Zavestaj Wine Cellar from Nakovo – Family Tradition Gets its Own Brand

The wine scene in Serbia has a new contender – the Zavestaj Wine Cellar in Nakovo near Kikinda. The Tesic family are certainly not beginners in this field, because they've been taking care of their vineyard for decades now, passing the tradition from generation to generation.

Nikola Tesic also decided to continue the tradition, but this time he went a step further.

– Since we have the quality and since there are numerous people who recognize it, who are now our regular customers, I've been thinking how there's no reason not to brand the product. I've developed the idea about the cellar as well, which is now ready to welcome its first guests, all the fans of good wine and good rakija. I inherited this vineyard, as well as the old recipes. Each generation made its contribution, so I think it's time for this generation to do so as well – Tesic says for eKapija.

The name was suggested by Nikola's girlfriend Tatjana, who, as he says himself, understands the essence and the idea that he wants to promote.

– The name communicates heritage, family winery and traditional production, which are the foundations of what I'm planning to do. Of course, I liked the name immediately and adopted it for the cellar – our interviewee points out.



He notes that he has been into viticulture his whole life. The first vineyard was established by his great-grandfather, nearly 70 years ago. It was expanded by his grandfather and then he inherited it four years ago.

– Alongside my grandfather, I made my first steps in agriculture as a child and over time learned everything I know about viticulture from him. Of course, additional education never hurts. I took a whole semester at the Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad in order to learn even more. Even today, I still learn new things every day – Nikola says.

The vineyard currently takes up one quarter of a hectare and this year it will be expanded by the same amount. As the young viticulturist says, the idea is not to sacrifice quality for quantity and to keep the traditional process of wine and rakija production, because, as he notes, there's no better way to do it.

– The varieties we have at the moment are Hamburg, Italian Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon, and the vineyard will most probably only be expanded to include Chardonnay, though I haven't yet decided whether to plant something else as well – Nikola reveals.

So far, the Tesic family has been producing mostly white wines, and that's the plan for the future as well.

– We will certainly focus of white wines and roses and I plan to turn all of Chardonnay into wine. In time, I'm sure some other varieties will be added as well. The production of rakija will go as usual, with one innovation that is to be implemented this year. For the first time, I will divide the rakijas into three classes, from premium to commercial – Nikola reveals.

New facility planned

When it comes to the future, our interviewee says that there are lots of plans. For a start, by the end of the year, he will double the area of the vineyard, produce rakija of three classes and a certain amount of white wines and roses and he will also complete the works on the wine and rakija cellar so as to adapt it for the visitors.

– Of course, there's also the new facility where distillation will be carried out in a traditional way, as well as the mechanization of certain processes in the vineyard itself, so as to accelerate the process – he adds.



He has some advice for those who want to try their hand at winemaking.

– Viticulture and wine and rakija making are in no way easy, though they may seem so to some. What I've noticed is that there are fewer and fewer viticulturists and that, in my environment, people often opt out of it, removing their vineyards. I am often contacted by acquaintances who have their own small vineyards, looking for advice regarding certain problems that occur. It's not hard to conclude that viticulture is a complex and in no way easy job. My advice to all those who plan to become active in this branch of agriculture is to arm themselves with patience, to be prepared to constantly learn, to be well informed, educated and aware that even the slightest mistake in this segment can truly cost you a lot.

Aleksandra Kekic

Podrum Zaveštaj Nakovo

Podrum Zaveštaj

Zavestaj Wine Cellar

Nikola Tešić

Nakovo

production of wine

production of rakija

Hamburg

Italian Riesling

Cabernet Sauvignon

Chardonnay

white wine

rose wine

premium class rakija

commercial class rakija

distillation