Dry red wine "Vranac": description, manufacturer

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Serbian wine is undeservedly deprived of the attention of gourmets from all over the world. And in this Balkan country they know a lot about the manufacture of alcoholic beverages. The first vines were planted here by the ancient Romans, who appreciated the climate and soils of Serbia. From ancient times to the present day, some varieties have mutated and become autochthonous, inherent only in the Balkan Peninsula. The most famous of them are Krstac - with white berries, and Vranac - with black ones. A characteristic feature of these varieties is that they do not tolerate blending. Therefore, drinks are named after grapes - "Vranac" and "Krstach". This article is about the first grade. The name "Vranac" is translated simply - "crow". And, looking at the blue-black berries, you understand that the name for the variety was aptly chosen. Vranac grapes have a very dense skin. This allows you to deliver the whole berry to the vat for valuable wort.

Terroir

Wine "Vranac" is grown and produced in all countries of the former Yugoslavia. About seventy areas in Montenegro are planted with this variety. The terroir near Skadar Lake is especially appreciated. The valley in Macedonia between the two mountain ranges of the Rhodopes and the Pindus is also completely occupied by the Vranac vineyards. In Serbia, much less area is allocated for this variety. But this does not mean at all that Vranac is unpopular in the country. On the contrary, the Serbs believe that without ruby wine it is impossible to feel the taste of prsut - pork ham smoked on coals. But outside the country "Vranac" is completely unknown. The fact is that winemaking in Serbia is developing in the direction of supporting small producers. But in Montenegro, things are different. Several large wineries have made their way into the European market. Therefore, the Russian consumer can try the products of the Montenegrin company Plantage. She, among others, also produces the Vranac wine, which is popular in the Balkans. And to try the Serbian counterpart, you need to come to the country as part of a gastronomic tour.

Zupa brand

However, on the shelves of Russian alcohol shops with a wide range of products, you can find wine from the Vranac variety. And it will seduce the price. After all, the drink is not contained in glass, but in a tetra pack. It's called Zupa. If you look at the composition and the country of origin, then the label indicates: 100% Vranac, wine, Serbia. But gourmets do not recommend starting acquaintance with this variety from Zupa. The bunches were bought by the company from various growers, and the terroir of the drink is the mostmotley. In the Balkans, it occupies the lowest price segment. But this wine is suitable to accompany a simple everyday lunch. It has a beautiful dark red color, the smell of wild berries and a pleasant fresh taste. Dry wine with sourness conceals the fat content of pork dishes. Serve it slightly chilled (up to eighteen degrees).

The best wines from Vranac. "For the Heart"

The best wine "Vranac" (red, dry) is made in Montenegro. The Pro Kord brand, which translates as "For the Heart", by Plantage won many gold and silver medals at international competitions in 2013-2014. This reputable manufacturer has long been present on the European market. Its vineyards are located in the best viticultural regions of Montenegro. The average age of the vines reaches thirty-six years. Harvested in September strictly by hand, so as not to damage the integrity of the berries. At the winery, the grapes undergo a ten-day fermentation in stainless steel vats at a temperature of +26 °C. For maceration, 11 days are also given. Then the wine is aged for two years either in steel tanks or in oak barrels.

Tasting Pro Kord wine

Already one rich ruby color of the drink with a slight purple hue sets you in a festive mood. Let's shake the glass. The wine is dense, leaves a “tear” on the glass. Aroma? Bright fruity. This is a complex bouquet with dark plums, blackcurrants and ripe cherries. The aroma is slightly sweet: this note is given to the wine by vanilla and the crumb of fresh white bread. WhatAs for taste, one sip takes us to the fertile hot south. There are tannins, but they are very velvety. Sommeliers assure that the taste of the Montenegrin Vranac wine from the Plantage company can be compared with the French Pinot Gris. All products are aged for at least a year in stainless steel vats. Vintage wines such as Pro Kord spend at least two years in casks before being bottled. During this time, the wine acquires the aroma of coffee and prunes, and chocolate notes begin to be felt in the taste. The strength of this drink is 14 degrees.

Crnogorski Vranac

This Montenegrin wine "Vranac" by Plantage is distinguished by its dark red, turning into purple color. In a complex bouquet of medium intensity, there is an aroma of ripe cherries, wild berries and a barely audible sweetish vanilla. The taste of the wine is infinitely fruity, southern. Soft, rounded tannins give a full-bodied drink a charming velvety. The aftertaste is long-lasting, complex. This red dry wine has a strength of thirteen degrees. And it contains only 0.16 grams of sugar per liter. The 2006 harvest is especially good.

Vranac Potkrajski: 100% Vranac (wine, Serbia)

The price of this drink in Serbia itself is about three hundred and twenty rubles. That is, it cannot be called a cheap product. Produces "Potkrayski Vranac" a small family winery Jovic, which owns fifteen hectares of fertile land, five kilometers from the town of Knyazevac. Stara MountainsPlanina and Tupiznitsa create an excellent microclimate for growing vines. Wine "Potkrayski Vranac" has a dark ruby color. The bouquet is dominated by bittersweet wild cherries, vanilla and plums. The taste of the drink is rich. It has hints of wild berries with a barely noticeable coffee tint. The aftertaste is long and playful. The strength of this dry red wine is thirteen percent. It is consumed with juicy meat dishes of Serbian cuisine. But you can serve wine with mature cheeses, salami and smoked ham appetizers.

Tribune

Usually, Vranac wine is made as a single-varietal wine. But there are exceptions. Tribun wine, produced by Podrum Andelik, is a blend of Vranac, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties. What gives such a union of the Balkan variety with two French ones? Vranac gives the drink temperament, character. Merlot gives wine lightness, drinkability. And due to the presence of Cabernet in the blend, notes of prunes are heard in the aroma of the drink, and pleasant astringency in the taste. Do not forget that the wine is aged for another ninety days in oak barrels, which saturates it with tannins. The drink has a very pleasant acidity, which makes it suitable to accompany fatty meat dishes. The strength of this wine is 12.5%. A bottle of Tribuna costs about seven hundred rubles in Serbia.

Vranac Brojanica

Actually, the Zupa company is a huge Serbian concern that produces a variety of grape-based products - from vinegar to liqueurs. But if we do not focus on wines in tetra packs from the lower price category, then we will finddecent drinks. One of them is "Vranac Brojanica". This table wine has a very pleasant ruby color. The taste is very characteristic, with a Balkan temperament, notes of southern fruits are heard. The aroma of the wine is fresh, with hints of blackberries, blueberries, strawberries. This wine should be served at a temperature of eighteen degrees with meat dishes. Suitable as an aperitif or accompaniment to tapas.