End of year is time to pull together impressions from the previous year and make plans for the coming year, to look in the mirror, self-critically, to draw lessons from bad things so that we continue to push forward, because there is no other alternative ...Here is an overview of 10 most significant events and personalities on the wine scene of Serbia in 2014, who, despite an extremely difficult year for our winegrowers and winemakers, contributed significantly with their optimism, enthusiasm and vision to further promotion of Serbian wine scene.

1. Janko Cellar from Smederevo will have their name written in letters of gold in the 2014 Yearbook of Modern Serbian Wine-Making because the wine Stari Zavet (Old Testament) 2011 was the first Serbian wine ever to win the Decanter's  Regional Trophy for Central and Eastern Europe for red wine in the price range above 15 GBP. An indication that we have grown to maturity as a wine country and we stand shoulder to shoulder with other wine-making countries of the region.

2. On the other side of the ocean, Robert Parker and his team have finally found Serbia on the wine map. This year, wines from Serbia have been evaluated by Parker's team for the first time, and Budimir Winery from Župa (South Serbia) will be remembered as the first Serbian winery whose wine Sub Rosa 2007 was rated 90+ points (91, to be more precise) by Mr Parker.

3. Wineries Ivanović (Župa) and Kiš (Sremski Karlovci) have shown that Serbian wine will show excellent results if given a chance to age gracefully. It was an honor to attend this year's most exciting vertical tastings: firstly, a vertical tasting of Prokupac from Ivanović Winery, where Prokupac 2004 from Ivanović Winery enchanted local and foreign wine experts and thus proved that this flagship variety is Serbia’s great opportunity, and vertical tasting of Rhine Riesling from Fruška Gora (Srem wine region, North Serbia) from Kiš Winery, where Kiš Misterija 1998 received standing ovation.

4. Wine Identity Conference. Announced modestly, but it got a lot of comments and attention in the days and weeks to follow. Evidence that synergy is needed not only among winemakers, but also among other factors on the Serbian wine scene. New ideas, exciting lectures and workshops, plenty of new facts and information for those who want to learn something new ... And official announcement of the news that DNA analysis has confirmed that Turkish variety Papaskarasi and Kadarka are both descendants of our Prokupac.

5. Serbia has become a piece in the mosaic of European wines thanks to the organization Wine Mosaic from France. Botunjac Winery from Župa represented Serbia at a conference in Montreux (Switzerland) and showed to international wine circles that Serbia is still an undiscovered treasure trove of wines that still wait to show their full potential.

6. Consolidation among wine fairs and festivals. Inglorious demise of Mediteraneo festival which was buried by the gap between desires and abilities of the organizer, suspected collusion and “poor health”. The winner is Wine Salon at the Hyatt Hotel, which started timely preventive therapy after seeing symptoms of weakness last year, so better marketing promotion by means of social media, new programmes and content refreshed it and helped retain its position as the most relevant wine event in the country.

7. Wineries have finally realized that there is no use lamenting and complaining about the state and ministry’s actions because it takes little effect. Šumadija Winemakers’ Association and Negotinska Krajina Winemakers’ Association have shown this year the power of joining forces and joint marketing of the region. We should be proud of them and look up to them in the year 2015!

8. The Great Test of Serbian Wines 2014 results again stirred emotions in the Serbian wine circles. Some results were expected, some were a surprise for all ... But Serbian wines have won. More and more award-winning wines from Serbia, more and more good local wineries… And this competition brings to Serbia respectable names of the European wine scene to confirm this.

9. In the era of social media and Internet, traditional printed media still persist. Vino & Fino magazine continues its mission of bringing in every issue something new, offering its panel tastings as a source of information and wine guide to readers (which should be the purpose of a wine magazine) but at the same time, be interesting reading for wine professionals who will find there the latest information about the wine world. Wine Style magazine has been hibernating for a long time in a lulled state, its format has been surviving unchanged for years, but it feels that the magazine needs to refresh energy with new text formats or new contributors. And finally, Wine & Fine magazine, which should incorporate wine reviews in their articles in order to be taken seriously and thus avoid the trap of becoming merely a travelogue brochure about wine regions of the world. In addition, more space should be given to journalistic talent and capacity of Đorđe Pešić whose articles represent a real refreshment on the Serbian wine scene.

10. Ernő Sagmeister and Kosta Botunjac - winemakers who prove that only a good man can make good wine. Winemakers who come from the south and north of Serbia, but they demonstrate the same modesty, dedication and perseverance on the wine scene of Serbia through their work with indigenous varieties.

Results from 2014 are a responsibility to continue along the same path in the coming year. We wish a lot of good wines and joyful moments in the course of 2015 to all winemakers, vinegrowers and wine lovers, not only in Serbia but throughout the world. Cheers!

   

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