Bozidar Aleksandrovic – Strategies of development of viticulture and winemaking will pave the way for Serbian wines

Those familiar with the Serbian wine scene know the Aleksandrovic Winery, which has been operating for years and is one of the originators of modern winemaking in Serbia, but also the keeper of the tradition of royal cellars in Oplenac.

That their wines are well established is shown by another one of the numerous awards. Regent 2015 was pronounced the second best wine at the Emozioni dal Mondo contest in Italy.

– In the past few years, at contests in Europe and the world, we have been winning medals for white and red wines, from Japan, China, West Europe, now in Italy, from one of the most prestigious contests, where Cabernet and Merlot wines are in competition. Regent won the award deservedly, as it is a wine originating in vineyards with over 15 years of tradition. This wine expresses the specific qualities of Sumadija's terroir. We hope that Regent will develop in accordance with its recognizable style in the upcoming years – Bozidar Aleksandrovic, the owner of the winery from Topola, says for eKapija. An interview with Aleksandrovic can be found in a separate article.

The quality of Aleksandrovic wines has been confirmed by the Bordeaux Wine Museum.

– When the Wine Museum was preparing its collection, prior to the opening, the organizer's attention was drawn to our wines, as they were looking for something exotic and rare, and Serbia was not known as a land of wine. They paid attention to the Aleksandrovic Winery and then to wines from Sumadija as well. After that, the Association of Winemakers of Serbia presented their wines there as well – our interviewee says.

On 75 hectares covered by a range of grape varieties, Aleksandrovic produces wines which are available in the local and the international market. Trijumf, Harizma, Varijanta and Regent are just some of the labels familiar to wine aficionados. What this winery wants to dedicate itself to in the future are Serbian indigenous varieties.

– Since 2017, we have had a pure Prokupac indigenous variety wine in our portfolio. Our aim is to have several more hectares under Prokupac and to explore the possibilities of indigenous varieties, as wines which come from this area and carry some of its specific characteristics – Bozidar Aleksandrovic reveals.



He confirms that wine selection is an individual thing and that there's no recipe for personal feeling and experience – everyone experiences wine in their own way.

– Wine offers a wide range of feelings and satisfies different senses. Wine should be experienced the way you see it and feel it. Of course, there's a general rule, which is that wine is picked based on the food. Light food matches light wines, fish requires white wine, whereas red wines are recommended with meat – our interviewee says.

The opportunity to experience this at the winery itself is available to many companies, as well as lovers of wine from the country and abroad. Aleksandrovic has been putting the emphasis on wine tourism for more than 10 years now. Over 10,000 tourists visit the winery each year.

– The focus is on corporate tourists, as more and more companies decide to have their meetings, presentations or team building sessions here, followed by wine tasting sessions and lunches where specialties from this area are served and matched with wines. Everyone has a good time here – the owner of the winery says.



Association of Winemakers and Viticulturists of Serbia

One of the events that marked the year 2019 was the founding of the Association of Winemakers and Viticulturists of Serbia. The founders of this national association are regional associations. Six regional association with a protected designation of geographic origin took part in founding the national association, and the plan is for this number to expand to 22.

– These associations are being formed, and each one that does a study on the protected geographic origin automatically becomes a member of the national association – explains Bozidar Aleksandrovic, which was elected president of the Association. As he adds, the aim is for all regional associations to unite and for the Association to become a relevant factor in creating Serbia's future of winemaking and viticulture, as well as an important factor in talks and team work that will bring together all the state's institutions, the government, ministries, institutes, faculties, viticulturists, winemakers, wine stewards and wine journalists.

– The common goal is for Serbia to be recognized as a country of vineyards and winemakers and to have even more areas under vineyards in the next 10 years. They are currently at a high level. Another goal is for Serbian wine brands to become more prominent in Europe and the world. We are on the right path. The Strategy of Development of Viticulture and Winemaking from 2020 to 2030 is currently being prepared. It will cover the establishing of vineyards, the increase of areas under vineyards, the equipping and the construction of new and existing wineries, in order for them to be ready for more and more quality wines, establishing cooperation with faculties and institutes, educating workers and experts beginning at the high school level, promoting Serbian wines and Serbian regions abroad, the development of wine tourism – Bozidar Aleksandrovic says.

He concludes the interview by saying that the strategy would become an official document once it is adopted by the government, as a guideline for the development of Serbian viticulture and winemaking in the next ten years.

Aleksandra Kekic

Vinarija Aleksandrović doo Topola

Savez vinara i vinogradara Srbije

Bordeaux Wine Museum

Božidar Aleksandrović

Bordeaux

Šumadija

Regent 2015

Trijumf

Harizma

Varijanta

Emozioni dal Mondo

white wines

red wines

indigenous grape varieties

Prokupac

matching food and wine

wine tourism

Boža Aleksandrović