During the Fall of 2018, we attended the Blaž Festival in Medjugorje, Bosnia Herzegovina. It was the third rendition of the annual festival that focuses on showcasing the local varieties Blatina and Žilavka. We’re big fans of the region and these wines, so it was a no-brainer for us to attend when we received the invite. Nearly all of the quality producers of BiH (Bosnia Herzegovina) were present at Blaž.

Blatina & Žilavka

Blatina and Žilavka are two unique grapes from Herzegovina. The region has a long history of wine production, dating back at least 2000 years to Illyrian times. That being said, wines from these grapes are not well known on the world stage.

Blatina is one of my favorite grapes from the Ex-Yugoslavia region. It creates medium-bodied reds with juicy acidity and distinctive mineral flavors. The wines are low in alcohol and retain a fantastic level of natural acidity, which is unique for the latitude (Herzegovina is approximately the same latitude as Rome, Italy).

The flowers of the Blatina vine are female, meaning they need a different variety to pollinate. For this reason, many producers plant Alicante Bouchet or another local variety known as Trnjak in their Blatina vineyards. Wines made from Blatina tend to taste like an imaginary cross between Sangiovese and Gamay. Oak aged versions tend to taste like rich wines made from Blaufränkisch. The wines are usually fruity and complex.

Žilavka is a unique grape that has few equivalents. The grape creates wines with high alcohol and surprisingly bright acidity. Žilavka vines tend to do well with the warm, Mediterranean climate of Herzegovina. Many producers told us that during drought periods, the only green of the landscape is from the Žilavka vineyards. The closest comparison for the grape that we have is Vermentino from Sardinia, thanks to the pine, ripe fruit, Mediterranean brush flavors that are accompanied by an oily mouthfeel.

Blaž Impressions

The Blaž Festival really impressed us. We had no idea what to expect and when we got to the venue we were blown away. The lighting was stellar and there was live music in addition to finger foods and cheeses. The organization was top notch and the organizers plan to do more Blaž events in the region including Sarajevo (BiH), Belgrade (Serbia), Split, and Zagreb (Croatia).

Wines made from Žilavka showed the weakest in our opinion. Too many producers use aromatic yeasts and the wines taste industrial and lack personality. Many of these wines taste like they could be any grape. If the target market is mass produced, low cost, fresh whites than this is no problem. However, if producers want to show off Žilavka’s potential, we’d like to see more examples made with indigenous yeasts and bottled unfiltered like the excellent wines from Brkić.

Wines made from Blatina, Trjnak, and Vranac are a different story. We tasted a number of exciting wines from all of these grapes. Blatina does well as a fresh wine and takes to oak surprisingly well for a medium bodied wine. Vranac (also spelled Vranec in Macedonia/FYROM) is mostly cultivated in Eastern Herzegovina but there are also a number of delicious examples in Western Herzegovina too. It’s a grape that we are big fans of and the potential is barely scratched.

We feel the grape Trnjak has the most potential to make deeply colored, highly structured, and age-worthy reds. This may be the regions ticket to serious and complex reds that can surprise a lot of drinkers. It will be exciting to return to the region over the coming years to see how winemakers continue to improve.

Here were our favorites from Blaž.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks

You can find out more about our scoring system on the Wine Rating page.

Žilavka

• Marjanović, Žilavka 2017

Marjanović has changed their labels for both the Žilavka and Blatina since we last tried them. Even though the label has changed, the quality still remains high. This wine is full of pine, ripe pineapple, Mediterranean brush, and mineral notes. It’s dry but has a bigger body with an oily mouthfeel. While it’s simple and delicious, the wine is big enough to stand up to chicken. Tart with a medium finish. 87/100

• Buntič, Žilavka 2017

The Buntič Žilavka (along with the examples from Brkić) is distinctly different from many examples of the grape. This wine has character, it feels unfiltered and isn’t as sterile as many renditions of Žilavka. There are notes of white flower, white peach, minerals, and yogurt. The wine tastes a little raw and edgy, yet contained. It is a wine for the geekier palate.  87/100

• Brkič, Greda 2015 & Mjesečar Žilavka 2016 

We’ve written at length about Brkić, in particular, the Plava Greda and Mjesečar Žilavka. There’s a reason for this. Josip Brkić is perhaps the name when it comes to wines in Western Herzegovina. He creates wines with character and soul.

The Brkić Greda is Žilavka that has been on its skins and lees for two years in the barrel. It’s unfined and unfiltered. There are notes of pine, sage, green guava, white flower, and oak. The wine is full bodied with a low level of tannins. For a big wine, this has bright acidity and lingering finish. 90/100

This is the fourth vintage we’ve tasted of the Brkić Mjesečar Žilavka and it never disappoints. It’s made by placing whole berries into Bosnian oak and letting the wine ferment naturally. It’s then bottled under the full moon. This is an orange wine but a fresh one at that with notes of pine, lemon, yogurt, and almond. This beauty has texture and a long finish.  91/100

• Čitluk, Žilavka Barrique 2015

The Čitluk Žilavka Barrique wine is aged for six months in 225L oak. The wood integration is fantastic in this wine. Notes of honey, white flower, lemon balm, and white peach take center stage. It’s a full-bodied white that shows fantastic balance. The wine isn’t overly complex but it’s a pleasure to drink. It’s a good example of fine oak integration in a white wine.  88/100

Blatina

• Carska Vina, Impero Blatina 2015

Carska Vina wines are dependable vintage after vintage, especially the basic Blatina. The Carska Vina Impero Blatina is aged in oak for over a year, it’s the reserve red wine of the estate. There are notes of sweet cedar, sour cherry, tobacco, and violet. It’s juicy and medium bodied with soft tannins with a long acidic core. The wine is not overly complex but it’s a lot of fun to drink.  87/100

• Nuič, Blatina Barrique 2015

Vinogradi Nuić is another producer that is focused on high quality and it shows across the portfolio. The basic Blatina is delicious and the Nuić Blatina Barrique takes it up one notch. We’ve had several vintages of this wine in the past. There is a lot of wood on the nose but that disappears on the palate. It’s lighter in color for a wine aged in oak. Flavors of sour cherry, mineral, and green herb emerge on the palate. It’s a juicy wine with soft tannins. It’s very reminiscent of a Sangiovese from Emilia-Romagna, Italy.  87/100

• Vina Rubis, Veteribus Blatina Barrique 2015

Vina Rubis is a newcomer on the scene and we were pleased with their Žilavka and both the Vionica and Veteribus Blatina offerings. The Vina Rubis Veteribus Blatina Barrique has a lot of oak on the nose but it is charming. It is aged in French oak. Notes of sour cherry, sweet cedar, tobacco, mineral, and a touch of brett dominate the flavor profile. It’s medium bodied and juicy, similar to a southern Italian Negroamaro. Some may find it a tad woody but therein lies its charm for me.  88/100

• Čitluk, Blatina Grand Cru Special Edition 2011

Find Čitluk wines at wineandmore.com 

Blatina usually creates medium bodied, juicy table wines. The Čitluk Blatina Grand Cru Special Edition is one of the few serious examples of Blatina that we have come across. It has more structure than normal Blatina-based wines and we wouldn’t be surprised if there is a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon blended in.

The wine has notes of red plum, maraschino cherry, cedar, and tobacco. It smells ripe and big but is actually medium-bodied on the palate. It smells and tastes like a Chianti Classico with a silky mouthfeel with round, developed tannins. It has a lingering finish but I would have loved to know this wine at a younger age. If you find it, drink it up now.  91/100

• Škegro, Carsus Blatina 2016

Find Škegro wines at wineandmore.com 

Škegro is a fairly new producer on the scene but they’re already producing some delicious wines. We’re fond of this wine in addition to the Krš Orange Žilavka. The Carsus Blatina is aged in oak for twelve months. This new vintage takes the bottling to new heights.

Most Blatina wines are dominated by red fruit flavors, this one is more on the dark fruit spectrum. Other flavors include sweet cedar, black licorice, and minerals and while the wine smells rich and bold, it’s juicy and medium bodied. A touch of Syrah-like citrus peel emerges on the finish with soft tannins.  89/100

Photo from the Škegro Family Winery Facebook Page.

Other Grapes

• Nuič, Trnjak 2015

Trnjak is another local grape of Western Herzegovina and it’s often planted with Blatina to help in pollination. This bottling may be the finest example that we’ve tasted of the grape and it really shows off the potential. The Nuić Trnjak is deep and dark in color and rich in extract. The flavors are made up of black plum, dark cherry, and sage. It’s round on the palate and plush without being sloppy – it feels similar to Merlot. The sweet tannins and fantastic oak integration finish off the package. A wine with big fruit and nuances.  91/100

• Vukoje, Vranac 2015

Radovan Vukoje actually makes the finest Žilavka we’ve ever tasted, the Carsko Vino Grand Cru. Unfortunately, it wasn’t at the show to taste. As good as that wine is, Vukoje is pretty darn good in Vranac too. The Vukoje Vranac is an entry-level bottling with ripe red fruits, sweet cedar, sage, and earth notes. It’s full bodied but the high acidity softens the mouthfeel. All of the acidity here screams for food. This isn’t as serious as the Vukoje Vranac Rezerva but it’s delicious and fun to drink.  88/100

• Andrija, Vranac Selekcija 2013

A big and round red wine, the Andrija Vranac Selekcija is pitch black with a lot of extract. The alcohol is high at 15.8% but it works well in the wine. There are notes of raisin, black plum, cedar, and orchid flower in the wine. It’s a full-bodied, quasi-jammy, monster of a wine. Very good oak integration and round tannins. It’s not the type of wine that we like to drink on a normal basis, but it’s very well executed for those who like this style.  89/100

The finest selection of

Bosnian and Herzegovinian

wines available at:

Shipping is available EU-wide and to the UK.

Check out Wines Available in the USA.

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

    Do you want to try Bosnian and Herzegovinianwines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Bosnian and Herzegovinian 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!

Cesarica Hotel provided us with two nights of accommodation for the Blaž Festival. 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 Bosnia Herzegovina Wine – Blatina & Žilavka From The Blaž Festival appeared first on Wine Travel.

Taste the best wines of North Macedonia at Skopje Wine Salon – Vinodonia. 

Chateau Kamnik Winery: The Collectible Wines of North Macedonia

Founded in 2004, Chateau Kamnik has grown to become the leading wine brand of North Macedonia. The Chateau Kamnik estate is in the Vardar River Valley, just outside the city of Skopje. The property consists of a winery, 15 hectares of vineyards, a hotel, and a restaurant called The Hunter’s Lodge Kamnik. The vines are planted at more than 300 meters in elevation.

Read: Visit Report by Matthew Horkey.

Watch: Wine Tasting at Chateau Kamnik in Skopje, North Macedonia

Chateau Kamnik works with many varieties including Arinarnoa, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc, Merlot, Montepulciano, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Temjanika (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains), and Vranec. The portfolio is always changing and always has something new and exciting to offer.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Recommendations: Chateau Kamnik Ten Barrels Syrah, Chateau Kamnik Merlot Single Vineyard, and Chateau Kamnik Chardonnay Barrel Fermented

Shop or find Chateau Kamnik wines at wineandmore.com

Watch: Vertical Tasting of Chateau Kamnik Cabernet Sauvignon at Skopje Wine Salon – Vinodonia 2016 

Stobi Winery: The Best Wines at the Best Prices

Located in Gradsko, next to the ancient city of Stobi, Stobi Winery was established in 2009. The winery produces around 4.5 million bottles every year and maintains good quality across the board, along with a few outstanding bottlings. The portfolio is segmented into four categories: premium, classic, elite, and traditional. The vineyards are located in the Tikveš wine region.

Watch: Wine Travel in The Tikveš Valley, North Macedonia

The grapes planted include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Graševina, Merlot, Muscat Ottonel, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Rkatsiteli, Smederevka, Syrah, Vranec, Žilavka, and Zupljanka. We’re particularly fond of the premium line wines as they offer great quality-to-price ratios. When visiting the winery, do not miss the chance of having a meal at its restaurant where all Stobi’s wines are available by the glass.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Recommendations: Stobi Vranec Veritas, Stobi Aminta, and Stobi Verdot

Watch: Tasting of Stobi Winery’s Premium Wines at Skopje Wine Salon – Vinodonia 2016

Tikveš Winery: From Basic to Classic

Established in 1885 and boasting an annual production size of 20 million liters, Tikveš Winery is the oldest and largest winery in North Macedonia. The winery owns about 1,000 hectares of vineyards and also purchases grapes from other growers. In 2010, Tikveš Winery started releasing premium, single-vineyard wines.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Recommendations: Tikveš Bela Voda Red and Tikveš Barovo Red

Watch: Introducing Tikveś Winey’s Bela Voda and Stobi Winery’s Syrah Barrique

You May Also Enjoy
Vranac Without Borders: 16 Wines to Try
Wine Expert in North Macedonia: Ivana Simjanovska

All photos courtesy of Skopje Wine Salon – Vinodonia.

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 Three Wineries in North Macedonia to Check Out appeared first on Wine Travel.

Reading Time:

The dark-skinned grape Vranac (pronounce Vrah-nahts) is largely believed to be indigenous to Montenegro but also found in the surrounding areas such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Vranac usually delivers wines that are deeply colored with juicy acidity. The best examples of Vranac can have mid- to long- term aging potential.

Vranac has a clonal relationship with Kratošija—also known as Tribidrag, Crljenak Kaštelanski, Primitivo, and Zinfandel. The name Vranac translates to “black stallion”. True to its name, many producers say that cultivating this grape is akin to taming a strong and wild mammal. The shoots grow vigorously, and the vines produce a lot of berries. As such, extensive pruning is required to reduce the crop in order to improve wine quality. In the cellar, acidity is a challenge, making it hard to produce a balanced Vranac wine.

 

As a flagship grape of Montenegro, it should be no surprise that the country’s biggest winery, Plantaže Winery, has over 1,600 hectares of Vranac planted. These vines are used to supply more than half of the winery’s nearly 2,000,000-liter annual production. However, it is North Macedonia—where the grape is spelled “Vranec” (pronounce Vrah-nehts)—that has the most Vranac plantings in the world. Vranac is also widely cultivated in Eastern Herzegovina, where it is sometimes made into high-quality red wine. The grape is also planted in southern Croatia, and it is mostly used for blending and making bulk wine; although a few producers, like Vinarija Grabovac, can make some commendable examples.

We’ve come across two general styles of Vranac during our research trips. The first has high extraction, dark fruit flavors, and plenty of oak. This style is the most prevalent in North Macedonia and Eastern Herzegovina. For wine lovers who enjoy rich Californian and Australian reds, this style of Vranac might appeal to them. The second is widespread throughout Montenegro. It’s juicier and more red fruit-driven than the first style. This style of Vranac can taste similar to some of the reds from southern Italy, which is across the Adriatic Sea from Montenegro. This is the style that we prefer although there are noteworthy examples of both styles from all of these Vranac-producing countries.

Here are 16 Vranac/Vranec blends and varietal wines to try.

Vranac from Bosnia-Herzegovina

• Tvrdoš Monastery Vranac 2013

Tvrdoš is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in the Trebinje Valley in Eastern Herzegovina. The monastery has a rich history that dates back to the 15th century. The Tvrdoš Monastery Vranac is its flagship wine. Elevated acidity combined with the flavor profile makes the wine redolent of a tart, forest berry pie (a freshly baked one no less). It is important to note that there are significant vintage variations for this bottling: we’ve tasted several outstanding vintages of this wine and a few less so. As it seems, the challenge is having a good fruit-acid balance.

• Vukoje Vranac Rezerva 2010

The Vukoje Winery is widely considered to be the finest producer in Herzegovina. It makes several Vranac-based wines. The Vukoje Vranac Reserve is a polished interpretation. The blackberry-dominating profile is brightened by a blueberry hint, along with notes of chocolate milk and freshly tilled soil. A medium-bodied wine with soft and sweet tannins. The acidity is slightly elevated, and it has enough extract to age well in the medium term. This would make an impressive first impression for people who are new to Vranac.

Vranec from North Macedonia

• Brušani Vranec Barrique 2011

Orce Dimitrievski makes a mere few thousand bottles of Vranac and Stanušina in the basement of his home. He uses solely the grapes from his family’s vineyards in the southern part of North Macedonia. Orce loves Chateau Musar (Lebanon) and tries to make Vranac in the same style and with the same philosophy. The result is Brušani Vranec Barrique, a wine that is wildly expressive on the nose, with notes of dark chocolate bar, leather, plum jam, and dark berries. The vanilla flavor is quite pronounced on the palate, but otherwise, the oak integration is applaudable. It’s round in the mouth with some tannic strength that adds to the length. This wine will need more time to stretch out before revealing its full potential.

• Brzanov Vranec Elixir 2012

Brzanov is another small winery, which is a rarity in North Macedonia. The Elixir line includes the reserve wines of Brzanov. This is a big and powerful wine at over 17% alcohol; the alcohol is fairly integrated. Bouquet of charred wood, chocolate, blueberry, and tangy berry pie. The palate is dominated by rich texture, dark fruit flavors, and pronounced acidity. The slightly grippy end-palate adds a welcoming facet to the wine. 

• Chateau Kamnik Terroir Vranec Grand Reserva 2012

Chateau Kamnik wines available at wineandmore.com

This is one of the two “Grand Reserva” wines made by Chateau Kamnik, the most famous and respected producers in North Macedonia. A trip to the country is incomplete without a visit to Chateau Kamnik. The Chateau Kamnik Terroir Vranec Grand Reserva is made from late-harvest Vranec grapes. Dense and concentrated at 16.2% alcohol, the wine has an inky purple hue and is extremely viscous. The bouquet is significantly more robust and complex than other Vranec wines, with notes of berry jam, sour plum, and white flower. On the palate, it appears fresher and chirpier than on the nose, with a spike of blueberry flavor, balanced acidity, and tannins that are young but round. The alcohol is nicely supported.

• Popova Kula Vranec Perfect Choice 2013

Located in the Demir Kapija village, the Popova Kula property comprises a winery, hotel, and restaurant. The Popova Kula Vranec Perfect Choice shows notes of plum, leather, pepper, and earth. The enamel-eating acidity would appeal to those who enjoy highly acidic and tart red wines.

• Stobi Vranec Veritas 2011

Located next to the ancient city of Stobi, Stobi Winery produces close to five million bottles of wine every year and maintains good quality across the board, along with a few outstanding bottlings. The Stobi Vranec Veritas is a beautiful wine made from 100% Vranec. Deeply colored, viscous, and intense but not overbearing, this example stands out from the rest because of its brightness. The acidity is high but integrated. The tannins are grippy, and the finish is long and polished.

• Tikveš Barovo Red 2013

Founded in 1885, Tikveš is the oldest winery in Southeast Europe. The Tikveš Barovo Red is a reserve bottling. A blend of 50% Vranec and 50% Kratošija (Zinfandel), the berries are sourced from vineyards in the abandoned village of Barovo. The bouquet shows chocolate, dark fruit, caramel, and pepper. The palate is rich and bold with red fruit and dak fruit. The long and spicy finish makes this wine a notch above most Vranec wines. The Barovo Red has been one of our favorite North Macedonian wines year after year.

• Tikveš Bela Voda Red 2013

Another reserve red wine from Tikveš Winery, the Tikveš Bela Voda Red is a blend of 50% Vranec and 50% Plavac Mali. The berries for Bela Voda are sourced from the village of the same name. This is a dense, rich and structured wine with broad shoulders. Flavors of tobacco, chocolate, dark fruit, cedar, and spice. The tannins are round and chewy. The finish shows length and clarity. In a way, this reminds us of a Chateauneuf du Pape. We can never decide if we like the Tikveš Barovo Red or the Tikveš Bela Voda Red more. (For wine label, refer to the photo above)

Vranac from Montenegro

• Buk Vranac 2012

The Buk’s vineyards are located in Crmnica, an area surrounded by mountains and rumored to be the birthplace of Vranac. This wine has interesting notes for a Vranac wine: on the nose, it’s smoky and gamey, with additional red-fruit and blackberry expressions on the palate. The integrated acidity accentuates the impression of an easy-drinking red wine with some bite.

• Krgović Arhonto Vranac Private Reserve 2012

Krgović is a producer that has impressed us with their entire lineup. The Krgović Arhonto Vranac Private Reserve is a straight-up delicious Vranac but not short of complexity. Notes of smoked meat, red fruit, pepper, and a hint of vanilla cream—with the fruitiness playing dominance on the palate.

• Milović Status Barrique 2007

Milović Winery is located in southern Montenegro, near Albania.  This premium Vranac bottling by the winery offers a quintessential “barrique-style” Vranac with flavors of caramel chocolate, forest berries, and black pepper on a medium body.

• Lipovac Amfora Tellus 2015

Lipovac is a new winery in Montenegro, and it has already received some international recognition. The Lipovac Amfora Tellus is made from 100% Vranac grapes. Fermentation, maceration, and aging one year) all happen in amphorae. This example of Vranac shows an unadulterated expression. There’s a sense of wildness in the flavor profile: forest berries, leaf pile, and lots of underlying earthiness. The acidity is juicy and the tannins are ripe and chewy. It’s rare to find a serious, structured and well-made Vranac that hasn’t undergone oak-aging. A fantastic proof that Vranac does not need to be “tamed” by oak to achieve complexity or polish. What an outstanding effort from a young winery.

• Plantaže Vranac Premijer 2009

Aged for four years in a combination of oak casks and steel tanks, and then three more years in the bottle. The Plantaže Vranac Premijer has a magnificent scent: mixed berry pie, violet, cedar, and a hint of cocoa powder. Tangy and juicy with the acidity under control. The silky mouthfeel is accompanied by a firm structure and a persistent finish. The tannins are buried by the intense fruit notes, while the oak impact is remarkably integrated. This is the top bottling of Plantaže and our favorite example of Vranac. We simply can’t get enough of this wine’s extraordinary balance and ampleness.

• Sjekloća Crmnički Vranac 2008

The Sjekloća Winery is the first registered private winery in Montenegro and produces only a few thousand bottles every year. Some of their vines are over 100 years old. The Sjekloća Crmnički Vranac is a blend of Vranac and a small amount of Kratošija (Zinfandel). A rich and full-bodied wine with a balanced interplay between the fruity and savory characteristics. The oak impact is coming together well at this age, and the wine is tasting surprisingly fresh for its age. This wine is absolutely worth seeking out.

Serbian Vranac

• Jović Vranac 2011

Jović is the name to know if you’re looking for Vranac wine in Serbia. A red fruit-driven wine with a good mid-palate attack. The acidity is integrated and controlled. Quite different in style from other Vranac wines, this plush and fruit-forward wine shows high drinkability.

• Aleksić Armanet 2011

Made by a winery in southern Serbia with grapes from North Macedonia, the Aleksić Armanet offers flavors of chocolate, cherry, plum, and raisin on a full body powered by 15% alcohol and biting tannins. Everything seems to come in jumbo size here, but nothing seems gratuitous. This will appeal to lovers of fruit bombs.

The finest selection of

Croatian, Serbian and Macedonian 

wines available at:

Shipping is available EU-wide and to the UK.

Check out Wines Available in the USA.

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

    Do you want to try Balkan wines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Balkan 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 Macedonian Wineries of Note
• Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon Impressions
• Macedonian Wine Expert: Ivana Simjanovska
• Dušan Jelić: A Perspective on Balkan Wine

– Cover photo by Sunshine Soon, CC By 2.0.
– This article is based on our own opinions and is not associated with sponsorship or business promotions of any kind.

The post Vranac Without Borders: 16 Wines to Try 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.

Raise your hand if you’ve had a wine made from the grape Vranac.

Outside of the Balkan peninsula, it might be hard-pressed to find someone who is familiar with this variety. Vranac is native to Montenegro, although most of the plantings exist in Macedonia (FYROM) where it is spelled Vranec.  You can also find Vranac-based wines in southern Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The grape has high acidity and can be difficult on producers. Many winemakers are still figuring out what they have with this grape. Vranac makes wines with deep color, high-extract, and juicy acidity. Unfortunately, the majority of the examples we’ve tasted are over-oaked with enamel-stripping acidity. In the Balkan region, many locals associate Vranac with cheap red wine that can be found on the bottom shelves of the supermarkets.

Yes, there may be cheap examples out there. There are also many poorly made examples. That being said, there are some standout Vranac wines in Montenegro (in addition to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia). The best producers of Vranac in Montenegro include Buk, Krgović, Milović, Sjekloća, and Zenta,  in addition to the large winery Plantaže.

We will have more information on these wines in a future article about the wines of Montenegro.

Plantaže

Plantaže is a large company in Montenegro and one of the largest wineries in the Balkans. They produce just under 20 million bottles of wine per year from all estate-grown fruit. They have the largest, single-plot vineyard in Europe at 2310 hectares. Over 60% of their plantings are dedicated to Vranac.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Mar 31, 2017 at 12:20pm PDT

We know the wines from Plantaže pretty well after visiting them in the Spring of 2016. An article I wrote about the winery was published on JancisRobinson.com.

The majority of Plantaže’s production consists of inexpensive table wines. Despite their large-scale production, Plantaže produces only bottled wine. Both of their entry-level and mid-range offerings of red and white wines deliver solid value for money. These wines are fresh and fruity and are technically sound. They make for solid, inexpensive companions on the dining table.

As quality-focused wineries continue to pop up throughout the Balkan region, Plantaže has upped their game by focusing on reserve wines. They have a separate facility and a separate winemaker for these wines. Their reserve wine facility looks like a family-run cellar, complete with all sizes of high-end French oak.

So how do these wines taste? Pretty darn good. The reserve wines are well-crafted and will please a big base of wine drinkers. I do wish they would be a little more value-driven, but the quality cannot be questioned. The Stari Podrum, Premijer, and Vranac Reserve wines retail between USD25 and 75.

Tasting Notes

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

• Plantaže Stari Podrum (Black Label) 2011 – 100% Vranac

Plantaže produces three wines under the Stari Podrum label.This wine is dark and ripe, full or raisin, chocolate, blackberry, and raspberry notes. The wine shows wood but not too much. The wine has 6 g/L of residual sugar but it still tastes dry due to the high acidity. The wine has fine tannins and while the acidity is high, it isn’t mouth-searing. This is for people who enjoy big, ripe, and fruity wines. Nice stuff but we prefer the other two Stari Podrum offerings.    3.9/5

• Plantaže Stari Podrum (Purple Label) 2012 – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

So this is not Vranac, but it is one of Plantaże’s reserve wines and it recently won a gold medal at the 2017 Decanter World Wine Awards. Charine thinks this is her favorite Montenegrin wine on the market right now.

Aged for one year in French barriques, two years in large casks, and another year in the bottle before release. The wine has a nice tawny color on the edges. It has an intense nose. Cassis, black cherry, sweet tobacco, oak, chocolate, and a touch of brown sugar flavors are present. The palate is rich and intense but a tad oaky with fine-grained tannins. When the oak settles into this more in a few years it will be very impressive.   4.3/5

• Stari Podrum 2011 (Maroon Label) – Blend of 80% Vranac, 10% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot

I wrote about this wine in my previous article about Plantaže but decided to include it here to complete the Stari Podrum Triad!

This wine is softer with Merlot and Petit Verdot added to the blend. The blend definitely works as the wine gives off well-integrated notes of dark berry, violet, chocolate, coffee, and caramel. The wine is fruit-forward; it feels complex, rich and heavy on the palate, yet not jammy. The acidity is perfect as it leads the flavors through a long end-palate.   4.1/5

• Plantaže Vranac Reserve 2011

Dark color and really refined nose of chocolate, blackberry, spice, and a touch of cedar. The fruit flavors are concentrated and the palate is dense with many layers of flavors. In the glass this really opens up, the wood melts into the wine and it reveals more Mediterranean herb. Old World fans will be really happy with this wine. The wood is laid down pretty heavily but will no doubt settle down with time in the bottle.   4.1/5

• Plantaže Vranac Premijer 2009

Aged for four years in a combination of oak casks and inox and three years in the bottle. Extremely pretty nose of mixed berry pie, violets, cedar, and a touch of chocolate. Tangy and juicy wine with the acidity under control. It has a silky mouthfeel and spicy tannins. Tight structure and a long finish make this an enjoyable wine. This may be the finest example of Vranac that we’ve tasted.  4.3/5

You May Also Enjoy:
Vranac Without Borders: 16 Wines to Try
Plantaže, The Giant of Montenegrin Wine
Big Macedonian Wines from Chateau Kamnik 

Disclosure: Thank you Plantaže for providing the wine samples. 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.

The post Is Montenegrin Vranac Capable Of Producing Top-Tier Wines? appeared first on Wine Travel.

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.

In the past, North Macedonia was a major wine-producing country and accounted for around two-thirds of the wine production in Yugoslavia. Today, North Macedonia has around 33,500 hectares of vineyards area, with 70% of the grapes being used to produce 120 million liters of wine every year—more than half of the production is sold as bulk wine.

Walking past a long line of oak vats before arriving at the tasting room of Tikveš winery.

The Tikveš winery is the biggest wine producer in North Macedonia and Southeast Europe. Established in 1885, the Tikveš winery is named after a wine district of the same name. The winery produces over 20 million liters of wine every year. In 2010, the Tikveš winery started releasing premium single-vineyard wines.

Here’s a look at the Tikveś Valley in North Macedonia.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Choice: Tikveš Barovo 2012

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate scored a barrel sample of this wine 91-93 points.  The Tikveš winery is one of the handful of wineries in ex-Yugoslavia to have received scores from Wine Advocate.

Made from the grapes planted in Barovo, a small and abandoned village in the south of the country—which is a common sight in the country as many people leave the countryside to look for jobs in the city or in other countries—the Tikveš Barovo 2012 is a blend of 65% Kratošija and 35% Vranec. Kratošija is also known as Crljenak Kaštelanksi and Tribidrag in Croatia, Primitivo in southern Italy, and Zinfandel in many parts of the world. Vranec is indigenous to Montenegro, but North Macedonia has the greatest hectares of planting. Its name translates to “black stallion”, which is in reference to the grape’s wildness and potency. Winemakers often say they must tame the beast in the grape in order to make a fine Vranec wine.

The Tikveš Barovo 2012 tastes a lot like a wilder Ridge Lytton Springs (Zinfandel-based wine from California). Rich and supple mouthfeel, prominent tension, and suitable acidity. People who like big, fruit-forward wines will really enjoy this. This is the epitome of North Macedonian wine—plenty of ripe black fruit flavors and powerful bouquet packed behind a richly coloured facade.

The Tikveš Barovo is available in the USA at ~USD20. This is a steal and can be a major talking point at dinner parties.

The finest selection of

Macedonian

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

• North Macedonian Wine: Tikveš Bela Voda and Stobi Syrah: Watch Video on YouTube
• Report: Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon
• Ivana Simjanovska: North Macedonian Wine Expert
•  

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 Tikveš Barovo: World-Class Wine from North Macedonia appeared first on Wine Travel.

We first met Dušan Jelić at a Serbian wine expo in Kragujevac, Serbia.  Prior to that, we were already following his website Wines of Balkans for a few years. The information on Wines of Balkans was invaluable as we made our way through the region over three months in the Spring of 2016. Dušan has been very giving of his time and knowledge during the short period we have known him. He has tremendous insight on wines from this area that is still unknown to most of the world.

Dušan Jelić: A Perspective on Balkan Wine

Dušan Jelić, founder of Wines of Balkans and Fair Cape Wines Agency

• What can the Balkans uniquely offer to wine enthusiasts?

The region offers unique gastronomy including Balkan wines made from more than a hundred indigenous varieties. At least 20 of these are responsible for great world-class wines from many different producers and regions, such as Furmint/Sipon, Malvazija Istriana, Posip, Plavac Mali, Prokupac, Tamjanika/Temjanika, Vranac/Vranec, Blatina, Zilavka, Kadarka/Gamza, Mavrud, Feteasca Neagra, Boğazkere, Assyrtiko, Xinomavro, and many more. In addition to top-notch gastronomy, the Balkans is an extremely diverse region that offers the ultimate wine tourism experience!

• How did you get involved with Balkan wine?

My father is a genuine wine lover. He allowed me to start nosing and tasting wine at a young age. I remember my mother ‘complaining’ to him for allowing me to taste the wine. Those moments left a lasting impression since I was at such an impressionable age.

After leaving Bosnia in 1992, at the outbreak of the war, I moved to South Africa. When I returned in 1998, I got a job with the United Nations. That stint was up in 2009 when I relocated again to South Africa at the age of 40 and decided to pursue wine as a new career. After going to various classes on wine over a period of time, I connected with a few people and was eventually appointed as the social media manager for the leading South African wine online company www.wine.co.za. In 2010, I was one of the first social media managers in the wine industry. I was studying at Cape Wine Academy in South Africa. In 2011, I decided to move back to the Balkans and apply what I had learned in South Africa. It was evident that the local winemakers within the Balkans had been shut out or not fully aware of the social media movement. They were hoping that their business would expand simply by making good products.

I started here on a shoestring budget, but I didn’t care because I loved it. Nobody was covering all the countries as a whole in terms of Balkan wine because it takes a lot of time, travel, and financial power. I worked to visit all of the countries and started very humbly. The first year, I was paying all of my expenses; the second year, I got a little help with travel and accommodation, and finally started earning a little on top of that. Eventually, I got invited to be a judge at several competitions as well as a guest of the key regional wine festivals.

• How can the Balkans brand themselves?

We cannot succeed unless there is a concentrated effort. People in our industry are scared to invest money in these things unless they see an instant return. ­ In this game, the benefits are not immediately visible. It’s sad because vintners here are good; they are producing better and better wine, but they struggle with marketing. The cheapest form of marketing is social media, and it is being done randomly and ineffectively—if at all.

You could brand each country or region within the Balkans individually. Macedonia has put together funds for a collective effort to get their wines known. Croatia and Slovenia do have certain funds from the state too. Istria in Croatia is perhaps the best example of how a region can brand itself. They have an excellent branding strategy ­ that is not only about wine quality. They have also been successful by integrating wine with their food, olive oil, and truffles. The branding strategy is one of complete gastronomy, not only wine. The only Balkan variety that has its own Riedel wine glass is Malvazija Istriana from Istria!

My idea is to promote the entire Balkan Peninsula as a collective region. Branding the whole region could combine the different wine regions with gastronomy, skiing in the winter, swimming and beach resorts in the summer, history and culture, and relaxing spas. It is amazing to experience the diversity of landscapes and cultures this region contains, ­ and you can cross the whole area by plane in an hour or so. This small area has so much natural beauty.

Exotic Wine Travel team overlooking the Lake Skadar wine-growing region in Montenegro.

For example, a tourist cannot come to Slovenia for 10 days and be happy. But what if there was an operated tour that tailored three days in Slovenia, three days in Croatia, a few days in Serbia, and a few days in Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, or Montenegro. There is a lot of diversity and experiences to be had in an itinerary like that. Once again, this is my idea; there is no evidence as of now that this will be executed.

• So what does Serbia need to do to distinguish itself?

Our native variety Prokupac is at least 500 years old but there is not a lot of information out there about it. There is a longstanding wine culture here. Serbia needs to promote Prokupac and other indigenous varieties and create stories around them. Wine needs stories! Next, these grapes need to be researched, planted at a greater volume, and mastered to make great wine. Only last month, for the first time,  it was decided that 14th October is being celebrated as International Prokupac Day!

Lastly, it’s not enough to have great wine, there must be a tasting room that holds at least one busload of people. Wineries must have properly trained staff and they must have some proper pairing food available, ­ be it outsourced or prepared by an on­site restaurant. Having a place to sleep tops off the experience because if the wine is good, it isn’t safe to be driving around.

To move to the next level, groups of winemakers within the different regions must organize themselves into associations to brand and market their specific regions. This is difficult in Serbia because I believe that the winemakers here struggle with vanity. I personally dislike it when a producer asks me to compare their wine to someone else’s specifically. This exists all over the world but I believe it happens more frequently in Serbia.

• Tell me more about Serbian wine.

If you had visited Serbia 20 years ago, you would have found next to nothing in terms of great wine. 10 years ago, perhaps a few great examples. But what has happened in the last few years is simply extraordinary. Five years ago, not one winery had an accommodation option and perhaps only 10 or so had proper tasting room facilities. Now, there are at least 50 with proper tasting rooms, 15 or so with accommodation options, and several with great restaurants attached.

There are several passionate individuals who have succeeded in connecting wine with tourism. There are about 30 or so in Serbia who have realized that they can live very well by combining wine and gastronomy. For people to go from the Communist mindset to producing these types of successes in one generation is bloody excellent and gives a lot of hope for the future.

Think about this, the first méthode traditionelle sparkling wine made in Serbia was done only in 2008 by Aleksandrovic winery. Our modern fine wine industry is young and very exciting.

• What is the future for Balkan wine and Serbian wine?

The biggest areas of growth will be Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Croatia. Romania and Bulgaria will grow tremendously because of the level of investment made in the wineries and their infrastructure and because of their European Union membership. Greece will continue to make big strides because of the tourist infrastructure combined with their olive oil and food. Croatia will grow at a very fast pace because of their tradition, food, and large volume of tourists.

Serbia will only be successful if there is a better organization at state and/or production level. If in the next five or 10 years, proper organization does not take place, Serbia will grow slowly based on the merits of a few individuals and will not assume its rightful place. I would love to see the top 20 or so producers come together, put in funds, and send professionals to do tastings and classes internationally. They can also invite Masters of Wine or Master Sommeliers from different countries to taste the wines. There is too much reliance on individual success. Serbia has a lot of potential but there has to be better management.

You can find Dušan’s work at his website Wines of Balkans and Fair Cape Wines Agency, and social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Google +.

Check out our video interview with Dusan:

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
Cracking Croatian Wine: A Visitor-Friendly Guide
Ivana Simjanovska: Macedonian Wine Expert (Wine Judge, Wine Writer)

Featured image courtesy of Wines of Balkans.
The ideas expressed in this article are personal opinions and are not associated with any sponsors or business promotions.

The post Dušan Jelić: A Perspective on Balkan Wines 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.