Hello Prince Albert! It’s always exciting to find a grape varietal that you’ve never tasted, even more so when you haven’t even heard of it. The Eastern Europe area of the wine section has grown steadily over the past five years, and it is becoming more common to see wines from Georgia, Greece, Moldava and until recently, wines from Montenegro (found in the Balkans). With these exotic locales comes unique grape varietals, often found only in their countries of origin and one of the wines I chose to taste (which comes from Montenegro) is made with a grape located singularly in Eastern Europe: Vranac (sometimes spelled Vranec). Join me as I expand my wine horizons and learn a bit about the main grape of Montenegro and North Macedonia.
Vranac has been planted in the Balkans since the Middle Ages and is considered an ancient grape, handed down and vinified for hundreds of years. While Vranac is known to have originated in Montenegro, it is most heavily planted in North Macedonia with lesser plantings found in Croatia, Serbia and Kosovo. You won’t find a commercial winery making this type of wine anywhere else in the world! The varietal achieved designation status (geographical indication of origin) in 1977 but has remained a native grape of Eastern Europe and has not been transplanted to any new world countries to date.
What is Vranac? The Vranac/Vranec grape develops as a large, dark-skinned grape which tends to grow well in challenging conditions such as elevated heights and mountainous terrain (perfectly suited for the Balkans). It is weak against frost and botrytis (a fungal disease known as grey rot) but yields large amounts of fruit, traditionally used to make quality table wines. Over the past few decades, partially due to its designation status, the quality of this varietal has increased, making it suitable for blending with Primitivo (aka Zinfandel), but more often than not, it is produced as a single varietal.
When the grapes are young, the wine has a purplish color, but a couple years of aging will turn the wine a deep ruby color. Initially, the flavors and aromas are fruity and intense with dark fruits and light spices but with time in the bottle, the flavors develop a nuanced complexity, featuring cinnamon, flowers, chocolate, licorice herbs and oak. The typical bottle of quality Vranac will age well for six to seven years from the vintage date stated on the label.
I found the Plantaze Crnogorski Vranac to be fruity and accessible with velvety, gripping tannins and a delicious aftertaste. You should give this varietal a try and pair it with hard cheeses, or a tasty bowl of goulash.
The other bottle that caught my eye was a style of wine I usually stay away from: Bourbon barrel-aged red wine. These types of wines are often too heavy-handed for my liking, but I was thoroughly impressed by the Beringer Bros. Red Blend. As a fan of Bourbon, I loved the notes of caramel, vanilla and smoky whisky which sticks to the tongue in a delightful manner without becoming sickly sweet or syrupy. Even though the Beringer Bros. red was less complex than the Vranac, it made an excellent counterpoint to the old-world stylings of the Plantaze wine.
Which option sounds better to you? On one hand, you’ve got an ancient varietal (Vranac) which features an earthier, drier (but still fruity) wine which seems to pair very well with classy food offerings, or the Bourbon Barrel red from California which brings on the rich dark cherry and juicy flavors of sun-ripened grapes mixed with the sweet and smoky notes of Bourbon whisky? I would honestly choose either one again! Here are my wine picks of the week!
Plantaze Crnogorski Vranac 2019: (Podgorica, Montenegro). Dry red, deep ruby color. The nose is straightforward and fruity with plums, fresh dark/sour cherries, black currants and pleasant spices (vanilla, sweet cinnamon). To the taste, medium intense flavors are initially fruity with sour/ripe cherries, currants, blackberry and plums with a light background of grippy bitterness. Medium body with medium acidity. The bitter flavors build on the palate with each sip but never become astringent, leaving a chewy, dry sensation from the high tannins on the tongue, lips and cheeks. After the enjoyable mid palate, warming pepper spice and fruit linger on the medium-plus finish. The tannins leave a savory/bitter taste and sensation, adding plenty of structure and backbone to the simple, woodsy and fruity style of the wine. This one is uncomplicated but very nice to sip on and will pair very well with simple, dried salamis, pickles or salted nuts. The simplicity won me over since I kept coming back for more. Very good! $20, 13.5% ABV
Beringer Bros. Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Wine Blend 2020: (California, USA). Off-dry red, deep ruby color. The bouquet is interesting with a rush of dark cherries, caramel, stewed plums, dark fruit, spice (coconut, vanilla, cloves), a hint of smoke and Bourbon whisky. The palate offers medium-plus intense, lush flavors of cooked dark fruits (plums and cherries) along with toasted coconut, vanilla, caramel and smoky Bourbon. Medium-plus body with just the right amount of sweetness, the wine doesn’t feel too heavy, and the fruity flavors are dialed back enough for the wine to stay in balance. Low acidity makes for a smooth mouthfeel leading into a quick finish of caramel, Bourbon and dark fruit. Tannins seem high at first, but they fade quickly, leaving a touch of bitter grip on the edges of the mouth mellowed out by coconut and vanilla. I expected this wine to be heavier and more full-bodied, but I was pleasantly surprised by its restraint. Would buy again as a wine to share with others or to sip with sauced ribs/wings or grilled meat off the BBQ. Very good! $28, 14.5% ABV
Cheers and thanks for reading!
