Forty wineries, ten distilleries, and a vision for South-East Europe’s premier gathering
The first edition of Budva Wine Fest was successfully held in Budva, bringing together a large number of exhibitors and visitors over two days at the Hotel Avala. The rich and diverse offering of forty wineries and ten distilleries that registered to participate in Budva Wine Fest attracted considerable interest from representatives of the HoReCa sector and the tourism industry, as well as from lovers of fine wine and quality spirits.
“The impressions are so positive that we have already begun preparing the next Budva Wine Fest. We had interesting guests seeking to export Montenegrin products and were very interested in exporting to several major countries worldwide. The very point of the event is the B2B meetings between exhibitors and producers on the one hand and consumers, clients, restaurants, hotels, and chambers of commerce of other countries on the other,” said Nikola Merdović, one of the organisers of Budva Wine Fest.
Merdović noted that their goal is for the event to grow into a tradition. “Our goal is to create a hospitality expo in Budva that will bring together a considerable number of segments. As early as next year, Budva Wine Fest could become one of the most important wine gatherings in South-East Europe. We have received expressions of interest from chambers of commerce in the region that wish to send their winemakers to Budva Wine Fest to present themselves in Montenegro, which tells us that attendance next year will be even greater,” said Merdović.
Thanks to the participation of the companies Rustrog Montenegro, Primanova, Montefino, and Dandur, beverages from the most diverse corners of the world were presented at Budva Wine Fest. “We have a very broad offering of wines and spirits from across the world. At my stand, I am presenting highly interesting beverages from Japan, Mexico, and China, and we also have Michael Jordan’s tequila. There are also participants from the region, Italy, France… We have represented the entire world in our portfolio. With this event, we wanted to offer something to Budva, which has given us a great deal over the years. Although the exhibitors are ordinarily competitors to one another, this kind of synergy is something we all need,” said sommelier Radul Dubljević.
Road Rail Company also presented itself at the wine fair with four stands.
“We represent a great many wineries, and on this occasion, we are presenting the wineries Bennati, Franc Arman Malvasia, Pošip Korčula; we also represent the renowned French champagne Taittinger, and I must mention Borgo Molino, which has performed very well both on the coast and in Podgorica in terms of sales. Given that this is the first edition of Budva Wine Fest, I must say that our impressions are positive. We are satisfied; it is interesting, unusual, full there are a great many people. I believe this is an opportunity for many hoteliers and restaurateurs to come and taste, in one place, all the wines on offer, wines they could likely include on their wine lists in the coming period. We endeavour always to participate in events of this kind, all with a view to improving sales,” said Igor Medojević of Road Rail Company.
Participation in Budva Wine Fest was a new experience for the wineries BIBICh from northern Dalmatia and Stari hrast from Šumadija.
“The atmosphere is excellent, the attendance is excellent, and we are glad to be here. The wineries BIBICh and Stari hrast are already recognised, and their products are available in restaurants in Montenegro. We are here to confirm that status. We have produced some new labels, and we wish to present them in particular,” said sommelier Stevo Đokmarković.
Wines from the Aleksić winery of Vranje were also presented at the Budva Wine Fest.
“I believe a wine fair of this kind was something the Montenegrin coast was missing. Today we are presenting here a selection of our products, and what the Montenegrin public is especially familiar with is the Tamjanika Žuti cvet, which delights new visitors here as well,” said Dragana Janjić of the Aleksić Winery.
The distillery, Mr Chura, also presented a rich and innovative offering at the Budva wine festival. “We produce spirits from our own products from maise we produce grain alcohols, we make gin and vodka, and we are the only ones in the region to produce rum from sugarcane molasses that we import from South America. Our importer for Montenegro is Compania de Vinos, with whom we have a wonderful cooperation. We also have a wonderful cooperation with Nikola Merdović and our brand ambassador, Igor Nikolić. We are presenting ourselves well here; the effects of participation in Budva Wine Fest have been very positive, and we are finding new customers. We will endeavour to attend events of this kind at every new opportunity,” said Đorđe Keserović of the Mr Chura distillery.
Marko Popović, Director of the Skaska distillery from Serbia, expressed his satisfaction at presenting in Budva for the first time. “The setting is excellent, the atmosphere is pleasant, and visitors are very interested in what we have to offer. We are presenting the plum brandy Skaska from the village of Bare in Šumadija. Rakija can be emblematic of our region. We believe we have great prospects,” said Popović.
Budva Wine Fest also featured a gastro corner where visitors could taste cheeses from the Montenegrin companies Argella and Highland Canyon.
Engaging educational lectures were also held on the second day of the fair. Considerable interest was attracted by the promotion of the Lexicon of Viticulture and Winemaking of Montenegro, published by the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts.
“The Lexicon of Viticulture and Winemaking of Montenegro represents a significant contribution to the science and profession of viticulture and winemaking. With standardised entries, we attempted and succeeded to present the historical and developmental path of viticulture and winemaking in Montenegro, as well as their significance for the cultural and economic development of Montenegrin society. The grapevine has been one of the oldest crops in Montenegro since ancient times. At the same time, wine has been an integral part of our tradition, faith, customs, and culture for centuries. A thorough knowledge of the rich history of Montenegrin viticulture and winemaking, of viticultural regions and sub-regions, of our autochthonous varieties, and of the significance of wine in all aspects of human life in these territories promotes viticulture and winemaking as integral components of Montenegrin identity and history. The cultivation of the grapevine in the territories of Montenegro, together with wine as an integral part of the material, cultural, and spiritual expressions of our people, necessitated that the lexicon, in addition to significant terms from viticulture and winemaking, also present terms from other sciences relevant to this field terms from history, archaeology, mythology, genetics, heraldry, botany, religion, philosophy, literature, and the musical and visual arts,” said Prof. Dr Vesna Maraš, Editor-in-Chief of the Lexicon of Viticulture and Winemaking of Montenegro.
A special master class entitled “Godinje The Birthplace of Vranac and the Wine Story of Montenegro” was presented by the winemaker and founder of the Garnet winery, Miško Leković.
“Vranac is an inexhaustible subject. I place particular emphasis on the fact that Vranac originates in Montenegro, and more specifically in the Crmnica region around Lake Skadar. I am here today to represent our winery Garnet, which is located in Crmnica itself, in the village of Godinje. We have built our entire family story in the village of Godinje and in our winery around wine and around Vranac. For years, we have been engaged in wine tourism, welcoming people from around the world. Most of them are Europeans, and they themselves tell us that in Montenegrin restaurants there are not enough domestic wines, the very wines for which they came. Domestic production is of enormous importance, and domestic wines should be represented as widely as possible at wine fairs of this kind; thereafter, they can demonstrate the high quality of their wine products and become the dominant component of the wine lists of restaurants and hotels in Montenegro,” said Leković.
The organisers of the first Budva Wine Fest are the company Montefino Wine from Bar and a team that has worked for years on the realisation of this idea, while a large number of partners and sponsors supported the event.