Interview with Dragoljub Sekulić
– founder of the winery “Dragan i sinovi”–
In the hamlet of Župa Bandićka, 15 kilometers from Danilovgrad, lies the household of our interlocutor, Dragoljub Sekulić. In Bandići, the favorite activity of the locals, deeply rooted in tradition, is certainly the cultivation of grapevines and the production of the finest wine and rakija. In Dragoljub Sekulić’s home, the production of wine and rakija has been an integral part of life for all generations. Respecting family roots and with a view towards the future, Dragoljub decided to establish a winery, which he named “Dragan i sinovi” (eng. “Dragan and Sons”). From the winery of this hardworking host comes the wine “Ban”, as the most beautiful seal of a centuries-old tradition. Certainly, in Sekulić’s winery, many stories are still waiting to be told. Stories of times past and those yet to come.
Mr. Sekulić, you are the owner and founder of the winery “Dragan i sinovi” (eng. “Dragan and Sons”), from Bandići (Danilovgrad). How did you get started winemaking? What inspired you to start a winery and what was your start in this industry like?
My biggest motivation for doing winemaking is family tradition and debt to my ancestors. My great-grandfather, grandfather and father were also producing wine. Therefore, the tradition of wine production in our family has lasted for about 250 years. Our family produced between twelve and fifteen thousand kilograms of grapes per year. From such an annual income, the family could live quite well. From the total amount of grapes, wine and brandy were primarily produced. My grandfather, Ćetko Sekulić, had no special income and the basis of his existence was the sale of grapes, wine and brandy. I remember that his first money, which he would earn during the year, was from the sale of early grape varieties. He would sell that variety of grapes sometime around July 13, an important historical date for Montenegro, in the the place called Mareza. Since there were no roads, like today, the grapes were carried on horses to the point of sale. After my grandfather’s death, my father Milivoje inherited the family estate. Since he was an educator, he was forced to neglect work on the estate. However, when my brother and I grew up, we helped our father in maintaining the estate and working more actively in the vineyard. „Dragan i sinovi“ winery has officially been in existence for ten years. Our winery won the gold medal for the wine „Ban“ at the first major wine fair in Montenegro – „Barutana 2009“. My goal is to surpass my grandfather in the amount of grape production. Therefore, I wanted to fulfill the debt to my ancestors and for this winery to continue to exist for generations to come. I think I succeeded in that.
In Montenegro, there has been a tradition of enjoying wine for centuries, and we often like to say that we lead the way in terms of the quality of our wines compared to the rest of the world. Your winery is located in Bandići, a place in Katunska nahija. How much the characteristics of the climate affect the wines you produce?
I had the opportunity to travel the world and visit various environments and cultures. I would always pay special attention to those places where wine was produced. Therefore, I must say that I am very proud of Montenegro and my Bandići! Believe me, the conditions left by nature would be the envy of much larger and more developed countries. I believe that the quality of our wine is decisively influenced by the composition of the soil and the climatic conditions that exist here in Bandići. I think that this is a locality that deserves a lot of attention. I will tell you one fact – for centuries, the Montenegrin palace was supplied with wines from this climate, i.e. from Rupice Komanske and Bandićka Župa. Although, for a long time, this area had problems with water supply, today the conditions have improved considerably. I think this climate of Komani-Bandići-Zagarač, is God-given, for wine production. Therefore, it is a pity that the inhabitants of this climate do not use these ideal natural resources in order to produce not only wine, but also other agricultural crops.
Your wine is called „Ban“. Is there any symbolism in that name related to the place where it originates from?
I must say that we „wandered“ a lot when it came to the source of the name for the wine. For a large number of producers, choosing a wine name is a problem. We decided on the name „Ban“ because it is associated with Bandići, a micro-location called Banova glavica and a historical fact related to the dining of one of our bans in this area. Of course, with the expansion of the range of products, a selection of other names follows.
Can you describe the technological process of wine production in your winery in more detail? What techniques and equipment do you use to ensure that every step of production contributes to the superior taste of your wines?
I have gained experience in wine production by helping my grandfather and father. It was the traditional way of preparing wine, which we used for many years. However, as over time I started to get more serious about wine production, I used both experience and science. Previously, the practice consisted in the wine aging in the tropics for 21 days. That is not the case today. Today is already the eighth or ninth day of separating wine from the tropics. Of course, depending on the quality of the raw material, i.e. grapes. Then, wine is no longer stored in wooden barrels, as it used to be. Today, we store wine in prochromic stainless steel barrels. Also, I would like to mention that we have more modern cauldrons for roasting brandy. Therefore, the combination of experience and science contributed to our winery winning a gold medal at the aforementioned wine fair.
The data show that in the last seven to eight years there has been a real expansion of small wineries in Montenegro, which means that winemaking is a very profitable occupation for Montenegrin businessmen. What, in your opinion, are the main advantages and challenges faced by winemakers in our country?
– In terms of quality, Montenegrin wines are completely equal to wines from France, Italy, Spain… I believe that quality will always come to the fore and will make a profit in order for people to engage in this business. However, there is also room for improving the overall environment in the field of winemaking in Montenegro. I see the biggest challenge in solving the problem of purchasing wine from local producers. A lot could be done to make the wine producers more satisfied, and the turnover of the wine itself would be even higher than usual. First of all, domestic wine producers should be protected by legislation. I think that all Montenegrin tourism workers and restaurateurs should be obliged to purchase a certain amount of wine from local producers. After all, isn’t it logical that you serve your own, home-made wine at the table to a guest who comes to you from abroad? Don’t think I’m fooling myself. I am very aware of the norms dictated by the EU legislation and the principles of the free market. However, I am convinced that a modality can be found to accelerate the purchase of wine from domestic producers. A positive example of such a way of doing business comes from Bandići. Local restaurateurs were very happy to buy our wine, as well as other wines and brandies from producers from Bandići and the surrounding area. Also, domestic producers should be supported in the export of wine. I believe that an umbrella association of Montenegrin winemakers should be formed in order to reach the market more adequately. Precisely for reasons of easier distribution, we, as a family winery, decided to open a tavern. We decided to, in this way, expand the offer of our winery and serve our products to our guests in one authentic place.
As you yourself said, wine production has been a traditional business in your family for generations. What is your position on the sustainability of family businesses in Montenegro?
In short – family businesses are the future of the Montenegrin economy! In fact, a family business should be the backbone of all other businesses. I give an example of running a restaurant on the Montenegrin coast or Montenegrin mountains. If a family with six able-bodied members deals with it, all the costs that they would otherwise have to pay for labor are kept in the household budget! And let’s not forget that, especially today, those costs are quite high. Therefore, family businesses in Montenegro have a perspective, regardless of the activity in question. However, what I see as a barrier to family businesses are complex bureaucratic procedures. I think that the administration should be at the service of family businesses, not a „stumbling block“. But that shouldn’t discourage you either. Harmony, mutual respect and support within the family is important. Only then does success enter the big door!