After a whirlwind, two-month period launching our book Uncorking the Caucasus in Georgia and Armenia, we decided it was time to leave the region. Winter was starting in Tbilisi and the cold weather came quickly, so we jumped on a plane and headed to the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), or Macedonia for short. We had reason to go back to this tiny Balkan country; there was a special event taking place.

Downtown Skopje, Macedonia, the site of Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon 2016.

Our friend Ivana Simjanovska was instrumental in putting together the first Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon. We wanted to show Ivana support for all of the hard work that she put into making this idea a reality. The Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon was a well-organized tasting of nearly 20 Macedonian wineries, in addition to several other wineries from Serbia, Slovenia, and Italy. The Wine Salon was held on the weekend of November 11 & 12, 2016 at the Mariott Hotel in downtown Skopje.

The main room at the Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon.

It was a small but fantastic show. We had traveled through Macedonia earlier in 2016 so most of the wines were familiar to us. At the Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon, we got a chance to taste some new vintages and discover a few wines that we previously missed. The main ballroom was bustling but small enough to taste at every booth without much hassle.

Saša Špiranec and Igor Lukovic leading the workshop on Balkan indigenous varieties.

Master classes were conducted on the same floor during the event. They were the highlight of the Vinodonia Skopje Salon for us.
 

Indigenous Balkan Grape Varieties

This was a highly educational workshop about Stanušina from Macedonia, Prokupac from Serbia, and Plavac Mali from Croatia. Each grape was presented by a renowned wine writer of the same country of origin as the grape. Ivana Simjanovska presented two Stanušina wines, Igor Luković had four examples of Prokupac, and Saša Špiranec showed three wines made from Plavac Mali.

The first two glasses in the upper left are Stanušina. The next four moving left to right are Prokupac, and the final three on the lower right are Plavac Mali (one glass of Plavac Mali is cut off). Note the color differences between the wines, especially the much darker Plavac Mali.

Stanušina is a Macedonian variety with a clouded history. It produces lightly colored and low in tannins wine with medium-level alcohol, which reminds us of a much softer version of Grenache. There are only two producers making Stanušina wine commercially at the point of writing. Hopefully, this grape gains more traction as a worthy variety that produces elegant, lighter red wines; this would be a good contrast to most of the reds coming from Macedonia, which are ripe and massive.

Prokupac hails from southern Serbia. It is an ancient grape variety with some ties to the grape Kadarka. It is Charine’s favorite grape from Serbia and it’s capable of making serious wine. The best examples we tasted were from the Župa valley where fruit is sourced from old bush vines. We’ve had many different styles of wine made from this variety. When done well, it can taste like an imaginary cross between Rhône Syrah and Pinot Noir. It is a grape that wine nerds should definitely seek out.

Plavac Mali is Croatia’s flagship red grape. It is the offspring of the original Zinfandel (Tribidrag/Crljenak Kaštelanski in Croatian) and another local grape called Dobričič. We know this grape very well. At its best, the wine can have luscious notes of red fruit, perfume, and earthiness. At its worst, it can taste moldy, overripe, and rustic. The wine has the potential to make incredible wines but you have to sift through a lot of uninspiring examples in Croatia to come across the great ones.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S PICKS

• Brušani Stanushina 2013

Light brick red in color with a nose of ripe cherry pie, clay, and cranberry juice. Flavors of red cherry, dirt, minerals can be felt on the palate with some light tannins. It is very complex for such a light red wine with tight tannins. The production is tiny and the winemaker finds his inspiration from Chateau Musar, so expect to find some volatile acidity and dirtiness in this wine. Still, the minerality of the wine is undeniably appealing. 

• Ivanović Prokupac 2015

Dragoslav “Gaga” Ivanović is a legend in South Serbia. When we were traveling through the country, someone referred to Gaga as a “Zen Master”. This is a blend of 85% Prokupac, 7.5% Merlot, and 7.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is dark purple in color with dark plum, blue fruit, and brown spice notes on the nose. The palate is rich with flavors of earth and dark fruit while staying tangy and acidic, with some tannic tug. A wine that is pleasurable now but is definitely worthy of aging. 

• Budimir Prokupac Boje Lila 2009 

Find at wineandmore.com

This is the third time we’re tasting this wine. The first time we tasted it, our initial impressions were very good but not exceptional. However, this time it really impresses us. Budimir is the only winery in Serbia to have their wines scored by Robert Parker.

This is 100% Prokupac, aged for five years before release. The dominant flavors are of earth, perfume, flower, and herb held together by a blackberry core. Good texture and a silky smooth finish.

• Miloš Stagnum 2007

Find Miloš Stagnum here.

One of Croatia’s cult wines, made from 100% Plavac Mali. Frano Miloš makes a range of varietal wines from Plavac Mali. He farms organically, employs natural yeasts, utilizes spontaneous fermentation, and believes in long aging. The 2007 is the current release. It has a nose of dried cherry, leather, rubber, mineral, and earth. On the palate, flavors of tangy cherry, leather, tar, and rubber emerge with nice acidity. The wine has rich flavors and is a throwback to the old-school style of winemaking.

Vertical Tasting of Chateau Kamnik Ten Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon 2004-2015

We visited Chateau Kamnik in April 2016 and tasted through their entire portfolio. A link to the article based on our initial visit is at the bottom of the page.

The Ten Barrels line from Chateau Kamnik consists of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah; the Syrah range is excellent as well. As the name suggests, there are only ten barrels of each wine made in a good year.

Macedonia receives nearly 300 days of sunshine each year. The country is at the confluence of Mediterranean and Continental climates which bodes well for grape growing. The thriving red grape is Vranec, but there is potential for many other red grapes to do well.

Eight vintages of Chateau Kamnik Ten Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon. spanning from 2004-2015.

With the high amount of sunny days paired with long, dry autumns in Macedonia, it’s not surprising to see many wineries with plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon. In this vertical tasting, we got a chance to taste eight vintages: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015.

The early vintages were balanced and had developed nicely. After 2009, the alcohol levels started rising and the wines showed riper fruit flavors and more oak. The wines of 2011 and 2013 were too ripe and big for us—that’s not to say that they are bad wines, it’s just a matter of preference. The 2015 vintage was a barrel sample and it showed a surprising amount of balance despite clocking in at 15.3 % ABV. The 2015 could shape out to be the best wine of the flight in the years ahead.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S PICKS

Find Chateau Kamnik wines at wineandmore.com

• Chateau Kamnik Cabernet Sauvignon Ten Barrels 2006

Clocking in at 14.1 ABV, this wine is an absolute beauty. The wine has bright cherry, tomato leaf, sweet tobacco, and rubber. The notes on the nose are very focused. The palate is full of sour cherry, sweet tobacco, and mint. It is wonderfully balanced, refined, structured, and delicious. This is great wine, period.

• Chateau Kamnik Cabernet Sauvignon Ten Barrels 2007

At first, Matt detested this nose but it kept revealing more secrets as it opened up. Charine loved this from the start. The nose is full of sweet tobacco, crushed flowers, black licorice, and potpourri. The palate is dark and complex with black licorice, incense, potpourri, and black fruit. It is nice in a different way than you would expect from Cabernet Sauvignon. This vintage has developed more tertiary (aging) notes than the 2006 vintage, which is interesting. 

• Chateau Kamnik Cabernet Sauvignon Ten Barrels 2009

A higher alcohol wine at 14.7 ABV and has vanilla on the nose at first but opens with rubber, cherry juice, and brown sugar. The palate is full of black cherry, pencil lead, spice, and smooth tannins but the body is big and strong. This is big and fruit-forward but not overly bruising. 

At this point in the tasting, we could sense the new vintage was becoming bigger and the alcohol level rising.

Stobi Winery Private Reserve Wines

The last masterclass of the salon was by Stobi. This winery is relaunching their top wines under the label Private Reserve. Stobi produces close to 4.5 million liters of wine each year; all are bottled wine. The winery is in central Macedonia, next to the ancient Roman city of Stobi, a well-preserved site. The peacock on the Stobi label is taken from a mosaic found in the ancient city.

The Stobi Private Reserve Line.

We visited the winery and superb restaurant in the Spring of 2016. Anyone who visits Macedonia should eat at the Stobi restaurant! The wines of Stobi are very impressive, especially for such a big-production winery. All of their wines, including the basic one-liter bottles, are of good quality. The top wines are well made and of screaming values. The Vranec Veritas 2011 has received 90 points from Wine Enthusiast and is listed on Wine-Searcher at 17.99 USD.

The Stobi Private Reserve Line.

The problems that plague many Macedonian wines include flavors that are too ripe, over-extraction, and poor oak management. These are not problems at Stobi. Balance is displayed in these Stobi Private Reserve wines—a rarity in a country where wines routinely reach 15-17% ABV. There are no blockbusters in the Stobi portfolio (yet) but all of their wines are very good at fair prices.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S PICKS

• Stobi Acacia 2013

Made from 100% Chardonnay. This wine is aged for eight months in Acacia and French oak. It has a nice dandelion color and the nose is very pleasant with yellow flower, pear, melon, and crushed white flowers. The palate is similar to the nose with a touch of pineapple. This is crisp and delicious for a wine aged in wood. Easy to understand and satisfying.

• Stobi Axios 2013

Made of 100% Merlot. The wine is aged 18 months in oak and is full of chocolate, pencil lead, and plum. The palate adds flavors of earth, pepper, capsicum, and slate. It tastes a lot like a lean, right bank Bordeaux. A well made and easy to drink wine.

• Stobi Aminta 2013

A blend of 34% Vranec, 33% Merlot, and 33% Cabernet Sauvignon. This spends 24 months in oak and has a nose full of chalk, red fruit, chocolate, and herbs. The palate is tangy with red and black fruit, blueberry, mineral, and a nice mid-palate spike. The wine is delicious, unique, yet strangely familiar. 

Thanks to Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon

We would like to extend a special thank you to Ivana Simjanovska and the team at Vinodonia. They provided us passes to the event and workshops. It was a fun event and we hope to make it to another one in the coming years.

We interviewed Ivana Simjanovska about Macedonian wine on our website in a previous article. You can learn more about Vinodonia on their website. We’ve also written an in-depth piece about the wines of Chateau Kamnik.

The finest selection of

Croatian, Macedonian

and 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 Croatian, Macedonian or Serbian wines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Croatian, Macedonian or 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: 
Barovo Tikveš: World Class Wine from Macedonia
10 Plavac Mali Wines to Try (Besides Dingač And Postup)

Disclosure: We were given complimentary passes to the Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon. However, the ideas expressed in this article are personal opinions and not associated with any other sponsors or business promotions.

The post Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon Impressions appeared first on Wine Travel.

One of the many benefits of traveling for wine is the chance to meet talented, passionate people. Ivana Simjanovska is one of those people that we were lucky to connect with. She is the co-author of two North Macedonian wine guidebooks and an international wine judge.

Explore North Macedonian Wine with Ivana Simjanovska

How did you get started with wine?
It began in 2007 when I was working at a multinational company. Many of my colleagues were into food and wine. At first, I gave them recommendations for restaurants in Skopje, and later, recommendations for wine. Soon after that, a few of us started a “Macedonian Wine Club” where we would feature different Macedonian wineries every month, and I was blown away by the level of interest in our monthly tastings.

Afterwards, my colleague had the idea to write a book about Macedonian wines. I said yes on a whim. We traveled to all the wineries in Macedonia and asked them to participate in the book. Everyone said yes. My colleague and I self-funded the whole project. Once we had all the information, in 2011, we published Macedonian Wine Guide, the first book ever written on Macedonian wine.

After publishing the book, I received my first invitation to be a judge at the Balkans Wine Competition, and things took off quickly from there. It helped that, at the time, I was the only one coming from Macedonia and people were eager to learn about our wines. I started to consider myself as a medium to the rest of the world—sharing the renaissance that was happening in Macedonia’s wine industry with people outside the country.

What makes Macedonian wine special?
In terms of wine production, we are humble and ranked somewhere between 25th to 27th in the world. Macedonia has a unique climate where we see at least 270 sunny days every year, coupled with a range of microclimates created by the hills and mountains.

Let’s take Vranec for example, a grape that is not indigenous to Macedonia but we consider it to be our national treasure. It’s planted all over the country but mostly in the Tikves wine district. Vranec is planted in various areas with different microclimates, and the result is different Vranec wines with distinct styles and tons of complexity from one single grape variety.

Macedonia is famous for reds, but there are some notable regional white varieties including Zilavka and Temjanika, which is a sort of Muscat. We are very proud of Temjanika even though Muscat is not in high fashion around the world. Macedonian white wines can be fresh and fruity—ideally to be consumed young. There can also be heavier whites with tropical flavors and high alcohol, although acidity can be a problem.

As for the reds, they are boisterous, spicy, and full-bodied. You can find similarities between our red wines and those from other famous wine regions such as Bordeaux and California.  Those wines may be made from different grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but their quality level and the style are somewhat similar to Macedonian wine.

Most Macedonian wineries are big in production. We’re talking about tens of millions liters per year. Is there hope for small wineries in Macedonia?
Boutique, family wineries are really important to not only the Macedonian wine story but the wine story of any wine country. They are the ones who tell the most compelling wine stories because they have been in the trade for so many years. Unfortunately, they face many challenges today.

First, they don’t receive any subsidy that can help drive their business forward. Second, they are not organized in any kind of association. If only they were unified, they could discuss and solve problems together. Most importantly, they could present their wines together and push the wines forward on the international platform. To this day, the small wineries have tried to promote and find new markets for their wine all in silos.

I am optimistic for the small wineries. The small wineries are not afraid to experiment, which can be expensive and time intensive. They are also trying to mix old winemaking style with the modern ways. Of course, bigger wineries have the means, and sometimes, they experiment this mix of old and new to a certain extent as well; but in my experience, it is the smaller players that are left with no choice but to do something groundbreaking and truly special.

What are some of the top challenges that winemakers and wine professionals face in Macedonia?
The biggest challenge is territorial branding: Macedonia as a country, let alone a wine country, is not well-known worldwide.

The second challenge is finding consistent markets to sell bottled wine. Selling bulk wine is and has been a reality for us in Macedonia; we cannot escape that. But in order to be taken seriously in the world market, it is important to have high-quality, bottled Macedonian wine available worldwide. During the Yugoslavian time, Macedonia was producing two-thirds of the Yugoslavian wine. 98% of that wine was poor-quality bulk wine. That period created a 50-year vacuum in the country’s wine industry. This period has also led to a poor image of Macedonian wine as a whole. In the last ten years, Macedonia literally had to start and grow from ground zero. Thankfully, there has been a big shift from quantity to quality.

Next, it is important to educate people on the wine from our country. France, Italy, and Spain have had their wine on the shelves and constant market presence for a long time. However, people are looking for something new every day. This gives not only Macedonian wine but also Balkan wine a great opportunity to share brand new stories with the wine connoisseurs. Wine history is currently being made here. This is rare in the wine world because history is over and done with in many of the Old World wine countries.

As outlined in your book, there is an appellation system in Macedonia. How is the domestic market reacting to this appellation system?
There are three levels, which I’ve highlighted in my book: Regional Wine, Wine With Controlled Origin, and Wine With Controlled and Guaranteed Origin. I hope we will continue to work on and improve the appellation system. However, as of right now, the domestic market and consumers are not that familiar with the appellations because the majority of them don’t understand them at all. We, the people in the wine industry, need to be better at explaining the importance of this system. If the domestic market understands the system, they’ll feel more empowered to buy and choose high-quality wine.

What are your favorite examples of Macedonian wines?
Let me preface my answer by saying that as someone in the wine industry, my preferences change all the time. I’ll give you my favorites among those that I’ve tasted in the last six months. One thing I’ve noticed is big wineries are making big leaps in their wine quality lately. These wines are listed in no particular order of importance or preference.

1. Tikves Bela Voda Red 2012 (50/50 blend of Vranec and Plavac Mali)
2. Chateau Kamnik Ten Barrels Syrah Reserva 2012
3. Brusani Stanusina 2013
4. Popova Kula Stanusina Rose 2014
5. Stobi Zilavka 2014
6. Chateau Sopot Vranec 2013

Woah. I’m glad that we’ve tasted all of those wines that you mentioned, which means we have achieved a decent impression of Macedonia as a wine country. Moving forward, what do you foresee in the future of Macedonian wine?
I am an optimist. I’ll tell you what I would like to see and what would make me happy. I would like us to conquer new markets. I hope wine export for Macedonia’s bottled wine increases. I hope that the small boutique wineries are encouraged to continue with their fine work because what they do is vital to the Macedonian wine story. I hope that the quality of Macedonian wine continues to improve, especially the wines made from our indigenous varieties. Wines made from local grapes are our prime passport to the international market. Finally, I hope that the wine culture here will continue to grow. We have to appreciate and know what we are drinking and convey that unique Macedonian wine story to the world. The best marketing tactic is word of mouth.

Thank you for your time and insights, Ivana! 

Guide to the Wines of the Republic of Macedonia

You can purchase Ivana’s latest book Guide To The Wines Of The Republic of Macedonia here.

The finest selection of

Balkan wines

available at:

Shipping is available EU-wide and to the UK.

Check out Wines Available in the USA.

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

    Do you want to try Macedonian wines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Macedonian 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

• Three North Macedonian Wineries of Note
• Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon Impressions
• Tikveš Barovo: World-Class Wine from North Macedonia
• Big North Macedonian Wines from Chateau Kamnik
• Dušan Jelić: A Perspective on Balkan Wine

Note: The Republic of Macedonia officially changed its name to the Republic of North Macedonia in February 2019.

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

The post North Macedonian Wine Expert, Ivana Simjanovska appeared first on Wine Travel.