Hello! Welcome to As Drunk by Exotic Wine Travel, a weekly column where we feature interesting wines that we encourage you to seek out. The reviews featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or well-known wine regions. We hope that these wine recommendations will keep you gastronomically curious and your palate invigorated!

Desprat Saint-Verny, Basalte 2017

Located in the center of France is the Parc Regional des Vulcans d’Auvergne. The landscape is dominated by sleeping volcanoes that surround the city of Clermont-Ferrand. Within this national park is the AOC Côtes d’Auvergne. Within that AOC is the largest producer Desprat Saint-Verny.

I met Lea Desprat, a member of the family at GoVolcanic 2019 in Budapest, Hungary. After tasting several examples, I was impressed with the finesse and drinkability of the wines. The little known Côtes d’Auvergne appellation was also an unknown to me, which piqued my interest all the more.

Desprat Saint-Verny produces around 30 labels as their property takes up over half of the 405 hectares that make up the Côtes d’Auvergne AOC. They focus on Chardonnay for the whites and Gamay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah for the reds.

The Desprat Saint-Verny, Basalte is made from 100-year-old vines of Gamay. It is like an imaginary collision of a Beaujolais (France) and an Etna Rosso (Italy). There a smoky undertone on the nose along with cherry, strawberry, and a faint hint of white pepper. It has a silky mouthfeel and there a vibrant acidity that begs for food. For a wine that saw over 12 months in oak, the wood doesn’t show through at all in the flavor, it merely adds structure.

This isn’t a wine for those who want something big and bold. It is a wine for those who appreciate delicate flavors and want acidity in their red wines. The Desprat Saint-Verny, Basalte hits my palate perfectly, it’s the type of wine I want to drink every day, all day.

Score: 90/100 (You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.)

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Do you like our content?

If you like our articles and videos, we’d love for you to be a part of our community on Patreon. The support from Patreon helps keep the content coming and you access to behind the scenes content. It also gives us the chance to get to know you better. Check out the Exotic Wine Travel Patreon page by clicking the photo below.

Please note that the opinions expressed are our own and have not been paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Desprat Saint-Verny Basalte 2017 appeared first on Wine Travel.

It took us nearly two years to track down the wines from Francuska Vinarija. These wines are made by a French couple, Estelle & Cyrille Bongiraud, in eastern Serbia. The Bonigraud’s were in search of a great, lost terroir when they stumbled upon the village of Rogljevo in the Negotin region.

We too stumbled upon this town when we first visited Serbia a few years ago. The towns of Rogljevo, Smedovac, and Rajac are tucked away in the hills and are home to hundreds of abandoned cellars. The locals here were once prosperous from the wine trade. Today, most of the cellars are abandoned and all of the young people left the villages for work. Visited the region is a beautiful and spooky experience as you can see in the video below.

We first arrived at the village of Rajac in the Spring of 2016. At the time, we were unaware of the presence of Estelle & Cyrille. We only found out about Francuska Vinarija about one month after our visit. It was unfortunate because this region is quite a ways from Belgrade and Francuska Vinarija wines are not available in Serbia.

While revisiting Serbia in the Fall of 2017, we mentioned to a friend about these wines. He smiled and said, “I can help you get these wines.” Just like that, we had the wines at our table.

The Promise: When Dreams Wake Up Reality

The story of Cyrille and Estelle Bongiraud is told in a documentary The Promise. It is a film by Optimistic Film/See TV and was written by Željko Mirković and produced by Dušan Gajič. Since its release in 2016, it has garnered eight awards in international film festivals. We originally found out about the winery from watching the trailer below on YouTube.

Around the same time we obtained the wines, our friend connected us with Željko, who was nice enough to let us view the film. Most of The Promise takes place in the village of Rogljevo in the Negotina area of East Serbia – a small portion of the film also takes place in France. The film is in Serbian and French with English subtitles. It is gorgeously shot which draws you into the story.

We really enjoyed the dialogue of the locals. Many were suspicious of the French coming in, while a few were supportive of it. The film interviews both the locals and the Bongirauds, which highlights the clash of cultures. Another strong aspect of the film is depicting how difficult it is to market and sell fine wines – especially those from exotic countries. Despite the high quality and praise that these wines receive, the Bongirauds constantly run into obstacles when trying to sell the wines.

The film ends on a somber note and leaves the future of the winery in doubt. Hopefully, there is a happy ending because these wines are stellar. It’s an entertaining film nonetheless, it’s not only about wine, it’s an inside look at a clash of cultures.

Francuska Vinarija Wines Tasted

(You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

• Francuska Vinarija Istina White 2009

The Francuska Vinarija Istina White consists of Riesling from old vines. Flavors include petrol, white flower, apple, and apricot. The wine is very honeyed in color. It’s bright on the front palate and the acidic core stretches the flavor through the palate. The wine is wrapped up in slate and mineral goodness. This is lighter in body than other great Rieslings but still of outstanding quality.   4.2/5

• Francuska Vinarija Poema 2010

The Francuska Vinarija Poema is a blend of Riesling, Tamjanika, and Graševina that spent 18 months on the lees. Petrol, flint, apple, white tea, and a touch of wood are the dominant flavors. This is a very earthy white wine. The initial attack is bright and delicious but the finish is a little shorter I would like.   3.8/5

• Francuska Vinarija Obećanje 2009

Obećanje translates to “The Promise.” The Francuska Vinarija Obećanje is made with Gamay from old vines. Beautiful nose of lavender, cherry, exotic spice, and a touch of leather. Light garnet color with tawny edges on the rim. It is medium bodied with multi-layered texture, lots of complexity, and a long finish with white pepper. This could easily pass for an excellent Cru Beaujolais, it’s undeniably French in style. 

This wine left quite the impression on us and was among our favorite wines of 2017.    4.4/5

• Francuska Vinarija Tajna Red 2010

The Francuska Vinarija Tajna Red is a varietal Cabernet Sauvignon wine aged for two years in French oak and two years in the bottle before release. Deep ruby color with some tawny edges. Black cherry, tar, soy sauce, carried wood, and capsicum nose. The flavors are very complex and rich. It’s big-bodied with a smooth mouthfeel and sandy tannins. The flavor intensity isn’t as strong as I would like on the finish. This can be overlooked because the nose and mouthfeel are so outstanding.   4.2/5

The finest selection of

Serbian wines

available at:

Shipping is available EU-wide and to the UK.

Check out Wines Available in the USA.

************

    Do you want to try Serbian wines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Serbian wines, look no further than wineandmore.com. With an abundance of options from different winemakers, it’s easy to find exactly what your palate desires. Not sure which bottle is best for you? Try out one of their curated wine cases and discover the perfect vintage for any occasion!

************

Want to learn more about wine?

Are you ready to discover the wonderful world of wines? Come join us at wineandmore.com and let’s explore the incredible selection of delicious wines together! We can’t wait to share our passion for wine with you!

The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. 

The post Francuska Vinarija: Serbian Wine By The French appeared first on Wine Travel.

2017 marked the third year of our location-independent lifestyle and the second year of our wine career. It was a momentous year for us—in the span of 12 months, we authored and published our second and third wine book Sipping Santa Barbara and Cracking Croatian Wine, traveled to seven countries, and tasted over 2,000 wines. For professional development reasons, we usually aim to taste at least 3,000 wines every year. However, because of our publishing deadlines, we were relatively sedentary in 2017 as we spent more than half of the year in Croatia and Serbia while finishing the production of our books; the other six months, we were traveling in the wine regions of Austria, Cyprus, Italy (Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Sardinia), Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia. In all the countries that we visited, we managed to find outstanding wines in every one of them. We mean… magnificent… unforgettable… outstanding… knockouts.

All in all, it was a rewarding year if we measure it out in wine glasses.

So here we go again: our favorite wines of the year. As advocates for diversity in wine and “Drink Adventurously” (our tagline), we hope our list reveals the ever-expanding choices that are available to wine lovers. While these 17 wines have been chosen based on, first and foremost, their sensory merits, other aspects are also taken into consideration. Did the wine teach us something new? Did it make us re-examine our assumptions? Did it spark curiosity or inspire conversations? Did it have a story or human element that mean something special to us? Ultimately, these are wines that we would highly recommend you, our wine-loving reader, to seek out.

SPARKLING WINE

Charles Heidsieck, Blanc des Millenaires 1995 – Champagne, France

We tasted this at a Charles Heidsieck workshop organized by VinArt Grand Tasting in Zagreb, Croatia. The presenter Drazan Sunjic was also our WSET teacher. Drazan knows the Champagne region and Champagne Charlie inside out. So it was an honor to have him share his knowledge and passion with us. The Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires 1995 was the last wine of the tasting, and it wowed everyone in the room. Made from 100% Chardonnay, this bottle was disgorged in 2015. 19 years of lees aging, woohoo! Following 1983, 1985, and 1990, 1995 is only the fourth vintage of this tête de cuvée Champagne.

Why we love it: We had a hard time choosing between this and Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2006. We ended up picking Charles Heidsieck over Taittinger because it’s more developed at this point. The Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires 1995 is a wine that must be tasted, not described.

Learn More | Best Of Vinart Grand Tasting 2017: Part 2

WHITE WINE

Bott Frigyes, Super Granum 2015 – Južnoslovenská, Slovakia

Bott Frigyes is an ethnic Hungarian living in South Slovakia. We first heard about his wines from Ernő Sagmeister of Dukay-Sagmeister winery in Serbia. If one of our favorite wine producers suggests we try the wines of another producer, we will follow the recommendation dutifully.

And so we did. During our two-week press tour in Slovakia, we had the chance to spend a night at the guesthouse of Bott Frigyes. Thank you, Tibor Vittek and Peter Drotár for organizing. After an elaborate tasting and dinner, Bott and his family left the guesthouse but not before trying to make us feel the most welcome.

 

Spending the night at one of our favorite wineries in Slovakia. And guess what, it’s “open cellar” night!

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Dec 5, 2017 at 12:38pm PST

“Help yourself to the wines.” Bott had left all the bottles that we tasted in the dining room. It was a long work day; we were knackered, but nothing was going to stop us from enjoying a nightcap.

 Why we love it: Bott Frigyes Super Granum 2015 is a barrel-fermented cuvée of Furmint, Hárslevelü, and Juhfark. Exciting grapes? Check. The wine has a head-turning bouquet, vivid flavors, and an undeniable mineral characteristic. The quality level, irresistible refreshingness, subtle nuances, tension, and texture of this wine remind us of the best of Chablis.  

Nikolaihof, Vinothek Riesling 2000 – Wachau, Austria

We were fortunate to drink this wine twice in 2017: the first time was at a workshop in Zagreb, Croatia, and the second time was at Austrian winemaker Hartmut Aubell‘s birthday celebration. The 1995 vintage of Nikolaihof Vinothek Riesling was the first Austrian wine to receive 100 points from Robert Parker. Aged for 16 years in 3,500-liter oak cask and bottled in 2016, the 2000 vintage is the winery’s latest release of this wine.

Why we love it: It may be the greatest white wine that Matt has ever tasted. Also, this wine is a capsule of many fond memories—from our trip to Graz, Austria, to this…

A photo of our friend, Vjekoslav Stojišić, when he tasted this wine. Photo from: www.facebook.com/vinartgrandtasting

Learn More | Best Of Vinart Grand Tasting 2017: Part 1

RED WINE

Antinori, Solaia 2010 – Tuscany, Italy

One of the illustrious Aia’s of Tuscany… Ornellaia, Sassicaia, and Solaia. Antonio Galloni of Vinous wrote,” The 2010 is the greatest Solaia ever made.” We tend to agree with Galloni’s reviews, so when we found this 98-point wine—with an irresistible price tag to boot—in Belgrade, Serbia, it was a non-negotiable situation: let’s get it. Antinori Solaia is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Franc.

Why we love it: We opened this wine on May 22 to celebrate the second anniversary of our location-independent lifestyle. It was our first taste of Solaia, and it delivered more than we had imagined. Unfortunately, we did a disservice to this wine by drinking it at such a young age. Nevertheless, it showed a formidable marriage between finesse and power.

Concha y Toro, Don Melchor 2007 – Maipo Valley, Chile

 

A moment of truth: has it all been a misplaced love or is the Serbian Kremen Kamen by Matalj winery one of the greatest reds? We put the Kremen Kamen wines up to a taste test next to Don Melchor (listed 8 times on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list) and are glad to see that Kremen Kamen is indeed a wine of great substance. Now that our love and faith in Serbian wine are justified, we wish our dear friend from Matalj winery that Kremen Kamen will have the same impact on Serbian wine industry as Don Melchor has on the Chilean wine image.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Mar 13, 2017 at 10:50pm PDT

In May 2017, we were in the final production stage of two books and inching towards being burned out. Matt decided to purchase a few iconic wines as a form of encouragement and pick-me-up. The stash included Antinori Solaia 2010 (listed above), Antinori Tignanello 2011, Donnafugata Mille e una Notte 2012, Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve 2009, Fontodi Vigna del Sorbo Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2011 (listed below), M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Bernardine 2010, and this—our good ol’ Don Melchor, a wine we used to drink a fair bit back in Singapore. Three out of those seven wines ended up being our “wine of the year”, so it was a perceptive splurge by Matt.

Cabernet Sauvignon with a bit of Merlot, this wine has been listed eight times on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list, and the 2007 vintage scored 94+ points from The Wine Advocate by Robert Parker. We were in Serbia at that time so we thought we’d make a fun tasting out of this bottle. After all, it’s not often that one can find a 10-year-old Don Melchor on the shelf. We met up with Nikola Mladenović Matalj, the owner and winemaker of Matalj winery, and arranged a vertical tasting of his Matalj Kremen Kamen (which was in our Top 16 of 2016 list) along this wine.

Why we love it: We were fortunate to catch Don Melchor 2007 at its prime drinking window: the wine was showing the perfect balance between primary and tertiary notes. This remains to be the best bottle/vintage of Don Melchor we’ve tasted.

Learn More | Matalj Kremen Kamen: A Vertical Tasting

Fontodi, Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo 2011 – Tuscany, Italy

 

2011 Fontodi Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo. A burly Chianti with 15% abv, fruit flavors so intense that they are redolent of berry strips, and 6% acidity that disciplines the many layers into a harmonious unity. This wine is approaching the window of great drinkability but clearly has many more years of evolvement ahead before unveiling its peak. Flavors of sour cherry, black plum, tobacco, licorice, sweet cedar, cinnamon stick, and leather. Chewy tannins lead to a lengthy, strikingly tart yet sweet finish. This is a divisive wine as we’ve just drunk a bottle of 2011 Tignanello. Matt prefers the Tignanello because he thinks it has higher drinkability now. Charine prefers this wine for its powerful attack.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Apr 12, 2017 at 8:38am PDT

We had a bottle of Fontodi Chianti Classico on our first date. That wine turned out to be a favorable choice for us in more than one way. So five years later, it was time to step up and give this Gran Selezione version a try.

Why we love it: It was a tough choice between this and its preeminent sibling, the Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve. In the end, this burly Chianti took the spot because of its current accessibility. And, to us, it’s simply more distinctive and more memorable than Flaccianello 2009. This wine is so good that it may even make your burp smell good.

Francuska Vinarija, Obećanje 2009 – Negotin, Serbia

 

I guess it’s no surprise that the Serbian winery Francuska Vinarija’s headliner is this Gamay bottling, since the proprietors are from Burgundy. Bouquet of predominantly redcurrant, maraschino cherry, and chalk, with lingering notes of white pepper, lilac, and leather in the background. Structured with juicy acidity and ripe fruit sweetness on the palate. For a 2009 wine, it’s incredible that I feel a tad sad for drinking it too early. In 2 to 3 years, the leather character will probably become more pronounced, and I expect a bit more tobacco leaf and earthy notes that can make this wine more nuanced than it already is. I was going to say it is more Fleurie in style but later decided that a reference to an aged Saint-Armour might be more accurate.

A post shared by Charine Tan (@charinetan) on Sep 25, 2017 at 11:26am PDT

Located in East Serbia, Francuska Vinarija, which translates to “French Winery”, is owned and operated by a Burgundian couple. These wines are not available in Serbia as the entire production is exported, mostly to France. It took us nearly two years to track these wines down: our friend had some bottles in his cellar, and he offered a case for us to taste. We were impressed with all the Francuska Vinarija’s wines that we tried. However, this Gamay bottling called Obećanje was a cut above the rest. The name Obećanje means “the promise”.

Why we love it: It’s the best non-Cru Beaujolais Gamay we’ve tasted.

Learn More | Serbian Grand Cru on the Slopes of Danube

Jakončič, Carolina Select 2006 – Brda, Slovenia

Prior to our 2017 trip to Brda, Slovenia, we knew nothing about Jakončič winery. We only found out about them when we arrived in Slovenia and Matjaž Zagradišnik from the winery reached out to us with a cellar invitation. Throughout the tasting, we were happy with the wines. Then, we got to the Grand Vin—Carolina Select, a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon—and it was an epic slam dunk. A wine that is built to age for decades, Jakončič Carolina Select is a wine with a waiting list and rightfully so.

Why we love it: Jakončič Carolina Select 2006 is a superlative Merlot. When we tasted this wine, it was immediately clear to us that it would be a highlight of the year. It has an opulent bouquet, full and luscious texture, intense fruit attack on the palate, and a persistent, focused finish. 

Learn More | Marjan Simčič and Jakončič: Classically Styled Slovenian Wine

Kozlović, Santa Lucia Noir 2012 – Istria, Croatia

Another tough selection. We shortlisted Clai Brombonero Refošk 2011, Clai Sv. Jakov Malvazija, 2011, Coronica Gran Teran 2011, Trapan The One 2012, and this wine for the article. All of them are from Istria, Croatia. We ended up choosing Kozlović Santa Lucia Noir 2012 because of its current appeal balanced with future potential. It’s a wine that will undoubtedly appeal to many.

Made only in exceptionally great years, Kozlović Santa Lucia Noir 2012 is a 50-30-20 blend of Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon-Teran from the Santa Lucia Vineyard, an area that is best known for its mineral-driven whites. We were so glad that we managed to taste this wine right before finalizing our manuscript of Cracking Croatian Wine.

Why we love it: It’s a “Super Istrian”, so to speak.  This wine retains Teran’s tingling acidity and ferrous aroma while putting on some luxurious, Bordeaux-esque contours.

Learn More | 10 Istrian Wines to Try

Miani, Merlot Buri 2013 – Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

In January, we spent a week in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The winery that left the deepest impression was Miani, a recommendation that came from Antonio Galloni’s Vinous forum. When we posted on the forum seeking suggestions for “only the best wineries in Friuli”, one member replied, “There can only be one… Miani.”

Why we love it: The finest essence in a bottle. Want to know what soaring intensity feels like? This is your bottle. It’s one of the greatest Merlots we’ve tasted.

Learn More |  Miani: What Wine Dreams are Made of

Vylyan Duennium 2006 – Villány, Hungary

We first tasted Vylyan’s wine at a Villányi Franc workshop in February 2017. It was one of the two Villányi Cabernet Francs that stood out to us. A few months later, we had the chance to visit the winery. And as you might expect, we went with high expectations. By the end of our one-month stay in Hungary, we concluded that Vylyan remains as our top 10 favorite wineries in the country. Vylyan Duennium is a Cabernet Franc-based wine. For 2006 Duennium, some Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were also added to the cuvée.

Why we love this: It was our favorite wine during our three-day tasting trip in Villány. Exceptionally youthful for its age, this is a wine that shows a sense of place. We would love to share a bottle with our collector friends in the future.

SKIN CONTACT WINE

Dario Prinčič, Bianco Trebež 2012 – Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

Charine spotted the Dario Prinčič Bianco Trebež 2012 at an inconspicuous wine bar in Belgrade, Serbia. It was tucked clumsily in a corner of the wine fridge. Every time we see Dario Prinčič’s wine, it would be a done deal. We requested to purchase the wine, but as it turned out, the wine was not for sale;  it belonged to the bar’s owner. When the owner heard about our request and saw our enthusiasm, he decided to open a bottle and shared it with us. Dario Prinčič Bianco Trebežis is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Grigio.

Why we love it: It’s a poised and complete amber wine with an allure that keeps us coming back for more. We were introduced to Dario Prinčič by our friend, John Wurdeman of Pheasant’s Tears Winery (Georgia). Since our first bottle with John, we’ve shared many bottles of Bianco Trebež with various people. In a way, this wine is like a torque to us: centralizing and generalizing friendships through the vinous power.

Movia, Lunar 8 2008 – Brda, Slovenia

This wine was tied with Movia Puro 2010 in terms of sensory merits. We ended up choosing Movia Lunar 8 because of the context in which we drank it. On Matt’s 35th birthday, we shared a magnum of this wine with a group of winemakers, wine writers, and wine enthusiasts in Zagreb, Croatia. We tasted more than 10 wines that night, and this was the “Wine of the Night” with nearly full consensus. Movia Lunar 8 is made from 100% Rebula.

Why we love it: Charine said, “This wine is so good that it makes me feel like I’m drinking above my station.” It’s a wine that can arouse much pride, desire, delight, curiosity, and awareness.

Learn More | Kabaj and Movia: Slovenian Wines with Big Personalities

Radikon, Fuori dal Tempo 2001 -Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

Radikon was on our “Do Not Miss” list when we traveled to Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Our visit came less than five months after Stanko Radikon’s passing in the fall of 2016, and the family was missing Stanko dearly. Fuori dal Tempo means “outside of time”. This is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Sauvignon Blanc. 

Why we love it: At the time of our visit in January 2017, this was the second vintage confirmed for this bottling. Charine teared up when she tasted this wine. Radikon Fuori dal Tempo 2001 hovers on the palate with exquisite grace. It’s a sublime masterpiece that was personally crafted by Stanko Radikon.

Learn More | Gravner and Radikon: Italian Wines Without Compromise

SWEET WINE

The Anama Concept, Anama Vintage 2012 – Commandaria, Cyprus

In February 2017, we were on a two-week press tour in Cyprus. The Anama Concept wasn’t included in our official itinerary. But thanks to our friend George Gkenos, we found our way to the home of Lefteris Mohianakis and Kristina Apostolou Mohianakis—the husband-and-wife team behind this designer-chic producer.

The Anama Concept’s Anama Vintage cannot be officially called “Commandaria” because it’s made outside of the 14 designated Commandaria villages. But it’s still that time-tested, familiar taste of Cyprus’s most famous sweet wine made from the raisined grapes of Mavro and Xinisteri—both indigenous to Cyprus. This is the only wine that The Anama Concept produces, and the production is around 2,000 bottles per year.

Why we love it: The Anama Concept has taken one of the oldest wine brands in the world, preserved the tenets of Commandaria’s story, revitalized its image, refined its taste, and given it a time-relevant makeover. This wasn’t the only Commandaria-style wine that we loved during our Cyprus trip, but it stood out the most because of its dried fruit and citrus qualities, meaning it was less oxidative-tasting than most Commandaria wines. We also respect the vision of The Anama Concept and cherish the intimate time spent with Lefteris and Kristina at their home.

Learn More | Cyprus Sweet Wines: Commandaria and More

Tokaj & Co., 5 Putñovy 1990 – Tokaj, Slovakia

Tokaj & Co. was a state-run winery during the communist era in Czechoslovakia. The winery is now privately owned. The Tokaj & Co., 5 Putñovy 1990 is part of a limited-edition, archive wine release, which means it is still readily available on the market. The 127g/l of residual sugar is supported by 11g of total acidity.

Why we love it: During our two-week trip through the wine regions of Slovakia, this was arguably the most compelling Slovak wine that we tasted. True to the sweet Tokaji of that era, this wine is oxidative in style and densely packed but without heaviness. The botanical bouquet draws us in and the sugar-acid balance gives it dominance and youth. The front load of dried sweet fruit flavors are contrasted by a tart and spicy finish. This is a living example that great sweet Tokaji can be found in Slovakia.

Video | Exotic Wine Travel in Slovak Tokaj

Vega Sicilia, Oremus, Tokaji Eszencia 2007 – Tokaj, Hungary

Tokaji Eszencia is the rarest and most expensive of all the wines made in Tokaj. Prior to our 2017 wine trip to Hungary, we didn’t care much for Tokaji Eszencia. The idea of an exceptionally viscous wine with at least 450g/l residual sugar and 1-5% ABV was odd-sounding. Would it still taste like wine? Do people really drink it from a spoon?

Our visit at Oremus was set up by our friends from Wine Elite. During the tasting, we had the chance to try some rare, aged Tokaji Aszú wines including a 1956 vintage and a 1972. 1956 is a significant year because of the Hungarian Revolution and 1972 is widely touted as “the best vintage of the last century in Tokaj”. Still, Tokaji Eszencia 2007 was the transcendent one.

Why we love it: When we visited Tokaj, Charine was searching for the ‘Chateau d’Yquem of Hungary’. She found it in this exquisite bottle. Like pure energy in a bottle, drinking this wine makes us feel… healed. Vega Sicilia Oremus Tokaji Eszencia 2007 has 515g/l residual sugar, 15g/l total acidity, and 3% ABV. Those are some enticing numbers tucked in an extraordinary wine.

Video | Exotic Wine Travel in Tokaj, Hungary

This list seems fundamentally incomplete without a rosé wine. So here’s the most exciting rosé we’ve tasted in 2017: Gut Oggau Brutal Rosé 2016

The finest selection of wines

available at:

Shipping is available EU-wide and to the UK.

Check out Croatian Wines Available in the USA.

************

    Do you want to try Croatian wines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Croatian wines, look no further than wineandmore.com. With an abundance of options from different winemakers, it’s easy to find exactly what your palate desires. Not sure which bottle is best for you? Try out one of their curated wine cases and discover the perfect vintage for any occasion!

************

Want to learn more about wine?

Are you ready to discover the wonderful world of wines? Come join us at wineandmore.com and let’s explore the incredible selection of delicious wines together! We can’t wait to share our passion for wine with you!

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Exotic Wine Travel’s 17 Wines of 2017 appeared first on Wine Travel.

We had a fantastic time at the (Facebook) #winelover’s See You In Serbia trip. Having spent nearly six months in the country, we consider ourselves rather familiar with Serbian wines. Because of that, we oscillated between “Let’s go. I’m excited!” and “Meh. I’m not sure if we will see, taste, or learn anything new.” In the end, we committed to the trip because “Of course there’s always something new to learn and experience.” But the ultimate determinant was the friendships: to show support for an initiative that our friends work so hard for and take the opportunity to know the #winelover community.  And we’re glad we participated as we were rewarded in more ways than one.

Tomislav Ivanović, Mirjana Maksimović, Igor Luković, and Dušan Jelić did a remarkable job of organizing the trip for a large group of discerning wine lovers. Over the course of five days, #winelovers from all around the world got to taste Serbian wines from nearly 50 producers.
 

BYOB Dinner

All #winelover trips usually start off with a BYOB dinner, and this trip was no exception. The dinner was held at Steak & Wine with Dejan Živkoski, President of SERSA – Serbian Sommelier Association, as the host. All attendees brought at least one bottle of wine to the dinner. For us, it was almost a civic responsibility to share Croatian wines. We chose a Tomac Amfora 2008 and a Križ Plavac Mali 2015 to share with the group.

There were many outstanding wines that night, but the highlights were the many bottles of Hungarian Furmint and Tokaj wines that Daniel Ercsey, Koltai Piroska and Sue Tolson from WineSofa shared with us. And the “wine of the night” for us was a Paolo Bea Sagrantino from Montefalco Secco Pagliaro 2009 that Rowena Dumlao Giardina from Apron and Sneakers brought (photo below).

 

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 18, 2017 at 12:20pm PDT

Negotin Region

East Serbia is home to what we believe is  Serbia’s best area for red wine. The journey to Negotin from Belgrade is tediously long. We started the day in Belgrade at 7:30 AM and came back at 1:30 AM. While many people grumbled about the long bus ride—having been to the region—we felt it was vital for the group to visit Negotin.

You can mouse over the picture below and play the video.

 

On the Aquastar Maxim ferry that took us through the Iron Gates gorge on the Danube River. Romania on one side, Serbia on the other, and wine lovers from all over the world on board.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 18, 2017 at 2:18pm PDT

The day started with a cruise ride through The Iron Gates, a gorge on the Danube River. The Iron Gates acts as a border between Romania and Serbia. At 2,860 meters, the Danube River is Europe’s second longest river and flows through 10 countries. During the ride, we passed through the narrowest point of the river. Here’s a look at that point.

The gorge is also home to a sculpture of Decebalus. As the last king of Dacia, he fought against the Roman emperors to preserve the kingdom’s independence. At over 40 meters in height, the sculpture is the tallest rock sculpture in Europe.

After the boat ride, we arrived at Matalj Winery. The proprietor Nikola Mladenović Matalj hosted 10 wineries from East and Southeast Serbia at his winery. The #winelover attendees all had their list of favorites, and many from the group walked away impressed with the quality, if not potential, of Serbian wines. We took personal delight in the fact that the Matalj Kremen Kamen impressed many wine lovers.

 

Excellent example of Vranac and a common favorite among the #winelover people at the tasting. Lots of oak influence but well integrated into the wine: it was fruit first, then secondary profile, and only a sign of tertiary notes in this 6-year-old wine. With its high acidity and tannins, this is a candidate for longer aging. Even with 15% alcohol, it has enough fruit and extract to go some distance.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 19, 2017 at 3:57am PDT

Our surprise of the day was the fresh Chardonnay by Bukovo Monastery; the wine had a floral-accented profile along with fruit power. Their wines are made by superstar-winemaker Radovan Djordjević (owner of Podrum Čokot). Many people from the group also enjoyed the Vinarija Raj Game (Gamay) and the Aleksić Armanet (Vranac).

 

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 13, 2017 at 3:48pm PDT

The night ended with a trek up to the old cellars of Rajac. While not everyone appreciated the one-kilometer, uphill hike, we got a chance to taste some romača (homemade) rakija and wine, which softened the four-hour bus ride back to Belgrade.

 

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 13, 2017 at 3:49pm PDT

Prokupac Day

September 14 is International Prokupac Day. Our trip included passes to the annual Prokupac Conference organized by Wine Identity. The conference consisted of four workshops that were delivered at a breakneck, yet efficient manner. The conference was headlined by Master of Wine Caroline Gilby.

 

90-people strong class on #ProkupacDay.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 14, 2017 at 8:25pm PDT

The class on the aging potential of Prokupac by Tomislav Ivanović caused a stir among the crowd. Tomislav presented several labels and vintages from Vino Budimir, including Budimir Triada, Budimir Svb Rosa, and Budimir Boje Lila. As the workshop showed, while there might not be examples of Prokupac (yet) that show enough fruit power to undergo decades of aging, those wines can definitely develop well in the short and medium term.

Two wines that also impressed us were the Čokot Radovan 100% Prokupac 2015 and the latest 2015 vintage of Ivanović No 1/2 (50% Prokupac, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Merlot). It’s no surprise since these two producers, along with Budimir, are among the top wineries in the Župa Valley—the spiritual home of Prokupac.

One example that caught our attention was a white wine made from Prokupac. The Milanov Vinarija Prokupac Belo (White) showed that this grape might be capable of making pleasant Blanc de Noirs wine. Other new producers of red Prokupac that stood out to us included Vinarija Grabak and Vinarija Yotta.

The Exotic Wine Travel team has always been fond of Prokupac, and we believe that it has the potential to shine on the international platform; so it was exciting to witness the reactions from the #winelover group. The remarks were mostly positive. However, there was a clear divide between people who think that Prokupac wines should be blended with international grapes and others who like it as a varietal wine. Regardless, many concurred that the grape is capable of making good wines.

Wines From Šumadija and Vojvodina

The third day included a field trip to Šumadija, a wine region in Central Serbia. The first stop was Aleksandrović Winery, one of the first three privatized wineries that appeared in Serbia after the Soviet period and also one of the biggest producers in Serbia.  The rest of the afternoon saw us making stops at The Kings Cellar in Oplenac and Despotika Winery.

We enjoyed tasting with the #winelover group, which consisted of wine professionals, winemakers, wine importers,  writers, bloggers, and staunch wine lovers. It’s always eye-opening and humbling to taste wine with people with extensive and varied experience. Here’s a snap of the group at Aleksandrović. Thank you Sharon Parsons from Spaswinefood for the photo.

Our stop at The King’s Cellar provided a look at the history and lives of King Alexander and Queen Maria. While we’ve never found pleasure in drinking their wine, the visit offered a brief look into the history of Yugoslavia and the Šumadija region. We followed up with a visit to Despotika Winery, where eight wineries from Central Serbia presented their wines.

 

The Church of Saint George in Oplenac offers a stunning interior of 3500-square-meter mosaics. The Jesus on the ceiling is the largest piece.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 19, 2017 at 12:49am PDT

Many people found the wines from Virtus agreeable with their palates; the newest vintage of its Marselan was a popular favorite with its full body, deep color, high level of extract, and excellent price-quality ratio. Several of the whites from Despotika also impressed the group, including an off-dry Morava with piercing acidity. The Janko Zavet Stari (Bordeaux Blend) and Radovanović Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve also received a fair share of votes. While there were many excellent producers present, we were disappointed that the wines from Cilić weren’t there.

Here’s a shot of Despotika‘s vineyards at sunset.

 

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 15, 2017 at 4:33pm PDT

The group headed back to Belgrade and we concluded the day with a gala dinner at The Square in downtown Belgrade. The restaurant is located in Square 9 Hotel, and it’s often touted to be one of the best dining spots in the city. The wines of Vojvodina (North Serbia) were showcased, and the Bijelica Saga 2016 stood out to many people. Indeed, we think this blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon is perhaps the best fresh white wine in Serbia right now.

Biodynamic and Orange Serbian Wines

We finished the trip with a morning tasting of biodynamic and amber wine / orange wine from Serbia. Even though the modern wine industry is fairly young in Serbia, there is a progressive movement for minimal-intervention wine. There were five producers present at the tasting Bikicki, Dukay-Sagmeister, Imperator, Kovačevic, and Maurer.

Several people enjoyed this tasting the most out of all the ones in our program.

Oskar Maurer is probably Serbia’s most well-known producer as his wines are available at at least 10 Michelin-starred restaurants in the world.

Oskar also helps make the wine at Bikicki, a new producer that crafts a light and delicious macerated Pinot Grigio and a late-harvest Traminer among others.

The newest vintage of Riesling from Imperator drew many positive responses as well.

Dukay-Sagmeister stole the show that morning. The dry Furmint received rave reviews in addition to his elegant red made from Kadarka. Many people bought several bottles of Dukay-Sagmeister‘s wines.

Kovačevic was somewhat neglected at the tasting. Perhaps it was because there was no one from the winery to represent their wines, or maybe it was because their wines do not follow minimal-intervention farming.

 

Furmintis because it’s botrytis Furmint. 😂😂😂 Absolutely stunning Serbian dry Furmint and the best discovery from last night’s Wine Jam event. The noble rot flavors, such as honey and cotton candy, are present on the palate and show only the slightest presence on the nose. What’s stunning is those flavors are mere ‘afterthoughts’–so light-footed that they, in fact, highlight the varietal characteristics: the Furmint’s primary flavors and acidity march out straight from the textbook. Overall, it’s a really nuanced wine. We have to re-taste and probably enjoy a whole bottle to fully comprehend this wine. Yea, thankfully, we managed to buy a bottle!

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 8, 2017 at 8:14am PDT

The People of #Winelover

Romania was never high up on our priority list of “exotic wine places” to explore because of the lack of an active motivation or an experiential hook. Recently, one of my best friends had a swindler-related, near-violent experience there. The limited Romanian wines we tasted also failed to impress us (although we are certain that there are excellent Romanian wines).

More than 10 Romanians attended the #winelover trip, and they offered us a window into a place that we were unfamiliar with. They were warm, funny, and enthusiastic, and we bonded during the five-day trip. Now it looks like we might have to make a trip to Romania in 2018!

Special thanks to Alexandra Sabotnicu Serban, Silviu Serban, Serban Sincai, and Simona Sincai for making us love Romania even before we’ve met it.

 

Today marks the end of the #winelover trip in Belgrade. We are so lucky to meet so many new friends during this trip, and some of them have left us hooks to visit their countries.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 16, 2017 at 9:36am PDT

Another wonderful person we met was Manuella Webber-Witt, a Brazilian making wine in Germany. On the last day, we got the chance to taste her Riesling from Pfalz. It’s a Qualitätswein with brilliant acidity and crystalline fruit flavors. All the best to Manuela as she works on making her wine a commercial product!

Everyone else on the trip touched us in one way or the other. There were a lot of laughs on this trip including Giannas Krassaki who overslept and missed the entire first day of the trip (he is not in our group photo below). Thanks to everyone who made this trip so special for us. The enthusiasm and passion that the #winelover group displayed are what make these trips so special. Thank you Luiz Alberto of The Wine Hub for the photo below.

We look forward to meeting all of you, current and future members of #winelovers, on the next trip!

 
 
You May Also Enjoy
Articles: Serbian Wine
Videos: Serbian Wine – YouTube Playlist
More photos and updates about the #winelover trip in Serbia can be found on our Facebook and Instagram.

Check Out the Websites of Our #Winelover Members
Carol Lopez-Bethel’s Swirl Wine Consulting
Christina Portz’s Just the Bottle
Dušan Jelić’s Wines of Balkans
Mirjana Maksimović’s Žena i Vino (in Serbian)
Piroska Koltai’s Wine a’More Travel
Razvan Stoenescu’s Povești cu vin (in Romanian)
Sarah May Grunwald’s Taste Georgia
Tomislav Ivanović’s Vinopedia

The ideas expressed in this article are personal opinions and are not associated with any sponsors or business promotions.

The post See You in Serbia #Winelover Trip appeared first on Wine Travel.

North Serbia is home to what is perhaps the most experimental wine region in the country. Ironically it is one of its oldest wine regions as well, a place where Marcus Aurelius ordered vines to be planted 1700 years ago. For modern producers, what is old is new again.

The Fruška Gora hill runs approximately 80 kilometers east to west and its highest point is 539 meters. It’s flanked to the north by the Danube River. Most of the hill lies within Serbia’s borders, but a tiny portion of the western end is in Croatia. The low-lying Fruška Gora stands out like a sore thumb in the pancake-flat province of Vojvodina. It is technically located in the Sremski Wine Region, but many locals simply refer to the region as Fruška Gora.

Fruška Gora was the first wine region that we visited in the entire Ex-Yugoslavian region. We stayed in the cellar town of Sremski Karlovci in the late winter of 2016. The town is on the eastern end of the hill and filled with small, family cellars. We spent a few days going from cellar to cellar and came away unimpressed. Most of the wines were oxidized, rustic, and not very good. The one positive was that we got a chance to taste Bermet for the first time.

To be fair, we weren’t plugged into the Serbian wine scene at that point in time. That trip did yield a few great moments like tasting from the barrel at the well-regarded Belo Brdo and eating at Kovačević winery – one of our favorite Serbian restaurants.

In March of 2017, we returned to Serbia. We stayed in the capital of Belgrade for a few months tasting the new vintages and discovering new gems. During those few months, we took several day trips to Fruška Gora. Our old conceptions were shattered. We were shocked to find many clean, high-quality, and innovative wines being made on the hill.

Garage Wineries

There are several small wineries on Fruška Gora producing excellent juice. Arguably the most successful at the moment is Bjelica. Miodrag Bjelica produces wine in his attached garage. Miodrag is producing one of Serbia’s finest barrel-fermented Chardonnays and one of the top sparkling wines. Both wines are labeled Barbaroga and have fascinating labels.

 

Bjelica winery (Fruška Gora, Serbia) should be a familiar name if you’ve followed our Instagram or Facebook for awhile. The Saga (Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon) bottling is arguably our favorite white wine from Serbia. Unfortunately the Babaroga Chardonnay didn’t show up as well during our first tasting. That has changed as we retasted it on Saturday. The toastiness has settled down better and the Babaroga Chardonnay now possesses this big and stunning attack all the way from the front to end palate. It’s still a little premature for consumption but is showing great potential for a few years of aging and fantastic development. Also, check out the label designs of the Graffiti bottling in this picture. The design changes every year.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Apr 23, 2017 at 8:30pm PDT

The labels aren’t all smoke and mirrors, however. Bjelica produces our favorite white wine in all of Serbia named Saga – a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. It has a beautiful smokiness to it with a taut, acidic core.

Chichateau is another garage winery with owner/winemaker Đjorđje Stojsić. It’s in the heart of Fruška Gora and focuses on the classical varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. Đjorđje produces less than 15,000 bottles of wine out of his garage. His mother also makes some mean apple pie!

 

We don’t drink much rosé. We don’t like rosé much. Yet everything about this Chichateau Pink Punk 2016 seems to work its way to our hearts. We are especially fond of the typefaces, the tactile off-white label, and the enclosure. The presentation is spunky and iconoclastic. The taste is redolent of a cheerful summer, go-to-the-swimming-pool rosé but with a more ready-for-the-table seriousness. A blend of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Interestingly, it smells a lot like a fresh Pinot Grigio with its notes of lemon, pear, white peach, and spearmint. A strawberry characteristic echoes in the background. On the palate, it’s marked by zesty acidity, striking structure, and remarkable salinity. We can see why this is one of the most popular rosé in Serbia. Chichateau produces about 15,000 bottles/year out of a garage, using only estate-grown grapes. It’s located on the southern slopes of Fruška Gora. If you’re in Serbia, it’ll be worthwhile to check out the winery and/or its wines.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Apr 20, 2017 at 2:45am PDT

One of Chichateau’s most exciting wines is their rosé named Pink Punk. It’s light, crisp, and incredibly easy to drink. It’s a true blush rosé meant for summer sipping. Đjorđje also makes a solid red wine name Fabula Mala, which is a traditional Bordeaux Blend. His reserve red named Fabula Lagum is made only in good years and very exciting. I got a chance to taste the 2012 vintage from the bottle and 2015 from the barrel, both were well-made reds that compete with Serbia’s best.

Chichateau’s wines are now available for purchase via wineandmore.com

 

Our second bottle of 2015 Chichateau Fabula Mala. Pairing done with beef & bean chili. This appears much less oaky than the first. Drinking well now but can definitely knit and soften after another year in the bottle. Beautiful violet and rose, along with the usual fruit aromas. Modest intensity, depth, and length. We really enjoy this as a food wine and are inclined to put it in the same league as Matalj Kremen and Cilić Cabernet & Merlot.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Apr 28, 2017 at 4:30pm PDT

Another garage winery that caught our eye was Tri Međe i Oblak. The winery is located on the jagged border between Serbia and Croatia. The winery is named after the three border crossings that the owner has to make just to get to his vineyards. Tri Međe i Oblak made an interesting white wine from Grašac (known as Graševina in Croatia and Welshriesling around the world). They also grow and make wine from the red grape Vranac. It’s odd to see Vranac outside the Mediterranean climates of Montenegro and Macedonia, but Tri Međe i Oblak says the grape is doing well. Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to taste it.

The Conventional Wineries

Fruška Gora has the vineyard space to support several large wineries. Molovin, Kovačević, Ilić-Nijemčević, and Erdevik wineries all have the vineyard holdings and capacity that make them much larger than the aforementioned garage wineries.

The largest independent winery in Serbia, Kovačević, calls Fruška Gora its home. They produce close to one million bottles of wine every year and their Chardonnay is one of Serbia’s best selling wines.

Even at that scale, they produce some interesting stuff. Kovačević is experimenting with orange wines / amber wines produced both in wood and in Georgian qvevri (buried amphora). We had a chance to taste two macerated wines, one made from Grašac and one from Riesling – they were both very impressive. After the tasting, we went upstairs to eat at the superb restaurant and taste some archive and reserve wines, including a very impressive aged Riesling.

Our biggest surprise on Fruška Gora was a fairly new project named Ilić-Nijemčević. We were introduced to their wine by our friend Mileta Popović who runs the blog Serbian Wine Guide. Mileta treated us to a bottle over lunch. The label gave us cause for concern at first but once we tasted the wine, all doubts melted away. The Ilić-Nijemčević Crveno Vino is predominantly made of Gamay and it is fruity, balanced, and food friendly.

 

It seems odd that a Gamay-based red can go well with a mountain goat dish, but it does! It helps that the wine probably has some Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend and the meat is surprisingly not too gamey. The wine is red fruit flavor dominated with good texture, paired with lean goat meat cooked in kaymak (a cross between clotted cream and cream cheese), it’s a beautiful combination for a cold afternoon.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Mar 27, 2017 at 2:57am PDT

Less than one week after tasting the wine, we were off on a press trip to Ilić-Nijemčević. It is an old cooperative winery that was purchased by two families. They own their own vineyards and are already producing solid wine. Their whites and two rosé wines stand out in addition to their Gamay based wine.

 

Beautiful day in the Fruška Gora wine region of Serbia. We’re on a press trip to Ilić-Nijemčević winery.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Apr 1, 2017 at 12:51am PDT

Another interesting winery that has taken over an old cooperative is Erdevik Winery. It’s named after the village where it is located. They have a huge facility, a skilled winemaker, and beautiful vineyard holdings.

The buildings look old and rundown from the outside, but inside it is another story. Equipped with top-of-the-line equipment and oak, this winery is looking to push the quality barrier of wines for Fruška Gora. Their Sauvignon Blanc and two Rosé wines are already getting praise from the local press. The most exciting wine for us is their Omnibus Lector, a barrel-fermented Chardonnay that shows, dare I say, Burgundian traits. Erdevik wines are available for purchase at wineandmore.com

Every country that is attempting to re-acquire their lost wine culture need the types of wines that these producers provide. Wines that taste good, are technically sound, and affordable. We’re looking forward to seeing the progress of these wineries in the coming years.

Serbian Natural Wines

Serbia has an ancient winemaking tradition but in a way, but it is in the process of reacquiring its wine culture after the breakup of Yugoslavia. It’s a young industry that has been focused on quality-driven wines only for the last 15 years. But there is a thriving, underground, natural wine movement. The hub of this movement in Serbia is Fruška Gora.

 

The main motivation for us to attend yet another wine salon in Belgrade last weekend: to taste the wines of Oskar Maurer. Oskar is a famous mentor, leader, and figure of the natural wine movement in Serbia. The Maurer wines are hard to come by in Serbia as most are exported. We were told that these wines are so well-received in other parts of the world that they are listed by 12 different Michelin-starred restaurants across the globe.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Apr 23, 2017 at 8:41pm PDT

Currently, there are several natural producers on the market including Bikicki, Bojan Baša, Imperator, Maurer, and Sagmeister. We found this shocking for a country that has only 400 registered wineries and reinventing its wine culture. Bikicki wines are available for purchase at wineandmore.com

We’ve tasted wines from all of these producers. All the producers show enormous potential. The wines are very exciting and the local market is enthusiastic over this style of wine.

Final Thoughts on the Wines of Fruška Gora

We are the first to admit that we were wrong about Fruška Gora. That’s the beauty of the wine scene in these emerging wine regions. There are hidden gems all over the place, you just need to know where to look. We aren’t overly enthusiastic about the reds coming out the region – although we hope to be proven wrong again.  The white wines and natural wines show the most promise as of now.

Fruška Gora has a lot going for it: proximity to the two biggest cities in Serbia, south-facing exposure, moderating influence of the Danube, and passionate winemakers. The sky is the limit for this place and we’re glad to have seen the foundation first hand.

The finest selection of

Serbian wines

available at:

Shipping is available EU-wide and to the UK.

Check out Wines Available in the USA.

************

    Do you want to try Serbian wines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Serbian wines, look no further than wineandmore.com. With an abundance of options from different winemakers, it’s easy to find exactly what your palate desires. Not sure which bottle is best for you? Try out one of their curated wine cases and discover the perfect vintage for any occasion!

************

Want to learn more about wine?

Are you ready to discover the wonderful world of wines? Come join us at wineandmore.com and let’s explore the incredible selection of delicious wines together! We can’t wait to share our passion for wine with you!

You May Also Enjoy:

Vinarija Doja: Serbia’s New Vinous Star
Tonković Kadarka Fantazija 2011
Fine Serbian Wine On Belgrade’s Doorstep
Matalj Kremen Kamen: A Vertical Tasting 
Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon Impressions
Serbian Grand Cru On The Slopes Of The Danube
Prokupac From South Central Serbia 

Special thank you to Igor Luković and Tomislav Ivanović of Vino & Fino and Vinopedia for helping us schedule a few visits. Another thanks goes to both Dušan Jelić of Wines of Fruška Gora and Mileta Popović of Serbian Wine Guide.

Disclaimer: This article is based on our own opinions and is not associated with sponsorship or business promotions of any kind.

The post Fruška Gora: The Innovative Serbian Wine Region appeared first on Wine Travel.