Banat - Serbia, Romania, Hungary
Vršac Wine Route - "Sea of vineyards"
According to some historical sources, viticulture in the Vršac region dates back to the times of Daci tribe and Roman rule, while the first written mention of the region dates to 1494 when Vršac wine was sold to the court of King Vladislav II. From the Ottoman Turk writer Evliya Celebi's travel books we learn that the slopes of the Vršac hill were planted with vine that yielded sweet and tasty grapes.
The Banat viticulture saw great progress at the time of great colonization during the rule of Maria Teresa (1740-1780).
As you set on your way to the Mesić monastery, you will see great Helvetia cellars that were built and equipped in 1880 by Swiss wine merchant Bernhard Staub. The grapevine has been in the town's coat-of-arms since 1804, while the grape motif can be found in many details on the façades of old houses, which speaks to the importance of viticulture in Vršac.
By the late 19th century, Vršac had 10,000 hectares of vineyards. Those were the largest vineyards in what was then Hungary and, according to some statisticians, even in Europe, that were devastated by insect pest phylloxera at the time.
With the banishment of Ottoman Turks and the arrival of Germans from the Rhine region, viticulture became the main economic sector in the nearby village of Gudurica. After World War II, Germans were expelled and Slovenians arrived in the village, to be followed by Macedonians and colonists from Bosnia and the regions of Lika, Banija, and Kordun. Today Gudurica has 1,500 citizens who have 22 different national origins, a French woman among them. Out of 425 households, 80 tend to some 100 hectares of vineyards, that, together with some1,000 hectares in Vršac, make this region the Serbia's viniest area.
VITICULTURE AND WINEMAKING TODAY
Vršac vineyards spread on a hilly terrain around Vršac, on the far west slopes of the Carpathians. Vršački Vinogradi (Vršac vineyards) holds over 1,700 hectares of plantations, while the entire region has a total of 2,100 hectares under grapevine. Dominant types of soil include smonitza, eutric cambisol and dilluvial soils with quicksand. The climate in the area is typically continental.
The autochthonous and old varieties, include Župljanka, Smederevka, White Šasla, Rkaciteli, and Kreaca. Kreaca is an ancient white grapevine - an autochthonous Vršac variety. It used to be grown all over the Banat plain. White varieties dominate Vršac vineyards - red varieties are rarely found.
For a connoisseur, Vršac hill, Gudurica and Veliko Središte are the synonyms for top quality grapes and good wine. Favorable geographic and climatic factors have always inspired the locals to devote themselves to grape and wine production. Today, the entire area where Vršac mountains meet the meek Banat plain is planted with grapevine and is one of the most significant viticultural regions in Serbia.
Of many top quality wines produced in the region, Muscat Otonel, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Rhine and Italian Riesling stand out. The Banatski Rizling white table wine is very popular. It is a blend of Italian Riesling, Smederevka, Župljanka and Kreaca.
WINE ROUTE
Vršački Vinogradi's cellar has always been and still is an architectural attraction. It can store 34,000 tons of wine. The cellar was built between 1964 and 1967. Vršački Vinogradi was one of the chief symbols of the former Yugoslavia. The cellar is in the shape of letter 'Y' (for Yugoslavia). It is one of the three largest wine cellars under one roof in Europe. The other two are in Listel, France and Logrono, Spain. The cellar has five galleries - one underground and four above the ground level - which store 580 stone tanks, tiled with glass plates.
The Banat viticulture saw great progress at the time of great colonization during the rule of Maria Teresa (1740-1780).
As you set on your way to the Mesić monastery, you will see great Helvetia cellars that were built and equipped in 1880 by Swiss wine merchant Bernhard Staub. The grapevine has been in the town's coat-of-arms since 1804, while the grape motif can be found in many details on the façades of old houses, which speaks to the importance of viticulture in Vršac.
By the late 19th century, Vršac had 10,000 hectares of vineyards. Those were the largest vineyards in what was then Hungary and, according to some statisticians, even in Europe, that were devastated by insect pest phylloxera at the time.
With the banishment of Ottoman Turks and the arrival of Germans from the Rhine region, viticulture became the main economic sector in the nearby village of Gudurica. After World War II, Germans were expelled and Slovenians arrived in the village, to be followed by Macedonians and colonists from Bosnia and the regions of Lika, Banija, and Kordun. Today Gudurica has 1,500 citizens who have 22 different national origins, a French woman among them. Out of 425 households, 80 tend to some 100 hectares of vineyards, that, together with some1,000 hectares in Vršac, make this region the Serbia's viniest area.
VITICULTURE AND WINEMAKING TODAY
Vršac vineyards spread on a hilly terrain around Vršac, on the far west slopes of the Carpathians. Vršački Vinogradi (Vršac vineyards) holds over 1,700 hectares of plantations, while the entire region has a total of 2,100 hectares under grapevine. Dominant types of soil include smonitza, eutric cambisol and dilluvial soils with quicksand. The climate in the area is typically continental.
The autochthonous and old varieties, include Župljanka, Smederevka, White Šasla, Rkaciteli, and Kreaca. Kreaca is an ancient white grapevine - an autochthonous Vršac variety. It used to be grown all over the Banat plain. White varieties dominate Vršac vineyards - red varieties are rarely found.
For a connoisseur, Vršac hill, Gudurica and Veliko Središte are the synonyms for top quality grapes and good wine. Favorable geographic and climatic factors have always inspired the locals to devote themselves to grape and wine production. Today, the entire area where Vršac mountains meet the meek Banat plain is planted with grapevine and is one of the most significant viticultural regions in Serbia.
Of many top quality wines produced in the region, Muscat Otonel, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Rhine and Italian Riesling stand out. The Banatski Rizling white table wine is very popular. It is a blend of Italian Riesling, Smederevka, Župljanka and Kreaca.
WINE ROUTE
Vršački Vinogradi's cellar has always been and still is an architectural attraction. It can store 34,000 tons of wine. The cellar was built between 1964 and 1967. Vršački Vinogradi was one of the chief symbols of the former Yugoslavia. The cellar is in the shape of letter 'Y' (for Yugoslavia). It is one of the three largest wine cellars under one roof in Europe. The other two are in Listel, France and Logrono, Spain. The cellar has five galleries - one underground and four above the ground level - which store 580 stone tanks, tiled with glass plates.
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