Tenuta Est Stara Kupaža 2022
Varietals: Field Blend (Prokupac, Blaufrankisch, Zacinjak, Vranac, Crna tamjanika, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay Riesling)
Appellation: Rogljevo-Rajac, Negotin Valley, Timok Region, Serbia
Density & Yield: 4.500 vines/ha, 1 kg/vine
Annual Production: 2,400 bottles
Alcohol: 13%
Climate: In recent years, temperatures have fluctuated significantly, with summers growing drier and winters experiencing less snow but more rainfall.
Terrain: The vineyards are positioned on 150 meters above sea level, south-facing and there are located 2 km from the Timok River. The soil is very different from one vineyard to another but mainly it is a mixture of clay, sand and silt.
Farming: Practicing Organic: viticulture with no irrigation and no herbicide.
Vinification: Hand-picked grapes in late September, fermented with indigenous yeasts in open vessels; macerated for a month. Aged for 12 months in a stainless steel tank without clarification and filtration before bottling.
Tasting Notes: Stara Kupaža - translated to "old blend" - is an homage to the wine culture of the three villages in Eastern Krajina (Rogljevo, Smedovac and Rajac). Marko combined the best grape varieties from the region to create an authentic product rooted in tradition and modern production methods.
Stara Kupaža is a deliciously drinkable red wine that contains 11 grape varieties. Thanks to the diverse blend, the wine displays a wide array of aromatics of red fruits, cherries, herbal notes and chocolate. On the palate, it is packed with dark fruit and richness, yet with a body that is so light on its feet and a pleasurable lift, thanks to the blend of red and white grapes together. A truly fantastic and enjoyable blend to mark this special region.
The woman on the label is Čučuk Stana, is a legendary figure from regional history, whom Marko chose to adorn his labels to represent the deep history of Negotinska krajina region, where the wines are produced. Her image, accompanied by a bird, plants, and weapons, symbolizes the region’s flora, fauna, and historical battles, reflecting her courage and connection to the First Serbian Uprising.
About the winemaker:
Tenuta Est is an exciting small winery located in the far eastern reaches of Serbia. It was established and is run by the young and talented winemaker, Marko Obradović, whose remarkable journey through Italy and France led him to this remote, historic winemaking region in Serbia. Marko took on the challenge of taking part in reviving this ancient winemaking tradition and helping bring new life to this region with deep roots in viticulture.
Marko’s family was Serbian-born, but moved to Bologna, Italy in the late-90s for job opportunities, where Marko was born and raised. He was an economy student and a talented basketball player, until one afternoon after training he read a report about a French family who moved to Serbia to produce wine in a remote region. Marko was inspired and reached out to the noted producer, who was Cyrille and Estelle Bongiraud: the former soil consultant for Zind Humbrecht and Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, who after being priced out of of their own vineyards in Burgundy, started making wine in one of the oldest wine regions in the world in the Timok Valley in Eastern Serbia.
After this formative experience, Marko decided this was his path in life, and continued gathering experience, then going to Alsace and working with Vincent and Brigitte Fleith to further his experise. Finally, at the ripe age of 17, Marko decided to move back and start his own winery in Serbia. He began planting vineyards in the small village of Smedovac, near Negotin, in 2018, where he planted 8.5 hectares of vineyards.
Here he also works closely with his neighbor, colleague and friend – Kristina Lukić – of Vinarija Dalia, as well as the other small wineries such as Vinarija Raj and Podrum Zagorac, in the region, who are working tirelessly to bring attention to and revive this historic region.
The capacity of the winery remains small as younger vines continue to come online, and Marko faces the difficult challenges or striving for organic farming amidst a difficult climate. His production philosophy centers on minimal intervention, aiming to let the wine express itself naturally. Since 2019, Marko is producing all of his wines exclusively through wild yeast fermentations and without filtrations, as well as only using neutral oak so as to not interfere with the true character of the wine.
When Marko acquired the vineyards, he found them already planted with nearly 15 mixed varieties - both indigenous and international - including Crna Tamjanika (Black Muscat), Pinot Noir, Prokupac, Začinak, Frankovka, Vranac, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Rhine Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Together with his peers in the villages of Rogljevo, Rajac, and Smedovac, Marko’s goal is to showcase the unique terroir of this region and demonstrate why it was historically one of the most significant wine-producing areas in Serbia and Eastern Europe, and why it can still be today within its own modern identity.