Macedonia white wines

Smederevka


The leading grape variety for production of white wines in Macedonia is Smederevka. It’s supposed to originate from Serbia, nevertheless, its origin is not precisely confirmed. This variety is one of the oldest in the Balkans, and it is mostly situated in the areas with grapevine plantations for white wine varieties in almost all wine districts in Macedonia. It produces white wines with fruity aromas, low in alcohol, best drunk young. Smederevka is a table wine and is best served at a temperature of 8-10°С with light appetizers, white meat, cheese, fish and green seasonal salads.

Riesling


Wonderful yellow-greenish color, with a powerful and pleasant, flower-fruity aroma of peach, apple, limetree. Dry, brackish, lively and pleasantly sourish, long-lasting, with fruity finish. It is ideally served at 10-12°C with cold appetitezers, seafood, asparagus, green salads.

Zupjanka


This variety originates from Sebia as a result of interbreeding of the varieties Prokupec and Pinot Noir. It is a local Balkan variety and created as a new breed it has spread rapidly in Serbia and Macedonia. Zupjanka variety is characteristics for its acid content: it contains more apple than wine acid. The wines are characterized by freshness, fullness and gentle wine bouquet. The wines crispness makes it a delicious accompaniment to fresh seafood, oysters on the half shell, or grilled Mediterranean vegetables.

Chardonnay


In Macedonia, it can be mostly found in Skopje, Veles and Tikves districts, with a tendency of further spreading. It ripens at the beginning of September in the Tikves vineyards, and determining the opti¬mal date for harvest is of exceptional signifi¬cance for the quality of wine production. The Macedonian wines from Chardonnay variety generally have two characteristic styles. The first one is characterized by its fresh¬ness and fruity aromas dominate, like apple, citrus and banana. The second style is characterized by the oak taste as a result of the ripening in oak barrels. The flowery and spicy aromas are dominant in this style. It can be stated that Chardonnay is the happiest combination of all the varieties: Macedonian viticulturists want to grow it, the wineries want to manufacture it and everybody wants to drink it.

Zilavka


The Herzegovina variety comes from the suburbs around Mostar. The grape is juicy and sweet and beautifully refreshing with a fruity flavor and aroma that produces top quality wines. The wines have got intense and gentle varietal smell and taste. The wine produced from Zhilavka has definitely an aroma that is characteristic for this breed. This dry white wine has a full body and is best served at temperature of 10 to 12 degrees, and can be consumed with seafood, pasta, white meat, cheese, appetizers based on cheese, and with desserts.

Rkasiteli


The old Georgian variety is introduced in Macedonia around 1950s mostly planted in Vardar River Valley region. In the Skopje wine district it ripens in the middle of September. The wines are characterized by harmony, freshness and distinctive varietal flavor. It is suitable for blend of wines, which have insufficient acid. The Macedonian wines from R’kaciteli variety are characterized with golden yellow to green colour and fresh fruity flavors of apple, pear, apricot, mango, peach, grapefruit and pineapple. It is ideally served at 8-10оC with neutral cheese, prosciutto, white meat, green salads.

Sauvignon Blanc


In Macedonia, it can be found in Skopje, Kumanovo, Tikves and Ovcepole districts, and in smaller areas it can be notices in other vineyards, too. In Skopje vineyards ripens at the begin-ning of September and is abundant in vine. The identity that Sauvignon possess¬es comes from its vegetative and herbal aroma that originates from the pyrazines, compounds characteristic for this variety. Depending on the clone, climate condi¬tions and the usage of ampelo-technical measures, the aroma can vary significantly. This variety grown under the Macedonian sun gives high quality dry white wine characterized by yellow-green colour, a fresh herbal scent and harmonious flavour, complemented with aromas of mango and grapefruit.

Teran


Teran is an indigeous Slovenian wine. Its distinctive traits are intensive dark ruby red color, special fruit bouqet, fulness of aroma, higher concentration of lactic acid than in other wines and high extract. Teran has a moderate alcohol level, typically higher total acids and lactic acid, that gives the wine its velvety softness. In comparison with other red wines, it has typically higher concentrations of polyphenol substances.

Temjanika


The name itself, incense, means strong, intense smell of thyme. Temjanika wine simply paints your day with the joyful colours of flowers and fruits. It is supposed to originate from the Middle East and it can be rendered under many synonyms depending on the place where it is grown. This variety represents one of the oldest and ultimately wide-spread varieties in the world. The primary name according to OIV is the Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains. The juice is colorless with an intense Muscat aroma. The Macedonian Temjanika has an intense yellowish-gold color with nuances of green and highly complex and odorous scents. Main aromas are those of Muscat and are spicy; fruit scents of peach, apricot, dry plum and orange are dominant at the beginning, while the flavour of basil and incense follow later. The Temjanika wine is served at a temperature of 10-12 degrees, and can be consumed with light food, white meat, seafood and desserts.

Hamburg-Muscat


It is made from Hamburg-Muscat grapes that are harvested at the peak of ripeness in the Strumicko-Radovisko region of South-Eastern Macedonia. A semi-dry medium bodied quality red wine with bright red colour. A characteristic muscat bouquet with a sweet taste. Best served with a meal at 14-16 degrees Celsius.