visitor, but as a man fulfilling a promise made across 38 years of exile. In 2002 he planted his first vines, built his winery, and called it Kantina Bardha.
He did not just plant grapes. He planted proof – that a dream, held long enough, becomes real.
In 2026, ARVA begins. New name. New owners. But the dream continues. Across 6.2 hectares, framed by over 1,200 metres of stone walls and a 500-metre olive-lined avenue, this estate holds 420 olive trees, ancient fruit orchards, and vines that have had 24 years to find their depth.
„His roots. Our craft.“
02 – The Land
The earth remembers.
Marikaj sits in the hills west of Tirana. The soil is mineral-rich. The light is generous. The wind carries the memory of the Adriatic.
We believe that great wine begins with healthy land. At ARVA, we work with nature, not against it. Our vines, olive trees and orchards share the same hillside ecosystem.
Environmentally conscious – Ecosystem-friendly farming
400
Elevation
6.2
The Estate
1,200
Stone Terraces
500
The Olive Alley
Our Philosophy
The land gives. We give it back.
At ARVA, wine is an expression of its ecosystem – not just the grape, not just the soil, but everything that surrounds it: olive trees, orchards, stone walls, water, wildlife and the microclimate of Marikaj.
Respect the Land
Protect the Ecosystem
Craft with Conscience
03 – Varietals
The varieties that define ARVA.
ARVA works with both international varieties and Albania’s rare autochthonous grapes. From Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to flavours found nowhere else on earth.
Red – International
Cabernet Sauvignon
Full-bodied and structured, with dark fruit and a long finish from Marikaj’s mineral soils.
Red – International
Merlot
Soft, round and approachable, with velvety tannins, ripe plum and Albanian warmth.
04 – The Wines
Three expressions.
Each bottle tells a different part of the story.
I
ARVA Collection
Shesh i Bardhe – White
Fresh, mineral and honest – made from Albania’s most celebrated white grape.
II
ARVA Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot – Shesh i Zi – Red
A classic Bordeaux-style blend shaped by Marikaj’s soils and 300 days of sun, aged 12-18 months in barriques.
III
ARVA Private Selection
Mavrud – Red – Limited
Pure Mavrud from the oldest vines, aged 18 months in barriques and produced in strictly limited quantities.
„I observe the vines, I listen to the land. Every territory is different, every grape has its own character – and I seek to understand it to bring out its very best.“
Mourad Ouada
06 – The Making
Built by many hands. One vision.
2002
The Vision Takes Shape
Ekrem Bardha embarked on a study tour through Tuscany, Piedmont and Puglia alongside Prof. Petraq Sotiri, the Italian oenologist and sommelier Agim Dani. From this journey, the working concept was born.
2002-2003
The Vineyard is Parcelled
Prof. Petraq Sotiri placed native and international grape varieties across the terrain with precision: Shesh i Bardhe, Shesh i Zi, Cabernet, Merlot, Negroamaro and Barbera.
2005-2006
The Winery is Built
Pierpaolo Caridi and Michele Tenore selected the location; Pierpaolo designed the building; engineer Adrian Asllani completed construction. Handmade interiors were crafted by Skender Metalia.
2014-2026
Eltian Mici
Eltian Mici took over as head winemaker in 2014, bringing technical mastery of Albania’s native grape varieties and shaping Kantina Bardha’s most celebrated vintages.
2026
A New Chapter
The estate passes to new ownership. The name changes to ARVA. The land, the vines and the craft remain.
Prof. Petraq Sotiri – Born 1936
The man who read the land.
Professor Petraq Sotiri dedicated his life to understanding and elevating Albanian viticulture. He authored scientific publications, developed new cultivars of Albanian grape varieties and helped shape modern Albanian wine.
It was Prof. Sotiri who first walked the hillsides of Marikaj alongside Ekrem Bardha and identified the land’s potential. Without his knowledge, connections and vision, Kantina Bardha – and therefore ARVA – would not exist.
„The land has great expressive power. Every territory is different, every grape has its own character – one must understand it to bring out the very best.“
Prof. Petraq Sotiri
07 – The Cellar
„These barrels were here before we arrived. We simply listened.“
Oak Ageing
Traditional large-format oak barrels in the stone cellar beneath the estate. Slow ageing, minimal intervention.
Stone Architecture
Original stone and brick maintain a constant temperature throughout the year.
Hand-Crafted
Every step from harvest to bottling is done by hand.
08 – Beyond the Vine
Liquid gold from ancient trees.
The olive trees at ARVA are not young. Some have stood on these hillsides for decades, rooted in the same mineral-rich soil as our vines.
From these trees, we produce a hand-crafted extra virgin olive oil. Cold-pressed, unfiltered and made in small quantities.
Only available at the estate.
Decades – Old Growth Trees
Mature olive trees produce oil of exceptional depth and character.
Cold Press – Hand-Crafted
Cold-pressed within hours of harvest. No heat, no chemicals, no shortcuts.
Small Batch – Limited Production
Produced in limited quantities each season and available exclusively at the ARVA estate.
Harvest 2026
First ARVA olive oil release – estate only.
09 – Visit
By invitation and appointment.
ARVA is not a destination for everyone – and that is intentional. We host private tours and exclusive events by appointment only: tastings among the vines, intimate weddings beneath the olive trees, private birthdays, corporate events and evening fire pit gatherings.
Fire & Wine.
As the Albanian sun sets behind the hills of Marikaj, the estate comes alive in a different way. A Corten steel fire pit glows at the heart of the courtyard, warm light against ancient stone walls and olive trees.
Address
Rruga Vore Marikaj
Rruga e Vreshtit, Albania
Getting Here
Tirana International Airport – 15 min
Durres city centre – 20 min
Durres beaches – 15 min
Tirana city centre – 25 min
Tastings
By appointment only. Private tours, exclusive events and direct estate enquiries.
Wine Shop
Estate only. Wines and olive oil available exclusively on-site or by private arrangement.
Founded
2002 – Ekrem Bardha. New ownership 2026. Same land. Same vines.