Vines are extremely adaptable plants. Over time, they fully adapt to the location, soils, sun exposure, temperature fluctuations, humidity, wind force and other factors that determine this particular plot. The entire terroir-driven concept of winemaking has been built on this precept. If a particular vineyard produces grapes of exceptional quality year after year, then it can serve as the best example of identifying its distinctive features that shape its identity. This is supported by the fact that an experienced taster can identify wines during the blind vertical tasting of Romanée-Conti and La Tache from Burgundy without great effort although these two vineyards are just 100 meters away from each other, and wine is made by the same enologist, in the same winery, with the same varietal composition.

Certainly one of the most famous vineyards in Župa is an old Prokupac vineyard on Gubovac hill owned by Budimir winery. The vineyard on Gubovac hill covers an area of 1.8 hectares. Age of the vines is estimated between 110 and 130 years. It surely represents the oldest vineyard of Prokupac which produces grapes for wine making. The vine training system in the vineyard is Župski Kondir (goblet), which was common throughout the Mediterranean region in the past. As for the soils, Župa is characterized by alluvial deposits at the valley bottom and as we can see on Gubovac, sedimentary rocks with lots of stone agglomerate on the hillsides.

 

 When it comes to old vineyards and terroir philosophy, an enologist can play both the positive and negative role. You can always recognize enologists playing the role of villain  when their work in the wine cellar eradicates features of terroir in wine. Excessive use of oak, excessive extraction, overripe grapes, residual sugar or presence of Brett are the most common ways for a wine to lose its terroir features. I am very happy because the enologist reduced interventions to the optimum extent in this wine made from Prokupac originating from Gubovac vineyard so as not to spoil the characteristics of the variety and Župa region.

On 1st October, 2015, Budimir Winery released to market its wine Prokupac Boje Lila 2009 (varietal composition: 100% Prokupac) made from grapes harvested in the vineyard on Gubovac hill. Until now, grapes from this vineyard have been used predominantly for Sub Rosa wine (blended with Cabernet Sauvignon). Now we finally have a varietal wine from this old vineyard. While the market welcomed vintage 2009, Prokupac 2011 from the same vineyard will await patiently the right moment in the cellar of Budimir Winery to appear on the market.

Prokupac Boje Lila 2009 - Budimir Winery (varietal composition: 100% Prokupac) Fermentation in stainless steel, maceration for almost a month, followed by 18 months' aging in Serbian barrique (25% new barrels, 75% used barrels). This is followed by 36 months in large barrels (3,000 liters and 5,000 liters) made of Serbian oak. Finally, another 12 months in the bottle. Total production: 7500 bottles. Exquisite wine. Prokupac that will enchant even the most demanding wine lovers. The nose is complex, fruity aromas complemented by tertiary aromas highlight maturity of this wine. The mouth is dominated by distinctive notes of dark cherry with a lot of spicy notes, floral note of violet, leather, tobacco leaf, which together give a very pleasant long trail in the mouth. Balanced wine, pleasant acidity gives the wine freshness and guarantees longevity. Tannins smooth, warm, caressing the palate gently. I think this wine gives Prokupac a new dimension and definitely proves that this Serbian variety can yield superior quality wines.

At DWCC conference dedicated to wine and digital communication in the wine industry which was held in October in Plovdiv (Bulgaria), the Wine Mosaic organization presented at their stand indigenous varieties of the Balkans. Thanks to cooperation between Wine Mosaic and vinopedia.rs, conference participants had an opportunity to taste Serbian autochthonous varieties Prokupac and Jagoda. And they easily found numerous admirers. Interesting to mention that thanks to Wine Mosaic, we could meet together the flagship grape family from the Balkans: Prokupac and varieties Papazkarasi and Kadarka (also known in Bulgaria as Gamza) which came out as a cross of Prokupac and other Balkan varieties.

 

 

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