After 10 years, the Balkans International Wine Competition has grown into the most important regional wine competition. Last year, despite the corona pandemic, Belgrade managed to host wine judges from all countries in the region during the competition. This year, the competition will be held in Skopje, the capital of Northern Macedonia, from June 2nd to June 4th, 2021.

The invitation to participate in the BIWC this year as a wine judge made me happy not only because it is an excellent opportunity to make a cross-section of the Balkan wine scene and observe the direction where the regional winemaking is heading, but also because the last time I visited Skopje was more than 5 years ago, so here is an opportunity to feel again the southern warmth and hospitality of the people who somehow, despite differences in language, I do not consider foreigners but feel closeness and friendship as soon as I hear the rhythmic syllables of the Macedonian language. Therefore, I had no doubt that this stay in North Macedonia would be like staying at home.

Knowing that the organizers, in addition to the competition, designed an ambitious program of winery trips and tastings, I decided to come to Skopje a few days earlier... It was an opportunity to visit Skopje with Ivana Simjanovska, the most important wine expert and influencer of North Macedonia.

The border crossing between Serbia and North Macedonia by no means indicated that strict anti-epidemic measures were still in force in Skopje. At the border crossing, it was enough to show an ID card, without any tests, vaccine certificates, electronic registrations, etc. However, in Skopje, measures were in force, such as obligatory mask on the street, the midnight curfew, obligatory mask for passengers in the car, etc. Fortunately, I was happy to hear the news that the obligation to wear a mask on the street would be abolished from the following day.

Meeting with Ivana reminded me of our time spent together last year in Belgrade during BIWC 2020. Sculptures and monuments scattered on every free square meter of Skopje's public areas remind me with horror that this could eventually happen in Belgrade as well. Skopje looks like a two-faced city: on one hand a kitschy mix of buildings that could best be described as "well, this is how the Chinese would make a replica of a European city in China", and on the other a maze of historic cobbled streets in the shadow of linden trees, restaurants and cafes in the bohemian quarter whose gardens occupy a half of the street and take us back to the 19th century when the whole Balkans changed its Ottoman character and took on more European character. Fortunately, there are still such micro-neighbourhoods in Skopje that have not been destroyed.

After the tour of Skopje, the inner courtyard of Antica restaurant gave us refuge to taste traditional Macedonian cuisine and the flavors of the Balkans... And what could easily be the most delicious tomato ever, so hard to find nowadays elsewhere in western Europe.

From the following day, we have a lot of work to do. Everything is ready for the biggest wine competition in the region. And we are ready too...

North Macedonia boasts vineyards covering an area of 33,423 hectares, of which 85% are under wine grape varieties. About 91 million liters are produced annually. Only 15% of the wine produced is consumed in the country, while 85% is exported to 38 countries. The most important grape varieties are Vranac (10,800 ha), Smederevka (7,500 ha), Merlot (1,240 ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (1,140 ha), Kratošija (1,050 ha), Stanušina (423 ha), Tamjanika (381 ha).

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