Montenegro Wine

The area between Lake Skadar and Podgorica is Montenegro’s most prominent wine region. This area has naturally fertile soil. There are more than 100 wineries in this fertile area.

The coastal area is Montenegro’s second wine region. The mild Mediterranean climate is ideal for growing quality grapes. There are fewer wineries along the coast than around Lake Skadar, but there are still several.

Vranac is an ancient variety and the king of red wines in Montenegro. It represents more than 70% of all domestic wine production in the country. The wine made from Vranac has become Montenegro’s national brand and the most recognizable varietal.

Until recently, its origins were unknown. It is now sure that Vranac originates from the area of Crmnica, and we know its parents are Kratošija, the oldest Montenegrin variety, and Duljenga, a very rare variety.

Kratošija is the oldest grape variety in Montenegro. The presence of Kratošija’s numerous descendants indicates that it originated in Montenegro. Based on all available data, it has been confirmed that Kratošija is the oldest name for Zinfandel – the same Zinfandel variety grown in California.

Lisičina (also known as Lisica, Ružica, Sjemerava, and Sjeruša) is grown around Bar, Ulcinj, Podgorica, and Virpazar (Crmnica).

Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in nearly every major wine-producing country, including Montenegro. The classic profile of Cabernet Sauvignon tends to be full-bodied wines with high tannins and noticeable acidity.

Merlot is a dark blue colored wine grape variety that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines in Montenegro.

Petite Verdot is blended with various other wines in Montenegro.

Krstač is the clear leader when it comes to white wines in Montenegro. Plantaže claims to be the world’s only winery producing this variety. Krstač’s grape clusters are medium size, tight, with a shape reminiscent of the cross, which gave the variety its name.

Chardonnay (also known as Sardone) is grown in the Coastal and Lake Skadar wine regions of Montenegro.

Petite Verdot is sold as a varietal wine and blended with Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay in Montenegro.

Pinot Blanc is sold as a varietal wine and blended with Sauvignon Blanc in Montenegro.

SELECTION STARI PODRUM (“Old Cellar Selection”)

This wine has a specific, intense flavor of prunes, cherries, and licorice that is well-balanced with spicy notes, giving it class and complexity. It’s a full-bodied wine with soft and sweet tannins, and a long-lasting fruity finish, supported by the delicate notes of vanilla and roasted coffee. It is a superb wine with a highly harmonious taste.

Food Pairing

The wine pairs well with hams and all red meat, game meat, and saltwater fish dishes. It’s also well-matched with spicy dishes and grilled meat.

SELECTION STARI PODRUM (“Old Cellar Selection”)

The unique cuvee of two grape varieties, Vranac and Petit Verdot, was produced from the selected harvest of a small vineyard block. The wine was fermented in big oak barrels and aged in the best French barriques and in the bottle.

The wine is a violet color. The flavor is the ripe plum, black cherry, and blackberry with spicy notes of licorice interwoven in the aftertaste. It has a subtle, tannin structure.

Food pairing

It pairs well with beef steaks, stewed and roasted red meat, and game meat. It also goes perfectly with aged cheese.

SELECTION STARI PODRUM (“Old Cellar Selection”)

The grapes for this Merlot are grown on a 2.5-acre plot in Cemovsko polje. They absorb the best sunshine and show the hallmark of the Montenegrin terroir.

The wine is full, juicy, and soft, with velvety tannins. The notes of chocolate and mocha are interwoven in the aftertaste. This wine has a luxurious, aromatic structure, led by fruity notes of cherry, currant, and blueberry.

Food Pairing

It goes well with beef steak in red wine sauce, grilled red meat, roasted lamb, and turkey.

SELECTION STARI PODRUM (“Old Cellar Selection”)

The wine has an intense red-ruby color. The scent is deep and multi-layered, with ripe blackcurrants, blueberries, and blackberries interlaced with mint, dark chocolate, coffee, and cedar. This taste is sweet, succulent, and full, with pleasant notes of prune, blueberry, and a mild touch of spice. It is well-balanced with vibrant acid and a long, fruity aftertaste.

Food Pairing

The wine pairs well with dishes made of veal and lamb prepared with creamy sauces or with spices such as rosemary, basil, and thyme.

SELECTION STARI PODRUM (“Old Cellar Selection”)

This blend is a modern wine with a fruity character. It has flavors of sour cherry, blackberry, and forest fruit, with spicy tones in the background. It is a powerful, balanced wine with soft tannins and a long-lasting finish that prevails over the flavors of the sour cherry and small forest fruit.

Food Pairing

This wine pairs well with grilled steak, stewed and fried red meat, pork, lamb, veal, and all meats prepared in red sauce. It also matches perfectly with the mature cheese.

SELECTION STARI PODRUM (“Old Cellar Selection”)

Similar to the Petit Verdot-Vranac-Merlot blend, this is a modern wine with a fruity character. It has flavors of sour cherry, blackberry, and forest fruit, with spicy tones in the background.

Food Pairing

It pairs well with grilled, stewed, and fried red meat, pork, lamb, veal, and all meats prepared in red sauce. It also goes well with mature cheese.

ULTRA PREMIUM

Premijer is the selection of the best Vranac Reserves from the Plantaže cellars.

It’s a dry wine with a deep, purple-red color and a distinct purple reflection on the rim. The wine has layered, complex, and developed scents of black, forest berry fruit with sweet layers of licorice and dark chocolate. It is robust and jammy on the palate, with prevailing blueberry, blackberry, and prune flavors. The aftertaste is extremely long, with alternating fruity and spicy flavors. It’s a robust wine of rich tannins, vibrant acids, and outstanding balance, but the developed and rich bouquet and subtlety of the flavors and aromas give a specific charm to it.

Food Pairing

The wine pairs well with noble, mature semi-fat cheese, prosciutto, and chocolate and walnut desserts.

ULTRA PREMIUM

This Vranac wine is only produced during the best harvests. The wine develops its recognizable bouquet due to aging in wooden vats and then in the bottle for 3 to 5 years. On the nose, it is ripe and has intense forest fruit aromas. The taste of the wine is rich, warm, and ripe, with prevailing jammy notes of the forest fruit meshed with coffee, tobacco, sweet vanilla, and dried figs. It has an impressive, long, strong, and pleasant aftertaste.

Food Pairing

This wine pairs well with beefsteak, pork, prosciutto, smoked meat, semi-hard cheese, cheese with noble mold, and many chocolate desserts.

PREMIUM

Vranac Barrique is made from grapes grown on the best parcels of Ćemovsko polje. The grapes are picked when fully ripe with the best polyphenolic complex and high sugar content.

The wine has a dark ruby-red color with purple hues. It has multi-layered aromas of red fruits, black currant, and blackberry, followed by chocolate, caramel, and licorice notes. The taste is complex, full of fruity cherry, prune, chocolate, and creamy caramel tones. It’s rounded and soft, with toasted oak and smoke aromas.

Food Pairing

The wine pairs well with well-seasoned red meat, game meat, prosciutto, and high-fat cheese.

PREMIUM

This wine was made for Plantaže’s 50th anniversary and to celebrate the great jubilee – the 200th anniversary of the birth of Montenegrin ruler and Bishop Petar II Petrović Njegoš.

A genuine blend, the wine is dominated by Vranac with lower percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It’s a complex, intense wine aged in the best oak barrels. 

The wine has a dark ruby-red color. It has deep and multi-layered aromas of ripe cherries and blackberries, with mild notes of vanilla that mix into a soft, fruity palette. The wine is flavorful, with a strong taste of cherry, accompanied by chocolate, toasted hazelnuts, and vanilla tones. It also has fruity flavors of blackberries, blueberries, and cranberries in the aftertaste.

Food Pairing

It goes well with freshwater and saltwater fish, grilled turkey and chicken, and veal dishes with various toppings.

PREMIUM

The wine was made in honor of Plantaže’s 55th anniversary. It has aromas of black and blue fruit, with spicy tones of licorice and hints of dark chocolate and coffee. It is complex and full-bodied, with soft tannins and pleasant acids.

Food Pairing

The wine pairs perfectly with fish dishes from Lake Skadar and the Adriatic. It also goes well with Montenegrin specialties made of red meats (slowly roasted beef under the bell and stewed lamb shoulder with rosemary).

PREMIUM

In 1993, Vranac, with the name “Pro Corde” (meaning “for the heart”), was introduced to the market. The wine was produced using new vinification technology designed at the beginning of the ’90s. These special procedures result in increased levels of natural ingredients in the grapes that benefit the human body.

The wine is a dark, ruby color. On the nose, it expresses fruity aromas with blackberry and cherry aromas. It’s a well-balanced wine with tannins that are finely harmonized with the tones of the ripe red fruit. The wine is full-bodied and long-lasting.

Food Pairing

Pro Corde pairs well with beefsteaks, roasted lamb, game meat, roasted goose or duck, and grilled tuna. It also goes well with mature, hard cheese.

PREMIUM

The wine is a very likable ruby ​​red varietal. Fruity prunes, blackberries, sweet apricots, dried herbs, and toasted almonds dominate the aroma, with fresh pomegranate in the finish. It’s a full-body wine with velvety tannins due to aging for two years in the highest quality French oak barrel.

Food Pairing

The wine pairs well with juicy beef steak or a spicy seafood salad if fish is on the menu. In short, the wine pairs well with more robust flavors.

CLASSIC

The color of the wine is intense red ruby. The nose has distinct aromas of small, berry fruit, blackberry, and blueberry with discreet, dry spices. The wine is fruity on the palate, with a prevailing blackberry aroma, balanced acids, and a moderate tannin structure. The aftertaste is intense with a fruity-spicy character.

Food Pairing

Vranac pairs well with red meat, game meat, spicy dishes, and fatty, mature cheese. In Montenegro, it is traditionally served with Njeguši prosciutto and dishes made of sea and lake fish, particularly with smoked carp and all types of roasted and grilled dishes.

CLASSIC

The wine is a dark red ruby color. On the nose, it has noticeable sweetish aromas of blackberry, blackcurrants, sour cherry, and cherry, complemented with the black pepper notes. The wine is well-rounded on the palate with distinct fruitiness of ripe, mature, red fruit, giving it a sweetish, fresh aftertaste. Soft tannins provide fullness to the wine, and lively acids make it very crispy.

Food Pairing

It pairs well with dishes made of red meat, smoked prosciutto, fatty river and lake fish, all types of grilled and roasted meat, and mature hard cheese.

CLASSIC

The wine is dark red ruby color. The nose has distinct aromas of dark berry fruit with prevailing blackcurrant. It’s easy-drinking, full-bodied, and rounded with good acids. The black cherry and blueberry notes are pronounced in the intense fruity aftertaste.

Food Pairing

It goes well with not-too-spicy dishes made of white and red meat, beefsteak, pork, prosciutto, smoked meat, and hard cheese, as well as with poppy seed and walnut cakes.

PREMIUM

The wine is light pink with orange nuance. It has a fragrance of white flowers, citrus fruit, and ripe strawberry. It is succulent, refreshing, mineral, silky, and full-bodied with a sweet, fruity aftertaste.

Food Pairing

It pairs well with dishes made with red meat, smoked prosciutto, and fatty river and lake fish. It also goes well with ripe, hard cheese.

CLASSIC

The light pink wine has intense raspberry, currant, and wild rose aromas. It’s a vibrant yet elegant dry wine with a soft and harmonious taste. The acids are mild and fruity and leave a pleasant freshness. It has a long aftertaste of raspberries.

Food Pairing

Rose makes an ideal aperitif but pairs well with light summer salads, fish pates, and dried meat.

PREMIUM

This wine is made from carefully selected Chardonnay clones from the best localities of Ćemovsko polje. It was aged for a year in the best French barrique barrels. 

It has a light yellow color. The aromas are green apples, pears, and pineapple, with vanilla, marzipan, and almond tones originating from the wood. The flavor is rounded and full-bodied, smooth, with depth and refreshing grapefruit notes in the finish.

Food Pairing

The wine pairs well with fish, seafood, chicken, turkey, veal, risotto, pasta, spicy chowders, and dishes with mushrooms.

PREMIUM

This wine was made for Plantaže’s 50th anniversary and in celebration of the great jubilee – the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Montenegrin ruler and Bishop, Petar II Petrović Njegoš. The wine was named after his brilliant poetic work, “Luča mikrokozma.”

It has a light yellow color. The intense aromas of peaches, citrus, pineapple, and honey create a rich, aromatic, and energetic white wine. The taste is complex with dryness and spicy-fruity notes, leaving a long, refreshing aftertaste.

Food Pairing

It goes great with homemade cheese, smoked carp, trout, and seafood.

PREMIUM

This light yellow wine has a greenish reflection. The aroma is dominated by refreshing green lemon. The primary flavors are grape, peach, and apricot, with a long finish of citrus fruit.

Food Pairing

It goes well with smoked carp, trout, grilled sea bream or sea bass, octopus, salads with chicken, and pasta with parmesan and olive oil. It also pairs well with homemade cheeses.

PREMIUM

The color of the wine is light yellow with a green reflection. It has a discreet aroma of green apples and pineapple. The taste is refreshing, with mineral and fruity acids in the finish.

Food Pairing

This wine pairs well with fish, seafood, white meat, and other light dishes.

PREMIUM

This wine is a blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. It has aromas of citrus fruits and pineapple with spicy notes in the finish. The wine has a pale yellow color with green reflection. It has an aroma of ripe pears and quinces. The taste is fresh and well-balanced, with a fruity herbal character and a mineral finish.

Food Pairing

It goes well with saltwater and freshwater fish, grilled turkey and chicken, and veal dishes with various toppings.

PREMIUM

Nota is a blend of Pinot Blanc 80% and Sauvignon Blanc 20%. It has a pastel yellow color with greenish nuances. The nose has aromas of ripe pear, acacia flower, and toasted almonds. The taste is full and creamy, with an aftertaste featuring the crispness of citrus fruit.

Food Pairing

The wine pairs well with various fish and seafood dishes. It also goes well with cheese and fruity, creamy desserts, such as cheesecake, cream tart, and creme brulee.

CLASSIC

This wine has a light golden color with a green reflection. It’s characterized by its fruity aroma, reminiscent of ripe peaches and pears. It’s light with fresh mineral tones and very pleasant, refreshing acid.

Food Pairing

It pairs well with fish and seafood appetizers, light chowders, saltwater, freshwater fish, less spiced chicken, and soft white cheese.

CLASSIC

The wine has a bouquet of fresh fruity green apples and tropical fruits. The taste is fruity with acids that give it a distinctive freshness.

Food Pairing

It pairs well with spring and summer salads, fish appetizers, seafood dishes, chicken, pasta, risotto, chowders, and soft to semi-soft cheese.

CLASSIC

The Sauvignon Blanc grapes used to produce this wine are grown on the gravelly terrain of the vineyard in the coastal area of Lake Skadar. These grapes make a refreshing, aromatic white wine with marked minerality. The wine has a straw yellow color with greenish hues. It tastes of green pepper and elderflowers with notes of spicy herbs. It has mineral and citrus tones in the aftertaste. The wine is balanced, full-bodied, nicely rounded, and very refreshing.

Food Pairing

This wine pairs well with salads, fish, seafood, chicken and turkey with spicy sauces, and all types of goat cheese.

PREMIUM

Montenegrin Val is a sparkling white wine. It is produced by the traditional champagne method of secondary fermentation in a bottle. It has dominant ripe apples, litchi, pears, and white cherry flavors with aromas of toasted almonds and hazelnuts.

Very smooth and fresh in taste, complemented by yeast notes. It has fine pearly bubbles, which makes it lively and fresh.

Food Pairing

It goes well at the end of the meal and with dessert or hard cheese.

PREMIUM

Montenegrin Val is a sparkling white wine. Its produced by the classical method of subsequent fermentation in the bottle. 

The wine has a straw-yellow color with golden reflections. It has aromas of green apples, peaches, and toasted bread. It has fine, pearly bubbles that make it lively and fresh.

Food Pairing

The wine is recommended as an aperitif because it contains less residual sugar.

PREMIUM

The wine has a light golden color with a green reflection. It’s characterized by its fruity aroma, reminiscent of ripe peaches and pears. It is light and fresh with mineral tones and pleasant, refreshing acid.

Food Pairing

This wine pairs well with smoked meat, fish pate, salads, scallops, duck, and pork. It also goes well with many berries and chocolates.

PREMIUM

This sweet wine is made from partly dried, late-harvest Vranac grapes. It is a dark ruby-red color. It is extraordinarily full, with a rounded and rich bouquet interwoven with the aromas and flavors of chocolate, coffee, dry sour cherries, figs, and dry black grapes. It has a distinct and warm chocolate aftertaste.

Food Pairing

This wine is best served as a digestive or with luscious chocolate desserts.

Winery Lipovac offers several wine tasting and tour options.

Address: Građani 81250, Montenegro

Buk Winery is a family winery with a long tradition of producing top-quality wines. The vineyards are located in the village of Bukovik in Crmnica. Crmnica, the home of Vranac, is the most famous wine-growing region in Montenegro. The family vineyard has a total of 8,000 vines in fields of stepped terraces. The influence of the Mediterranean climate give the wines a special and distinctive quality.

The Buk Winery produces four wines: two reds (Vranac and Marselan), a rose, and a white (Chardonnay).

Radevic Estate is located in Rogami, Montenegro, approximately 10 minutes from Podgorica.

The winery is open to visitors for tours and tastings by appointment only. A tour of the vineyards and winery takes approximately one hour. It includes tastings of three wines, including their “Renee” dessert wine, a glass of grappa, and assorted small bites.

Address: Rogami-Piperi bb, Podgorica, Montenegro

Vinarija Vukićević is located in Beri, Montenegro, approximately 8 miles (20 minutes) from Podgorica.

Address: Beri II br. 24, 81000, Montenegro

Winery Bogojevic (Vinarija Bogojevic) offers tastings by appointment only. They have two tasting locations:

• At the winery and vineyards in Stanišeljići, about 30 minutes drive from the capital of Podgorica. This option includes the “true Montenegrin experience” because it shows how the Montenegrins lived, introduces the history of the old Montenegrin region (the so-called “Nahija”), tastes all their brandy and wine selections, and includes several courses of traditional Montenegrin meal. After the meal, guests will visit the vineyards and the nearby hill to view Skadar Lake.
• Tastings with small Montenegrin appetizers are offered in the gallery Bogojević Wine in Rijeka Crnojevića near Skadar Lake.

Address: Staniseljici, 81000, Montenegro

This vineyard and olive plantation produces around 20,000 bottles of wine a year and is nestled just outside Ulcinj, the Southernmost town in Montenegro.

The winery produces several Barrique-stored wines. The Vranac wines are rich and dark ruby-colored, combining forest fruit, cranberry, and vanilla flavors.

The Krgović winery is located in the village of Rogami, approximately 2 miles north of Podgorica. The winery covers about 5 acres and has the perfect combination of soil, climate, location (between the Morača and Zeta rivers), and weather that enables it to produce exceptional quality wines. The vineyard consists of 12,000 grape vines of many varieties, including Vranac, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sangiovese red grapes, as well as Moscato Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Viognier, and Sauvignon Blanc white grapes.

Winery Mašanović produces limited quantities of exclusively top-quality red barrique wines from six grape varieties: Vranac, Kratošija, Marselan, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sangiovese. The wines are aged in the best quality French oak barrels.

The winery is open to everybody who wants to visit and has many different wine-tasting offerings.

Sjekloća Winery is the first registered private wine production facility in Montenegro. The winery is situated in Crmnica (Tsrmnitsa), the heart of Montenegrin wine country, surrounded by estate vineyards in which one third of the vines are over one hundred years old.

The Vranac wine is aged 12 months before distribution, has a ruby red color, and emanates fruity undertones. The wine cellar boasts many vintage bottles.

Savina Winery offers private tours of the vineyards and winery, accompanied by wine tasting and matching local bites.

Address: 43 Braće Grakalić, Herceg – Novi, Montenegro

Vinarija Delic produces four red wines, including Vranac, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a blend; two white wines, Žilavka and Chardonnay; and a rose rosé wise.

The winery is located less than 2 miles from Herceg Novi’s historic center.

Address: 17 3 Trebjesinska, Herceg Novi 85340, Montenegro