CorD Special Edition: Wine & Rakija Production

Viticulture Wine & Rakija Production

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VITICULTURE WINE & RAKIJA PRODUCTION

ZVONKO BOGDAN WINERY

Authentic And Recognisable Premium Wines On the eastern banks of Lake Palić in the very north of Serbia, anchored in an ocean of vines, lies the Zvonko Bogdan vineyard, built in the Secession style characteristic of the traditional architecture of this region and the nearby city of Subotica.

It began in 2008 when, uniting the specific Palić wine tradition with state-of-the-art French technology, this winery set out with the clear aim of producing top quality wine carrying the stamp of its region of origin.

Its name already suggests its aspiration, to be recognisable, gentle, nearby but still specific, special, consistent - just like the singer Zvonko Bogdan.

The Zvonko Bogdan vineyard covers 59 hectares in the Subotica-Horgoš sands district at three locations: Palić, Ludaš and Radić, each of which gives the wine the style and character of its specific terroir and microclimate.

Respecting the region’s traditions, white grapes (Sauvignon blanc, Pinot blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and yellow Muscat) and red ( Merlot, Frankovka, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet sauvignon) were sown.

It is well known that the production of good wine and its authenticity starts in the vineyard, but to bring high quality grape to a fine wine, modern technology plays an important role.

The advice of established experts in the field of oenology completes the requirements for a top quality wine of unique character.

All this is woven into the Premium wine, a Zvonko Bogdan Vineyard line that has been established at the largest global wine congresses, spreading the story of the beautiful Vojvodina plains, songs and farms in the north of Serbia.

Succeeding at the most important competitions and winning the highest awards in Vienna, London, San Francisco, Tokyo, Prague and at home, Cuvée

No1, the first in this line, has grown with the vineyard.

This complex and balanced wine is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Frankovka. It is complex, powerful, elegant, worth caring for and keeping, which is why it comes in a magnum besides the standard bottle, and in larger formats of 3, 6, 9 and 12 litres.

Recognised by international juries, Zvonko Bogdan Chardonnay was proclaimed the best Serbian white wine of 2014. This dry white wine that has matured for six months in Barrique barrels of French oak is known for its intense aromas of apple, pear and peach, enriched with gentle tones of vanilla and a pleasant citrus sharpness. This is an exceptionally harmonious, creamy and rich wine, with a pleasant tang and long fruity aftertaste.

Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc Zvonko Bogdan are now confirmed at the world’s major wine competitions, and are, as of this year, the proud the proud bearers of the most distinctive labels in the system of geographical origin – the purple plaque, which in Serbia regulates the production and marketing

of wine at the highest standards and guarantees genuine geographical origin and top quality.

Three years ago, the Zvonko Bogdan vineyard expanded its Premium line with a dry, refined rosé of delicate colour and satin texture made from Merlot.

Rosé sec is an exceptionally soft, balanced wine with a lively sharpness and long, fruity aftertaste. It has already won gold medal in Sofia, and last year took the title of the best rosé in Serbia.

Pinot Grigio is the latest wine in the Zvonko Bogdan Premium line. This dry, layered and wellrounded white wine is made from the Pinot Grigio variety from the 2015 vintage. It intertwines the aromas of white fruit with gentle tones of wild flowers, and has already begun its golden journey on the international wine scene.

The authentic Zvonko Bogdan Premium line can also be recognised by its labels that carry pictures

by Sombor painter Eugen Kočiš. The first of these have adorned bottles of Cuvee No1 since the very foundation of the vineyard, and reactions to its use led to the idea of completing the whole collection of Premium wines with these characteristic images.

And since the choice of wine depends on the occasion and mood, the Zvonko Bogdan Vineyard also provides its Classic and Icon lines.

INTERVIEW

Our Wines Are Distinguished By Their Quality And Specific Characteristics DARKO JAKŠIĆ Head of the Group for Wine Making and Wine Growing at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Management

The Ministry has provided assistance in forming 12 representative associations

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he Ministry of Agriculture devotes great attention to the development of winegrowing and winemaking, which is shown by an entire set of measures supporting the wine growing and winemaking sector. The incentives include nursery production and aromatised wine products and these sectors apply to all phases of production, starting with nursery plants, grapes and wine production, all the way to the marketing and sale of wine and aromatised wine products. The Ministry and representative manufacturers ’ associations have also joined forces and recently put considerable effort into establishing a system of geographic origin aligned with EU requirements.

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• There have evidently been positive changes and improvements in the wine sector in Serbia, wines becoming better and better over the years. Making wine with geographic origin is considered a top achievement. Why is that important?

What makes them stand out?

- The production of wine with geographic origin is truly a pinnacle in the

Thanks to the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Agriculture, readers may learn all details and precise and unbiased information about vineyard areas, manufacturers, wines and other related matters

wine industry. This is a difficult and demanding path, but at the same time the only way for a group of manufacturers, a certain area, and even the entire country to gain recognition in the field of wine, gastronomy, tourism and culture.

Several geographic designations of origin have already been protected according to the new, so-called “PDO/ PGI” system. Numerous other associations have started the procedure of protecting their designations. At the moment, some of our manufacturers’ trademarks may be more important than designation of origin, but following the example of countries with a long tradition of producing wines with designation of origin of the so-called

“Romance” type, the importance of designation of origin will increase and reach the same level as designations such as “Champagne”, “Bordeaux”, “Rioja”, “Tokaj”, “Chianti”, “Porto”….

• Wine is the first product in Serbia for which a system was introduced of labelling with designation of origin, quality and logos indicating origin. Who rates wines and what does the rating procedure look like?

- In fact, this is not merely rating, but is rather a complex system of inspection, starting with winegrowing, the basis for this being the Wine Growers’ Register that functions according to EU rules. Only vineyards entered in this register may be included in the geographic designation of origin system, and this means that verification has been performed of the varieties, health, average yield, quality of grapes (particularly sugar content in must) ….

In addition, the orographic and other winegrowing and administrative information is determined, vineyards’ surface areas are measured using GPS devices with great precision and GIS technologies, as well as spatial definition of the given vineyards, which all secures good control and reduction of the possibility of fraud in the yield and quality of grapes.

The inspection of the grape production itself, notably harvesting, as well as wine production, is performed by inspectors of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Following the completion of wine production, agriculture inspectors take samples of wines, code them, and send them to laboratories that are both accredited and authorised by the Ministry of Agriculture. The laboratories perform physical, chemical and, if necessary, microbiological analysis,

while sensory testing is performed by authorised sensory testers.

Based on professional opinion and documents, the Ministry of Agriculture issues decisions in the form

Wine manufacturers have recognised the importance of clustering aimed at protecting their designation of origin, and to achieve other goals and make use of their possibilities of certificates for given wines with designations of origin, specifically for a precisely determined quantity from a given vintage, based on which the manufacturers may collect a precisely determined number of quality and origin indication logos produced by the Institute for Manufacturing Banknotes and Coins. These logos are protected from counterfeiting in several ways, each logo having its own serial number, securing the principle of traceability.

• The Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia has published the Vineyard Atlas and Wine Atlas, including wineries in Serbia. You are one of the Chief Editors?

- The atlases you mention stem from many years of effort, in which my col-

leagues and I took part to finally provide the stakeholders with real and clear information about the Serbian winegrowing and winemaking sectors.

Now, thanks to the Serbian Statistical Office and the Ministry of Agriculture, readers may learn all details and precise and unbiased information about vineyard areas, manufacturers, wines and other related matters.

I think that the greatest value of the Vineyards Atlas and Wine Atlas lies in the fact that every manufacturer of wine is listed under their name registered in the Business Registers Agency, with names of wines that that legally conform and are categorised in the official quality categorisation.

In addition, what makes these atlases unique is that they also provide information on the characteristics of terroir and vineyard areas, which is why the Vineyards Atlas received an award for the best professional monograph in 2015 from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV).

• The Ministry provides a great many incentives for this industry. What are these measures exactly?

- Concerning incentives, there is a large number of support measures for this sector. Some of them include raising new production vineyards through repayment for purchase of nursery plants, placing supports, preparation and cultivating of the soil for planting and soil analysis, raising new vine stem plantations through encouraging the production of nursery plants, certification and clone selection of fruits, grape, and hops, or improving the production of grapevine nursery plants, support to investment in primary agricultural production, support for equipping wineries, improving the quality of wine through VITICULTURE WINE & RAKIJA PRODUCTION

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partial recovery of the costs of laboratory analysis of wine aimed at improving quality, support to the functioning of the designation of origin wine manufacturers’ associations.

• One can often hear that there is a need to form associations.

In the new system of protecting designation of origin, do winemakers' associations play a key role? your? How does this function and what is cooperation with associations like?

- Wine manufacturers have recognised the importance of clustering aimed at protecting their designation of origin, and to achieve other goals and make use of their possibilities. To date, the Ministry of Agriculture has provided assistance in forming 12 representative associations, whose targets conform to the EU’s targets for recognised manufacturers’ associations. All of this will have a positive impact on improving the quality of our wines and on better promotion of our designation of origin logos.

The Ministry of Agriculture has excellent cooperation with all associations, and it will soon be necessary to form a national association, which would be an association representing the existing area representative associations (by request of the EU), which would strengthen cooperation with manufacturers in resolving issues in the future framework of positioning the Serbian wine sector in the EU. • According to available information, we have about 25,000 ha of vineyards. Is there a plan to increase this surface by the time of EU accession?

- According to new European regulations and the negotiations on Serbia’s accession to the EU, Serbia

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The Ministry of Agriculture will continue to take measures supporting the winegrowing and winemaking sectors and, starting this year, some new measures will be introduced, such as certification of nursery plants and clone selection of autochthonous and created domestic varieties of grapes amounting to 10 million dinars annually may raise vineyards without any restrictions even after its accession to the EU. That means that “unnatural” pushing for the necessity of raising vineyards is not necessary. The focus is on strengthening market solutions to meet the needs of raising vineyards. Since winegrowing and wine production is very expensive and has a long period of payback on an investment, the Ministry of Agriculture aims at stimulating manufacturers to raise new vineyards, notably with our autochthonous and created domestic varieties.

• Interest in exporting wine to foreign markets is on the increase. What are the quantities in question? What is our advantage compared to wines from other countries?

- As Serbia is a much greater importer than exporter of wine (in 2016 we exported approximately 10 million litres of wine while we imported 22 million litres), we must first tackle competition on the domestic market. In other words, we must all work together to promote domestic wines and strengthen the wine culture in the sense of a moral obligation for us to consume domestic wines in the first place, followed by imported wines. Serbian wines are not competitive in terms of price compared to some imported wines, but what distinguishes them are special quality and specific characteristics, which are common to wines with designation of origin.

• What are the Ministry’s plans for further development and improvement of wine growing in Serbia?

- The Ministry of Agriculture will continue to take measures supporting the winegrowing and winemaking sectors and, starting this year, some new measures will be introduced, such as certification of nursery plants and clone selection of autochthonous and created domestic varieties of grapes amounting to 10 million dinars annually.

In addition, the new Law on Wine and Other Grapes and Wine Products will help introduce certain novelties in the winegrowing and winemaking sectors, such as unconditional access of the wineries to the registry, assistance to grape and wine manufacturers concerning administrative procedures, support to the organisation of national contests for best Serbian wine, etc. ▪

WINEART CELLAR

CORPORATE

Art Of Serbian Wineries Podrum Wineart (Cellar) received the prestigious One-Star Award under the auspices of the annual selection of the World's Best Wine Lists, which is organised by The World of Fine Wine magazine, in association with the Octavian Wine Vaults

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his prize not only brings a sense of a satisfaction, but also ensures that WineArt is on the map as one of the best wine lists in the world. As WineArt’s offer includes a large number of Serbian wines, this success simultaneously represents the success of Serbian winemaking.

Confirmation of this success is provided by the fact that Serbian wineries won nine gold medals and even more silver medals at the recent prestigious, globally relevant wine

PODRUM WINE BAR IN VIŠNJIĆEVA STREET, BEAUTIFUL ROOF TERRACE

tasting event in Vienna. The Austrian Wine Challenge 2017 (AWC) included the testing of 12,615 wines from 40 countries.

With an offer that includes over 200 wine labels, as many as 100 of which hail from Serbia, as well as two cellars for hospitality – Podrum in Old and New Belgrade – and three vinoteque wine bars, WineArt represents a paradise for wine lovers.

The Podrum (Cellar) in the old part of the city has one of the most beautiful roof terraces in Belgrade, where guests can enjoy over 50 wines available by the glass and, as of recently, the refreshing and “elevated” dishes of the new culinary team of the Podrum wine bar in Višnjićeva Street.

full glass, to merely tasting, for which they can also take advantage of the most exclusive wine labels. The Enomatic machine is used with

PODRUM (CELLAR), NEW BELGRADE

Serbian wineries won nine gold medals at the Austrian Wine Challenge in Vienna A special experience is organised in the Podrum (Cellar) in New Belgrade. Guests have available 16 wine labels and the possibility of serving themselves, along with a personalised wine card, with the help of Enomatic appliances.

The Enomatic wine system is a specialised appliance for serving wine “by the glass”. The most important element is that it retains the freshness of wine for a longer period of time.

Guests have the option of choosing from a

the help of personalised wine cards, which are topped up with credit at the wine bar.

The offer includes excellent wines from Serbian wineries Cilić, Deurić, Erdevik, Temet, Zvonko Bogdan, Lastar, Jeremić, Doja, Aleksić, Jelić and Pusula.

A special charm in tasting your favourite wines is provided by the atmosphere created by a team of sommeliers, together with young chef Petar Mandić. Alongside the best wines, are his culinary delights, which were recently enriched with the addition of dry-aged beef from the Dry Ager refrigerator, which can be seen at the Podrum wine cellar. ▪ VITICULTURE WINE & RAKIJA PRODUCTION

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INTERVIEW

Associating To Reach The International Market Geographical origin is a guarantee of an original and recognisable product. Winemakers were among the first to recognise the importance and need to associate, and the possibility of realising individual interests through common interests VESELIN DESPOTOVIĆ Founder of the Association of Wine Producers With Designation of Geographical Indications of Šumadija

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hings function like that around the world, and we just try to apply this winning combination. Any individual producer does not have the specific weight needed to launch things and that's why the Association is the only way of drawing attention to ourselves, the state, the market and equipment suppliers, and ultimately also to both distributors and consumers of our products.

• The Association of Winemakers of Šumadija gathers together a large number of producers and participates very actively, be that in legislative amendments, the training of its members or control. How would you explain the work of your association?

- Šumadija was among the first, but other regions also launched initiatives, so now there are several regional associations active. As a coincidence of the fact that we planted vineyards before the actual regionalisation, the Despotika Winery has part of its plantation in the Belgrade

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region, so on that basis we are also a member of that association. We try to give our maximum contribution and to advance the work as much as we can, because the problems that hamper us are identical in Šumadija and Belgrade and Župa and on Fruška Gora etc. Good experiences should be used and copied in similar situations, because that accelerates the process, and the ultimate goal is for most registered producers to be within the system of protected geographical designation.

• As an association, you were the first to launch the story of protecting geographical origin. How important is that for producers?

- Protecting geographical origin is very important for every producer, and the state rightly pays great attention to this issue. Designated geographical origin is a guarantee that the wine in question was produced in our country, in a specific region and from a specific variety of grapes, and according to technology, as defined in the study, adopted by the competent ministerial service. This principle is also important for many other products, such as rakia brandy, honey, slatko fruit preserve,

ajvar pepper chutney etc. Furthermore, it is also a guarantee that consumers are buying an original and recognisable product. Winemakers are certainly the drivers of this process and we care a lot about it coming to life as soon as possible in practise. As things stand, the current vintage will be in line with this principle and we are very pleased that 2017 wines will have designated geographical indications. This is an established system in developed wine countries and with it we become compatible and visible on the broader wine scene.

• The state, or the Ministry of Agriculture, provides a large number of subsidies that relate specifically to wine production. Are you satisfied with that cooperation?

- It's true that a lot has been done and that the Ministry has established subsidies on the basis of several factors.

Many people decided to enter into raising vineyards or purchasing equipment, relying on the aforementioned subsidies. Of course, we mustn't be satisfied with what has already been achieved, because there is always room for improvement. In the years ahead we

expect an increase in the agriculture budget and an increase in the amount made available to producers, because in this respect we are still a long way behind our counterparts in the region, and especially in Europe. We also rely on various European funds, which are constantly being announced but never start. For now, associations can use part of these funds, mainly for marketing purposes, introducing quality standards and increasing visibility, but the real effects can be expected when it becomes possible to use those funds for investments and the procurement of equipment, raising and expanding production capacities, or equipping areas to cater for wine tourism. • What are the main assets of the Serbian wine industry when it comes to appearing on foreign markets? Is it local varieties?

- Local varieties are important, as something unique and characteristic of each country or region, and as such should be preserved, developed and promoted. Unfortunately, we don't have many of them, so we can dedicate more time to them than was previously the case. In this sense, they can be a lure that will compel potential consumers to pay attention to us and will place us on the world's wine map. With the quality of our wines, we certainly deserve to find ourselves in such company, because all other factors are in our favour. We have a beautiful country, hospitable people and a rich history. We only need to clean up and mark the

Local varieties are important, as something unique and characteristic of each country or region, and as such should be preserved, developed and promoted natural and historical sights and we'll be much more interesting to foreign guests. Wineries are the leaders of these processes, but they can't do it by themselves. Wine production brings with it many other services, such as restaurants and hotels that follow modern tourism. Each has to do their own part of the job, from production, via tourist organisations, local communities and the competent ministries. And, of course, associations, without which it is impossible to appear on the international scene. • In addition to being a major export opportunity for our country, the wine sector also enables higher employment of young people, especially in rural areas. Do you think interest exists among them?

- The labour force issue is becoming increasingly important and I fear that it will eventually be a limiting factor in the further development of winemaking. Viticulture is a labour-intensive branch with the great participation of manual labour. If we manage to keep young people in the villages and offer them the chance to have a normal life, then we have succeeded. Winemakers contribute because we are interested in ourselves, but many other factors need to be included. Otherwise, there is a growing trend among people from urban areas in investing money in agriculture and agri-based production, so we are now experiencing a mini boom VITICULTURE WINE & RAKIJA PRODUCTION

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in establishing vineyards, distilleries, breweries, dairies etc. That needs to be welcomed and supported, because I think that our future is in agriculture and associated processing and service activities. I hope all this will contribute to the revival of rural communities and the return and sustaining of the young.

• The Vineyard-Growers and Wine Producers’ Association of Serbia, VIVIS, was founded back in 2008. How important is a joint approach and associating in this area?

- The Vineyard-Growers and Wine Producers’ Association, headed by Gvozden Radenković, was the precursor to modern associations in our region, and everything started from there. Another thing is that the new law on wine placed an emphasis on regional organisations, as they are smaller and more operative. This is logical, of course, and that's also how it is in the EU's wine countries, though some level of national organisation is still required, and I think there is a need to satisfy that through the transformation and modernisation of VIVIS. This is especially important for smaller countries like Serbia, where regional associations often include only a few producers and cannot independently attend international fairs and festivals as regions. For example, at the world's largest wine fair in Dusseldorf, national organisations are responsible for appearances, naturally

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with the support and help of the state. In this sense, I consider a national association as being necessary.

• Serbian wines win numerous significant awards internationally. How much effort needs to be invested to achieve this?

- When it comes to recognition, the truth is that Serbian wines are becoming increasingly recognised by almost all evaluators worldwide, and I must admit that everyone mentions that to us. However,

We, as a country, have an additional argument, and that is that we're pretty “exotic” for large tourism markets, and that should be exploited in the best way as usual, behind every success there is a great deal of work, sacrifice, investments of time, energy and money in order to reach a final product that will draw attention to some variety, region or specific producer. The problem is that this is a process requiring time, and producing under open skies is very risky. Given weather conditions, it is increasingly difficult to achieve continuous quality, and preventative measures are essential to ensure, as much as possible, a more or less successful harvest each year. Here we again reach the State and its role in supporting subsidies to build irrigation

or hail protection systems. Not to mention the role of colleges and institutes in selecting and developing new varieties, clones or substrates better adapted to weather conditions that we cannot influence. All in all, this is beautiful and creative work that requires a lot of effort and sacrifice, but when you receive significant recognition everything comes into place.

• Wine tourism in Serbia has prospects.

What do you feel needs to be done in order for this type of tourism to operate at full capacity?

- Wine tourism is a rapid growth branch and, together with rural tourism, represents a driver of development in many regions. However, although wine production is perhaps the most important, it is only one tile in a mosaic that needs to be fully formed in order to complete the picture. There are parts requiring investment, such as repairing broken roads or building hotels and parking areas etc. But there are also jobs that we can launch with a lot of resources. Not much is required to pick up plastic bags or bottles or get rid of some wild dumps.

That's more down to the consciousness of people at the local level. When all of this is assembled, then a bit of marketing and promotion is needed, and in a few years the results will not be lacking.

We, as a country, have an additional argument, and that is that we're pretty “exotic” for large tourism markets, and that should be exploited in the best way. This is also true of the world of wine, but also in many other areas.

According to our experience, the vast majority of foreign guests are delighted with their stay in Serbia, and they are the best advertisement for us as a destination. We also shouldn’t forget domestic guests, because as living standards and opportunities grow, so our people will increasingly be guests of wineries and other tourist attractions.

Despotika Winery and most of our colleagues are generally ready to welcome this wave. That’s why I can freely invite all those wondering where to go for the weekend – to come to nature, fresh air, natural food and good wine. ■

VITICULTURE WINE & RAKIJA PRODUCTION

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INTERVIEW

By LIDIJA CAREVIĆ

The Future Is In Autochthonous Varieties The advantage of Serbian viticulture is the region – its geographical position, the composition of the land, the climatic influences and man, while the future lies in autochthonous varieties that have the potential to create “great wines”

years, in order to approach the goals set for wine consumption in Serbia.

DEJAN ŽIVKOSKI President of the Serbian Sommelier Association (SERSA)

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espite active work being undertaken to popularise the wine culture in Serbia, and a wine offer that is diverse and rich, facts show that annual consumption of wine in Serbia is only four to five litres per capita, which is 10 times less than in some European countries.

• How would you explain this statistic?

- This information, unfortunately, is correct. Belgrade and Novi Sad are the most important wine consumers in Serbia. They are followed by Kragujevac, Niš and a few tourist destinations. In many parts of our country, wine is very rarely consumed – in some places only as part of religious ceremonies. Raising the wine culture is a process that’s underway and it is necessary to work on it for another 10 to 15

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• Autochthonous grape varieties provide the basis for penetrating the international market. Do our varieties have the potential to be made into “great wines”?

- Indigenous varieties, yes! The potential lies everywhere, but it needs to be recognised, nurtured, advanced, preserved and presented, all in the right way. This year saw the Serbian Sommelier Association - SERSA present Serbian wines at the planet’s largest wine fair, Vinexpo, Bordeaux, in a hall filled with visitors from New York to Tokyo, from Cape Town to Reykjavik. The reactions to our autochthonous varieties were exceptional, and after the lecture and tasting we stayed for an hour beyond the allotted slot to answer all the questions of the participants. This tells us that there is space for our wines in the world.

• If you had to single out a common characteristic of Serbian wines, what would that characteristic be?

- It is impossible to find a single word that would describe the common characteristic of our wines. I’ll try it this way:

stubbornness, tradition, luck-misfortune, persistence, stuff happens, pride, love, perseverance, copy-paste ... and the key one: a can-do attitude!

• Which wines are most commonly consumed in Serbia and how much is the average consumer ready to set aside for good wine?

- When it comes to people surrounding the Serbian Sommelier Association, those are wines of “small” wineries, 30 to 40 of them (I would remind readers that Serbia has around 369 registered wineries). But if we expand the story to encompass the wider public, we reach wineries with large production capacities (exceeding a million litres), while further expanding the sample brings us to wines made by cousins, neighbours or friends. In the majority of cases, wine is rarely consumed... For example, during training that we conducted in Pirot, we came to the realisation that the vast majority of those present only consumed wine before crossing themselves during family saints’ day celebrations.

• Does the quality of Serbian wines justify the price, and is their price competitive with imported wines?

- When we compare Serbian wines (here I'm talking about the 30-40 most popular wineries on the wine lists of restaurants and the wineries with which SERSA works closely), we see that prices vary very little.

Then, if we compare the wines from Serbian wineries and similar wineries in another European region, we reach the conclusion that prices are similar and there are no major fluctuations. Finally, when we look at the situation from the perspective of the average Serbian consumer, the usual place where prices are compared is the local shop, where European wines from wineries producing tens of millions of litres are compared to our wines that are produced in the thousands of litres. That, you will admit, is not quite comparable. To conclude, if wine is good and the price is appropriate for you, everything is as it should be.

• Some pretty serious medals have arrived in Serbia for wines made from our indigenous prokupac variety. Which awards in the past year left the greatest mark on Serbian winemaking?

- As it is in sports, so it is when wines are concerned; we have grown quite spoiled and with every appearance at a foreign wine review we expect a handful of medals, and to our happiness and joy that actually happens. We experience every medal awarded for our wines very personally; we are proud because SERSA has been part of the country’s new modern viticulture and winemaking since the start. Prokupac won Balkan gold, which is excellent. I’m not saying this is coincidental – it is the crowning glory of sweat and pain during the past 15 years of working on Prokupac, but I don’t think it's enough; we must and can do much more by all working together.

Every award leaves its mark, and the biggest task of all of us – from growers, via sommeliers to the state – is to increase the consumption of wines in households and significantly increase exports of mid-priced Serbian wines.

• When it comes to the quality of local wines, how can one recognise and select wine from a rich offer without extensive knowledge of wine?

- Very easily! Follow your personal taste, which is the correct and only recipe for satisfying your senses. But if you want to go beyond your usual limits, to go a step further, to challenge your senses and put them to the test, come to one of the training sessions organised by SERSA, where you will be taken care of by the highest quality team of experts in the field of wine education, with a combined total of more than a century of experience in the best hospitality establishments.

attend seminars elsewhere in the world.

This period ahead of us is very important, crucial for further raising quality and expanding the area covered by vines. Let’s recall that at the end of the 1980s Serbia had about 100,000 hectares of vineyards, while today it has barely 25,000ha. State support is essential... The future is in indigenous varieties.

• China and some other major markets are showing interest in Serbian wines, while some indications suggest that the

SERBIAN SOMMELIER COMPETITION SPARKLING WINE 2015

Prokupac won Balkan gold, and that’s no coincidence. This award is the crowning glory of 15 years of sweat and pain working on Prokupac.

Quality is no longer an option for Serbian viticulture; quality is an everyday reality • In your opinion, what are the biggest problems and greatest advantages of Serbian wines? What sets us apart and where does the future of Serbian winemaking lie?

- The advantage of Serbian viticulture is the region – its geographical position, the composition of the land, the climatic influences and man. We have a lot of young people in the wine industry, which is excellent, but there is a lack of more serious state support that would enable them to gain professional training and

Chinese market could “down” all Serbian wines? How do you position Serbian wine as a brand and what is your performance strategy? What potential does Serbian wine have on the European and world markets?

- The Chinese market is very large and all wine-producing countries are battling for it, including Serbia. I’m certain that our strategy shouldn’t be to sell large quantities of cheap wine to China. The strategy I would implement would be to introduce the Chinese market to our region, potential and quality, and when the first significant quantities of top, high-quality wines start to flow, they will be followed immediately by huge quantities of table wine. We have the potential and the product for both the Chinese and European markets, and for all other markets worldwide, and the Serbian Sommelier Association invests, and will continue to invest, all of its energy into promoting Serbia and Serbian wine. ■ VITICULTURE WINE & RAKIJA PRODUCTION

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CORPORATE VOĆAR KOPAONIK D.O.O.

Tradition of Quality Lasting More Than a Century

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oćar Kopaonik is a family business located on the eastern slopes of Kopaonik Mountain, headquartered in Brus, that is engaged in growing fruit and processing it into fruit brandy. The company owners’ tradition and experience of several generations of distilling rakija brandy dates back more than a century and is applied at each stage of production. It is important to note that Voćar Kopaonikćs products are continuously and consistently of a superior quality.

The natural fruit brandies represented in the range of company Voćar Kopaonik are clean, crystal

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VITICULTURE WINE & RAKIJA PRODUCTION

Cultivating fruit and processing it into fruit brandy is an old craft that is very commonplace in Serbia. For generations, the skills of making homemade brandy have been refined such that they have a quality that ensures they can even take pride of place on foreign markets

clear and colourless, which contributes to the overall visual appeal of this rakija. The aroma of these fruit brandies is accentuated, well developed, luxurious and clean, which is typical of this type of brandy, which creates the impression of a pleasant, pleasing and complex bouquet.

Voćar Kopaonik possesses ISO and HACCP standards, and in the analyses of national consumer organisations all products are evaluated as being 100 per cent natural.

Voćar Kopaonik pays particular attention to the packaging of its products, thus its offer includes an

exclusive wooden box for brandy that is ideal for corporate gifts, and on which a logo or slogan of the client company can be added.

Medals and awards received by Voćar Kopaonik for the exceptional quality of its products confirm the high quality of these fruit brandies. Of the numerous awards that have been won, the most significant were awarded at international fairs in Novi Sad, Belgrade, Leskovac and Brussels. Since 2001, Voćar Kopaonik’s products have received 20 gold and 13 silver medals at the aforementioned fairs. ■

The Best From Portugal Importer: VINOMOND d.o.o.

Belgrade, Zmaj Jovina 7

Sales: Vinski dućan Tinto® Lagumska 16, Zemun; Phone: 011 31 61 859

CORPORATE TANASIJE KATANIĆ, DIRECTOR OF THE KATANIĆ WINERY

Winemaking As Culture "The state must recognise winemaking and wine tourism as one of the (most) important branches of agriculture and decide on investment,” says Tanasije Katanić, director of the Katanić Winery, in this interview for CorD

A

t the very heart of Šumadija, in the immediate vicinity of Mount Rudnik, at an elevation of 500 metres above sea level, in reddish soil, the vineyards of the Katanić family grow. The Katanić winery is located on a family estate in the village of Kamenica near Kragujevac.

“The presence of these specific topographic and environmental elements, including a natural source of water under the vineyard itself, fuse to create a special microclimate that is a natural ally to winemakers, and to Katanić’s wines in particular,” explains Tanasije.

- As a consequence of this, our wines are produced exclusively from grapes grown on our estate, where quantity is secondary to quality – from the choice of French oak barrels to the selection of French bottles and label designing. Our assortment comprises the following wines: Chardonnay, Chardonnay barrique, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

• Serbian winemakers have been making plans in recent years to turn Šumadija into the “Serbian Tuscany”, based primarily on the quality of their produce. To what extent are such intentions viable and realistic?

- “Individual” initiatives of associations can in no way be achieved without a strategic investment by the state. And this means that the state must recognise winemaking and wine tourism as one of the (most) important branches of agriculture and invest in the

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development of infrastructure, i.e. roads, the internet, electricity, water supply… In parallel with this, it is necessary to invest in education and healthcare, and to preserve and improve the existing eco-system. It is important to firstly raise awareness at the

Our wines are produced exclusively from grapes grown on our estate, where quantity is secondary to quality national level regarding the importance of producing and buying domestic products.

The state should run a “marathon” and not “sprint” to stimulate the growth of the economy in the long run, and to raise the competitiveness of domestic products and services - within Serbia, but primarily beyond our country’s borders.

• Comparisons are often made between the number of litres of wine consumed annually by the French and here, and that calculation somehow always boils down to beer and rakija brandy in Serbia. To what extent is this down to the lack of a “culture”

of wine and perhaps insufficient promotion, or is it simply a case of “national habits”?

- The “culture of wine” is not related only to the traditional “habits” of society, but rather to the culture of society in general. Thus, the role of the state is also crucial here. Specifically, the state must create conditions for ‘fair play’ economic development, because only a strong economy can raise the level of education and culture, but also the living standards of the population, which ultimately result in raising awareness of the “wine culture”. ▪

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PRESENTING HILANDAR WINE

Serbian Wine th From The 12 Century

MILIVOJE RANDJIĆ, Director of the Holy Monastery Hilandar Foundation

In cooperation with the endowment of Hilandar Monastery, company WineArt organised a wine tasting event featuring wines from this holy mountain for HORECA managers and media representatives at the Podrum Wineart in New Belgrade

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n the presence of Milivoje Randjić, director of the Holy Monastery Hilandar Foundation, Srđan Stefan Milenković, communications & production manager at the Foundation, and Nebojša Šikanić, coowner of the Podrum Wineart wine cellar restaurant, wine tasting of three premium labels – Savino polje 2010, Hilandar 2012, and Hilandar Ružica 2016 – was conducted and included a large number of wine lovers.

Hilandar wines come exclusively from Holy Mount Athos, made from grapes of the Savino Polje Vineyard, which is located just two kilometres from the monastery complex, on the shores of the Aegean Sea. The vineyard covers an area of 15 hectares, with plantations of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Nearby, housed in the buildings of an old port facility, is a modern winery.

Wine has been produced at the monastery since it was first founded in 1198.

The old vineyard was completely drained and renewed in the 1960s, only for it to be re-established in its present form, adhering to the highest standards, at the end of the first decade of the new millennium.

Annual production currently stands at about 90,000 litres, while the monastery’s rich archives, which have yet to be fully examined, include photographs of harvests from the 20th century and records of the Prokupac variety. Hilandar is also home to the oldest vine of St. Simeon, dating back to the early 13th century, which is claimed to have medici-

nal properties and is known in the world for curing couples’ infertility. This vine is not used for wine production purposes.

Wines produced from the Savino Polje Vineyard are premium labels, while the monastery’s own vineyard produces wines with a lower percentage of alcohol and low in tannins, which are served on the monastery’s tables. Plans include expanding the Savino Polje Vineyard to include plantations of Prokupac and autochthonous Greek varieties.

It could be said that the wines from

Wine has been produced at the monastery since it was first founded in 1198. The old vineyard was completely drained and renewed in the 1960s, only for it to be re-established in its present form, adhering to the highest standards, at the end of the first decade of the new millennium. Annual production currently stands at about 90,000 litres

Hilandar are very specific, due to the unique terrain they come from, through their long history, tradition and alternative approach to cultivation, maintenance and production, all under the watchful eye of monks. These are wines with character; with impressive, playful and striking bouquets. Special attention has been paid to the labels, which represent a fusion of tradition and modernity.

It is also interesting that the monks drink wine beside two meals per day, and that Saint Sava himself established the rule that wine is not forbidden during working days.

Wine from this holy mountain is sold in Greece, while the market in Serbia is slowly being conquered, with people being introduced to these wines and liking both the story and the actual wine.

All wines from Hilandar can be tasted at Podrum Wineart bars in Belgrade's Stari Grad and New Belgrade, as well as being available to buy in the vinotheque shops of both venues. And buying this wine also helps with the renovation of Hilandar Monastery on Holy Mount Athos, which was damaged by fire in 2004. ■

HILANDAR RUŽICA (rosé) This merlot wine, easy to drink, fresh and bubbly, with slightly higher alcohol content (14.2%), has a finish with the aroma of forest fruits, dominated by blackcurrant and sour cherry.

To be consumed alongside heavier food, it is specific compared to other rosés on the market. What is characteristic of rosé is that in the Middle Ages it was produced sweetened and drunk diluted with water, with only barbarians drinking undiluted rosé.

HILANDAR 2012 A well-balanced Bordeaux blend of the varieties merlot (40%), cabernet sauvignon (35%) and cabernet franc (25%). An extremely strong and powerful wine with fine tannins and 14.55% alcohol. It offers a spicy nose with the aromas of vanilla and caramel that develop in oak barrels.

SAVINO POLJE The red Savino Polje (Sava’s Field) is a premium wine, an atypical red, complex wine, which has received rave reviews. A Bordeaux blend, 50 per cent merlot, with equal parts cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon, with intensive aromas of spices and forest fruits, a full flavour and soft tannins, and 13.5% alcohol, this wine has great potential for aging. A peculiarity of this wine is that it is not bottled if the year is bad, i.e. the harvest is selective (for example, 2014 was rainy, so the wine was not bottled).

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