When speaking about wines from Herzegovina, surely you will first think of Vranac and Žilavka from the town of Trebinje. Winemakers from Trebinje led by Vukoje winery and wines from Tvrdoš monastery are widely known among wine lovers in Serbia and have a lot of fans and admirers.The fact that wines from Trebinje are commonly classified as 'local wines' in the wine lists of restaurants in Belgrade and elsewhere in Serbia shows artificiality of borders in the Balkans which are often enforced by political pressures and imposed externally. Anyhow, despite being on the other side of the border, Belgrade (and Serbia in general) represent a key market for wineries from Trebinje.

On 12th June, 2015, in Zemun suburbs, in the wine bar "Pršut, sir i vino (Ham, cheese and wine)", wines from Parežanin Winery were presented to wine admirers of Belgrade. This winery will be particularly interesting to wine connoisseurs dealing with wines of Herzegovina because it's the first winery originating from the town of Bileća. Mr Radivoje Parežanin, owner of the winery, and his family found courage, energy and enthusiasm to start producing wine. His role model was the famous ancestor Isaiah Parežanin, a local priest, who was buried in 1895 in the vicinity of Dobrićevo monastery (dating from the Nemanjić dynasty period) on the shore of Bileća Lake. Although young, this winery cherishes the genetic code that is inextricably linked to Herzegovina's karst and Parežanin family tradition. This is also visible on the coat of arms of the winery, which represents the motif found on the tombstone of Isaiah Parežanin - a hand holding a cup of wine whilst a cluster of grapes is hovering over it.

 

The vineyards owned by Parežanin Winery covering 2 hectares are located on the plot in Popovo Polje. This karst plateau where the Mediterranean climate turns into moderate continental climate has been nourishing for centuries vines that yield grapes of superior quality on its limestone rocks. A portion of grapes is also purchased from cooperants who grow their vineyards nearby.

At the presentation of Parežanin Winery in the wine bar "Pršut, sir i vino" , we tasted the following wines from the winery's portfolio:

Harmonija 2014 - Parežanin Winery - (varietal composition: 60% Žilavka, 40% Chardonnay) I'm still trying to figure out what was the purpose of this blend because Chardonnay appeased varietal features of Žilavka, yet it failed to improve substantially the wine's complexity and body. Aromas on the nose are not overly complex, fruity notes of peach, quince, citrus with discreet herbal note which emerges on the surface. Medium body, short finish. Refreshing acidity.

Mala Kristina 2014 - Parežanin Winery (varietal composition: 100% Merlot) The practice that local winemakers in the region give rose wines women's names continues (e.g. Barbara, Sofia, Mina, Dušica and now we also have Little Kristina). The market is flooded with semi-dry rose wines, but here's a dry representative of Herzegovina. Pleasant, refreshing wine that will come in handy during the summer. There is plenty of strawberry and raspberry aromas on the nose as well as discrete note of rose petals. On the palate, the wine is juicy, tempting. Persistent fruity aromas lead to a beautiful finish characterized by lasting pleasant trail of bitterness.

Respect 2013 - Parežanin Winery (varietal composition: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 25% Vranac) Herzegovina-styled response to Bordeaux blends. Wine aged for 12 months in barrique barrels. On the nose, complex aromas of red forest fruits, plums, chocolate, sweet spices and vanilla. The wine leaves a full, strong impression in the mouth, yet it doesn't lack elegance, harmony, softness. The tannins are ripe, present, further aging will polish them even more ... Altogether, beautifully packed wine and an excellent price/quality ratio.  

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