Vintage Montenegro

With its burgeoning reputation for producing first-class wines, Montenegro offers much for even the most discerning connoisseur to enjoy. Rudolf Abraham explores the top options for tours of the country’s leading vineyards

Wine has been made in Montenegro since the Romans were here some 2,000 years ago. The favourable climate – relatively dry, with plenty of sunshine – combined with the proximity of the sea, elevated slopes provided by Montenegro’s profusion of hilly or mountainous terrain, and shallow, well-drained soil, all add up to excellent conditions for winemaking. And while this tiny Balkan country might be best known for its fabulous coastline, gorgeous mountain scenery and beautifully preserved towns drenched in centuries of history, it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of wineries here, producing excellent wines from local grape varieties. And what better way to sample some of them than on a local wine tour?

The two main local grapes in Montenegro are the indigenous Vranac and Krstač varieties, producing red and white wines respectively (as in neighbouring countries, red wine here in Montenegro is called crno vino, which means black wine). Vranac is Montenegro’s signature grape variety and the fruit, which is deep blue-black in colour, is generally harvested in the last week of August or the first week of September. A great big full-bodied mouthful of a red, Vranac is at its best when it’s been aged for a couple of years in oak, which rounds out the edges a bit, but it can also be drunk younger, when its nose has plenty of berries and its colour is a little lighter. Krstač, meaning cross, is named after the typical shape of the grape cluster. It produces dry whites and is generally harvested in the first week of September.

As well as Vranac and Krstač, several other grape varieties are grown in Montenegro, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Chardonnay, Marselan (a modern cross between Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon) and Pinot Blanc, along with two further native varieties of Kratošija (related closely to Zinfandel) and Žižak (producing white wines).

Montenegro’s main winegrowing areas lie around the western part of Lake Skadar, although there are also some smaller winegrowing areas near Podgorica as well as along the coast (including Ulcinj and the Bay of Kotor). The Plantaže winery at Ćemovsko polje is the largest vineyard in Montenegro and one of the largest anywhere in Europe, covering a staggering 2,300 hectares planted with around 11.5 million grapevines, stretching away from either bank of the river Cijevna, which flows into the Morača river a short distance further west. Despite its size, most of the harvest is still picked manually.

Plantaže’s wines are grouped into six categories, beginning with Classic and going up through Pro Corde, Premium, Selection, and Ultra Premium, to the suitably exclusive-sounding Royal Wines. My favourite is Vladika, a lovely barrique-aged blend of Vranac with a little Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Named after the celebrated vranacs, or prince-bishops, who ruled Montenegro from the 16th to the 19th century, the wine was produced in 2013 on the vineyard’s 50th anniversary (and in my case, drunk with friends over a memorable dinner at their home in Virpazar a couple of years later). Plantaže has a cellar and shop at the entrance to Lake Skadar National Park, near Virpazar, and offers group or individual tours of the vineyards (plantaze.com).

MOST MONTENEGRIN WINERIES can be visited by prior arrangement and offer wine tastings, often accompanied by delicious home-prepared food and even rakija brandy

The best winegrowing region in Montenegro is Crmnica, a small area just west of Virpazar and Lake Skadar (around 30km as the crow flies from the Adriatic coast, and 80km by road from Luštica Bay), where a number of modest, family owned vineyards are quietly producing some of the finest wines in Montenegro. ‘Montenegrin small winemakers combine the high standards of European wine production with the local quirks of indigenous tastes and cultures,’ states Danijela Radeć, president of the Association of Growers and Winemakers of Montenegro.

Vineyards in the region include Buk, Klisić, Kopitović and Mašanović, which have garnered an impressive number of awards over the years. Most of them can be visited by prior arrangement and generally offer wine tastings, also by prior arrangement, often accompanied by delicious home-prepared food such as local goat’s cheese, pršut (prosciutto) and other cured meats, olives, marinated fish and salads. With limited English spoken at some of the wineries, it’s generally best to arrange a visit through a local tour operator, who will take care of the language side of things and also drive you there and back, leaving you free to simply relax and enjoy the wines – as well as rakija, local fruit brandies, which are extremely potent.

I visited the award-winning Vinarija Buk with Undiscovered Montenegro (undiscoveredmontenegro.com) – the owners of the travel company have lived in the Virpazar area for over a decade and know the region well. Located in the diminutive settlement of Bukovik, set high in the hills above the Lake Skadar basin, the Buk winery has around 6,000 grapevines – mainly Vranac – that grow on stepped terraces between 270m and 700m above sea level. We tasted a delicious unoaked Chardonnay (the highest produced Chardonnay in Montenegro, at 700m above sea level), as well as a very good oak-aged Vranac and a red Marselan. They sometimes

WINE HAS BEEN MADE IN MONTENEGRO SINCE ROMAN TIMES have a rosé too, produced from the Marselan grape. The wines were accompanied by a platter of delicious local cheeses, cured meats and various other hot and cold dishes, and the tasting was rounded off with a few thumpingly powerful shots of rakija. The Rajković family know the Montenegrin wine trade inside out and owner Miloš Rajković’s father Đoko was the director of the Plantaže winery for 15 years. The Buk winery offers accommodation for 12 to 15 guests, and the terrace has beautiful views over the surrounding region.

Not far away from Bukovik, Kopitović winery (vinarijakopitovic. com) is in the village of Donji Brčeli. It is located on the opposite side of the old Virpazar to Petrovac road, which winds up over the mountains as opposed to the newer, shorter road which goes through the tunnel. The Kopitović family have lived in the village since the 15th century and their vineyard is planted mostly with Vranac, as well as a smaller quantity of Kratošija. Their wines include Šćepan Mali, a blend of Vranac, Kratošija and Lisica (another local variety) named after an 18th-century ruler of Montenegro; Sojak, a red made from a blend of Vranac and Kratošija; and Poskok, a distinctive tasting, late harvest, semi-sweet red named after the poskok nose-horned viper, a particularly aggressive species of venomous snake found widely in the Balkans. The winery’s tavern, Konoba Sojak, is over 300 years old.

In the village of Limljani, on the opposite, eastern side of Crmnica, I visited the award-winning Klisić winery. Here, wine tastings are also accompanied by delicious home-made food, served in a beautifully atmospheric tasting room, with red and white chequered tablecloths and walls hung with rustic farm implements, certificates and awards. Owner Ilija Klisić’s barrique-aged Vranac was excellent – one of the best I’ve tasted – and there was also a Cabernet Sauvignon, a rosé made from the native Lisica grape, and a dry Muscat. The vineyard, which is set at around 300m, is near the ancient little church of Sveti Toma, which survived a landslide several years ago despite the whole building shifting downhill some distance – look for the tell-tale sign of the lop-sided door frame.

THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF LOCAL WINES TO TRY IN MONTENEGRO

VRANAC WINE is a great big full-bodied mouthful of a red, best enjoyed when it’s been aged in oak for a couple of years, to round out its edges

‘Our tours aren’t just about the wine,’ says Emma Heywood of Undiscovered Montenegro. ‘They’re a chance to meet locals; to learn about and enjoy one of Montenegro’s greatest traditions – the kind of authentic experience where guests might find themselves attempting to play the gusle, Montenegro’s national instrument, in front of a delighted group who are thoroughly enjoying themselves.’

While many of these wineries can be visited throughout the year, if you’re in Montenegro in December, you might want to head to the annual Festival of Wine and Bleak, held in Virpazar. Bleak is a freshwater fish caught in Lake Skadar and this event is a great opportunity to taste wines from Crmnica along with plenty of delicious local food. In the summer, head for a tavern in a tiny village, like Konoba Godinje, where, along with a short, mouth-watering menu, owner Miško Leković serves his own wine. Or stroll through an open-air market, such as the one below the ancient city walls in Unesco-listed Kotor. You’ll often find home-made wine for sale at markets, among an enticing mix of other local produce. There is no shortage of local wines to try in Montenegro and the small producers of Crmnica continue to produce the country’s most wonderfully alluring and emblematic varieties.