2010 Bovin Dissan Barrique, Tikves, Macedonian Republic

Lately I like trying some wines from Balkan Peninsula. They've been producing really good wines for the last two decades especially in Macedonia and of course in the original homeland of "zinfandel", Croatia . My favorite one till now has been "Dissan Barrique" from Bovin Winery, Macedonia. It has a really high level of alcohol: 16%! That makes it another perfect combination with the heavy meat dishes. The grape type is typical "vranac". I've paid around 18 Euros for a bottle. Would be my number 1 choice when I go back to Macedonia...!

Dissan Barrique

SUPERIOR QUALITY WINE:

Quality dry red wine aged for 6 months in new Macedonian oak barrels. Dark red-black color with typical scent of cherry, sour cherry and red berries, recognizable for the Vranec variety.It has a full and elegant flavor with long aftertaste. Impressive content of polyphenols, antioxidants, natural cardiovascular regulators. Complex, with higher content of dry extract. May be stored for a long period of time under appropriate conditions. Consumption especially recommended with heavier foods, roasted pork, fatty fish, game, lamb, and piquant cheese, at room temperature of 15-17°C.

Bovin Winery is the first private owned winery in Macedonia . The company was established in 1998, the year when 120.000 bottles of high quality white and red wines were produced. It is these wines which Bovin was represented by on 1999 Agro-Expo Fair in Skopje where "Venus" earned in the champion title in the category of red wines, whereas all the other Bovin wines were awarded golden medals. 

The following years Bovin was present at the Agro-Expo fair with the following results. 

             2000 - "Venus" Champion 

             2001 - "Dissan" Champion 

             2002 - "Dissan" Champion 

             2003 - "Dissan" Champion 

             2004 - "Daron"  Champion 

             2005 - "Daron"  Champion 

Vranec or Vranac  is an ancient variety of grape that is indigenous to the Republic of Macedonia,Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro. Vranec is considered the most important variety of grape in Montenegro and one of the most important in the Republic of Macedonia. As it is a local specialty and due to its localised geography, it produces a dry red wine of a unique taste and character that is synonymous with the Balkans. Vranec berries are large and deeply coloured, with its dark berries growing on moderately vigorous and very productive vines. The fruit is harvested by hand. Depending on the area, this harvest can begin from mid-September and continue into October.

The word Vranec means strong black and powerful horse (black stallion), and wine made from this variety of grape is associated with strength, potency, and success. Vran also means raven coloured or black; red wine is also known as black wine in many South Slavic languages.

MACEDONIA AS A WINE COUNTRY

In Macedonia there are 3 wine regions and 16 wine districts which are characterized with different production conditions as well as different intensity of production.

Povardarie- Vardar Valley- Central Wine Region includes 83% of the total production and encompasses the following 7 wine districts:

- SKOPJE 

- VELES 

- GEVGELIJA-VALANDOVO 

- STRUMICA-RADOVISH 

- OVCE POLE-VINICA 

- KOCHANI-VINICA 

- TIKVESH