The Ancient City of Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovinia is very close to vineyards and wineries
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Here’s another wine country to add to your bucket list – Bosnia-Herzegovina. Though they have been growing wine grapes and making wine for more than 2,000 years, it is still a relatively unknown wine region unless you have taken a trip to the Balkans.
Bosnia-Herzegovina is one of the 10 countries that make up the Balkans, and was part of Yugoslavia before it dissolved in the early 1990’s. Surrounded by Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina is home to around 30 commercial wineries, but many locals also grow grapes in their backyard and make homemade wine.
Recently I had the opportunity to do a tour of the Balkans and was able to stop by Domano Winery for a tasting. Here I met winemaker, Josipa Andrijanić, who said her passion was producing both still and sparkling wine from the native Zilavka grape.
“If you say ‘Zilavka’ real fast, it sounds like, ‘She luvs ya,’” Josipa said, as she deftly poured a pale golden wine in my glass.
Though Josipa was born in Bosnia-Herzegovina, she completed her winemaking training at a university in Croatia, and then worked in different wineries around the world for 5 years, including stints in Napa Valley, Sonoma, Australia, New Zealand and Austria, before coming back home to work at Domano Winery.
“Zilavka is the most famous white grape of our country, along with two red grapes, ‘Blatina’ and ‘Trnjak,’” she reported. “However, Zilavka is the one that I believe has the most opportunity for export, and is trendy now because of its fresh, crisp style.”
Josipa Andrijanić, Winemaker with Domano Winery in Bosnia-Herzegovina
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About the Zilavka Wine Grape
Despite its exotic sounding name, the white “Zilavka grape actually means ‘tough,’ because it must push its roots through rocky soil to survive,” explained Josipa.
The main flavors of Zilavka are apple, herbs, citrus, and a hint of salinity, all wrapped around a zingy acidity that makes the resulting wines very fresh and enjoyable to drink.
A major benefit of Zilavka is that it can be made in different styles. Josipa poured samples from three different bottles. (The bottle prices have been converted from Bosnia-Herzegovina marks to dollars.)
1) Domano Zilavka 2023 ($9) – fermented in stainless steel to create a fresh, fruity wine with a nose of honeysuckle, and notes of apple, white peach and tangerine rind on the palate. Truly delightful and refreshing.
2) Domano Zilavka Selection 2022 ($11) – fermented in oak to create a more complex, creamy style with notes of golden apple, straw and river stone. Could easily be paired with roast chicken, veal, or vegetarian casseroles.
3) Domano Zilavka Sparkling Brut ($17) – fermented a second time in bottle to create a sparkling wine with green apple, lemon and a toasty note, along with small bubbles and a crisp finish. Aged 3 years in bottle, this wine was made by Josipa’s fellow winemaker, Zdravka Palameta. Domano is the first winery in the country to make a sparkling Zilavka.
Some producers in Herzegovina also make Zilavka as an orange wine, where it is allowed to ferment on the grape skins. This not only results in a beautiful pale orange color, but adds more spicy notes and citrus.
Wine Tasting with Local Wines, Cheeses and Prosciutto at Domano Winery in Herzegovina
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In Herzegovina, (the majority of the wineries are in this area of the country), they often serve wine with local cheeses, breads, and a prosciutto called pršut. Josipa brought out a platter of all three to try with the wines, and explained that the food was also produced by Domano winery.
In addition, Josipa poured samples of the red wines. One was a 2020 Blatina, which is a light-bodied red, similar to a pinot noir. It was aged in oak and had notes of allspice, dried berries, and mushroom. She also crafts a delightful rosé made from the Blatina grape, which had a floral nose, ripe cherries, and a crisp refreshing finish.
The third national grape, Trnjak, creates very dark red wines with notes of black cherry, earth and spice, and massive tannins – rather like a cabernet. “When you say,’Trnjak,’ it sounds like ‘Train Wreck,’” Josipa joked. She was correct, and it is also a great way to remember how to pronounce the name of the grape.
Visiting Domano Winery
Domano Winery is located 30 minutes south of the historic town of Mostar, or a two-hour drive across the border from Dubrovnik, Croatia. It is in a hilly rural area filled with vineyards and charming villages.
The winery is made of local grey and white stones, with an outdoor patio area. They have 10 employees, make around 300,000 bottles of wine per year, host many events, and have a wine shop where you can purchase all of their wines, as well as the local cheese and prosciutto they make. It is also home to the largest wine barrel in the country, which visitors can see when they tour the cellars.
Beautiful local stone architecture of Domano Winery in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Domano Winery
Domano winery is part of the Herzegovina Wine Route, and can be booked online, though they also welcome visitors who just stop by.
A good way to visit the region is to fly into either Mostar or Sarajevo and hire a personal driver. There are plenty of hotels and restaurants in the UNESCO world heritage village of Mostar with its famous 16th century Ottoman-era bridge (see top photo).
Other great places to visit that are close to Domano Winery include the breathtaking Kravica Waterfall with its multiple cascades, where you can swim and picnic, as well as Blagaj Monastery, established by the whirling dervishes five centuries ago, and situated at the base of a river that flows from a dark cave in the mountain (see photos below).
Kravica waterfall is located in the major wine region of Bosnia-Herzegovina
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What’s Next for the Wineries of Bosnia-Herzegovina?
When asked about the future of the wineries and region, Josipa was quite positive.
“There is a lot of enthusiasm and pride here amongst the wineries,” she said. “And now we are trying to figure out how to tell the rest of the world about our special grapes, and determine how to export more wine.”
Some good news is that the wines of Bosnia-Herzegovina are starting to get more attention. Bottles of Zilavka are now being served in trendy restaurants in Austria, and many of the wineries, including Domano, have won numerous domestic and international awards. Indeed, Domano achieved two Decanter’s Platinum 2017 medals for the Best Central & Eastern European white & red wine – their Žilavka 2016 and Blatina 2015.
Blagaj Monastery near the major wine region of Bosnia-Herzegovina
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Authors Note: I visited the Balkans on my summer vacation this year, and booked a tour at Domano winery. I didn’t expect to meet the winemaker in person and have such a fascinating conversation. However, as happens in many small wineries around the world, a one hour tasting can easily turn into a 2 to 3 hour feast, as did this one, and become one of the highlights of the vacation. I also stayed in Mostar overnight, and visited both the waterfall and the monastery mentioned in this story.