Wine between the Adriatic and the Black Mountains

State winery and boutique wineries

The 70 per cent mountainous terroir and the mix of Mediterranean, continental and alpine climates characterise the spectrum and aromatic potential of Montenegrin wines, which are produced purely from autochthonous varieties. Winegrowing has been professionalised in recent decades. Word of the quality and originality of regional wines - such as those made from the "national grape variety" Vranac - has spread far beyond the country's borders. As a result, wine tourism is becoming increasingly attractive in the country.

90 per cent of Montenegrin wines are produced by the state winery 13.jul-Plantaže, founded in 1963. The 13 July plantation is named after the date of the country's first independence in 1878. Plantaže has around 2,300 hectares of vineyards, which produce around 22,000 tonnes of grapes every year. The resulting wines are particularly appreciated for their price-quality ratio.

In addition, many small, family-run boutique wineries offer tastings and tours. Their wines are only produced in small quantities and can only be tasted on site or served in local restaurants. From the centre of the country to the coast, earthy brown signs with stylised grapes guide you to the scattered wineries.

In Europe's largest vineyard

The most important liquid national heroes are the white Krstač and the red Vranac, whose main producer is the Plantaže w inery. As if it had adapted to the mountains, the Vranac grape has a thick, heat-resistant, black skin that gives the dense, high-alcohol wine its ruby red colour. The flavour reveals aromas of dark fruit, spices with earthy undertones, as well as mint. The red signature wine "Pro Corde" ("For the Heart") from Plantaže is drunk by the locals as an immune booster: "During fermentation, an extra portion of grape seeds with lots of antioxidants is added to the Vranac," explains sommelier and guide Bojan Bracanović.

"The Krstač is harvested by hand at night or in the morning," reports Bracanović. "In the past, it was not easy to produce premium white wines due to the hot climate. Today, we can give the wine the necessary freshness and finesse by processing the grapes cooler." The pale yellow white wine has a refreshing, floral character with subtle citrus notes and a hint of green apple. A sparkling wine is also made from Krstač together with Chardonnay, and recently even a Vranac sweet wine in Trockenbeerenauslese quality has been produced.

The Plantaže wine cosmos is gigantic. In Europe's largest vineyard, the terroirs are also oversized. The three wine cellars in Lješkopolje, Ćemovsko Polje and Šipčanik can hold up to 33 million litres of wine from 11.5 million vines. In the Šipčanik cellar, which is located in a former military aircraft bunker, wine tourists can choose between 50 wines during the two-hour tasting tours. These are accompanied by Montenegrin mountain cheese and ham.

Fine dining in the fortress

From the heart of Montenegro southwards, the terroirs become increasingly fertile and Mediterranean. Lake Skadar or Skutari is the largest lake on the Balkan Peninsula and lies on the border between Montenegro and Albania. The wines taste best on the organised boat trips with freshly caught or smoked fish such as carp, eel or uchel. The terraced southern slopes of its banks are predestined for viticulture.

The Besac fortress in Virpazar - one of the oldest military monuments in the country, renovated in 2022 - offers a journey through time to the 15th century. But also through the chronology of wines: In the small, fine wine museum in one of the stone rooms, all of the country's wines are gathered together. In the resort's fine dining restaurant, sommelier Milja Zenović recommends the perfect wine to accompany chef Dejan Mugosa's plate paintings. One of her favourites is the "Unique" from the biodynamic Mola winery in Rogami: the unfiltered Chardonnay from 2016 matured at a depth of 35 metres under water.

The most climatically spoilt wine region in Montenegro borders Croatia in the far west. In the coastal region between the sea and the mountains, which stretches as far as the fairytale Bay of Kotor, Venetian-Italian history is present in the baroque architecture. The Mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm summers allows the grapes to ripen very well. The land, characterised by sandy or loamy soils, produces full-bodied, fresh, fruity and light wines.

Probably the most unusual project in the bay is Krake's underwater wines. The Vranacs and Muscats, which are tightly sealed with wax and special corks, mature 20 metres underwater. They are served with mussels and fish on a floating wine bar or can be found à la carte in some restaurants in the region.

Wine is sacred

Wine is revered like a religion in Montenegro. The martyr Tryphon is considered the patron saint of gardeners and winegrowers. He found his final resting place in Kotor, in the oldest Roman Catholic cathedral in the south-east Adriatic, which dates back to 809. Many churches and monasteries here produce wine from their own vineyards. Nowhere is the wine more aesthetically pleasing to drink than at the Savina vineyard below the monastery vineyard of the same name near Herceg Novi, which dates back to the 18th century. Based on old maps of the private estate, the family has revitalised the old wine tradition. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Grenache mature in old French oak barrels from the family winery. The sweeping views over the sea during the tastings lull wine lovers into seventh heaven.