This entry is to highlight both Rkaciteli and Repubilc of Macedonia Wines.
I have been searching for a wine from Republic of Macedonia and up until a few weeks ago this quest remained elusive. I finally found this wondrous wine as listed below.
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Tikveš Republic of Macedonia Rkaciteli 2011- 9.0 vintage
13% alcohol content
A gorgeous wine; layered and delicate notes of white peach, rainier cherry, white pepper, white tea, fennel, cinnamon and linger finish of apricot.
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Wines of the Republic Macedonia
There are 22,400 hectares / 55,000 acres of wine grapes in production and this is down in production from the mid-1990s. An ancient land and shares a name with a region in Greece hence the reason for calling out the complete name Wines of the Republic Macedonia; similar to Wines of the Republic of Georgia to not be confused with Georgia the US state. Some tiime people are surprised to find that there is wines being produced in the Republic of Macedonia–however follow the longitude west and you find Italy–and why would Vitis Vinifera not be grown here.
The Balkans have had a very tough just past half century–but because of political upheaval and change doesn’t mean that there is not a seriousness about wine and the quality to upright their wines to international standards. History must be viewed, understood and given pause–and that of the future must be embraced as well–to look at possibility, hope and a wine region that will come on line to produce and export high quality wines with a signature that is all Republic of Macdeonia.
There are three prince wine producing regions in Republic of Macedonia; Povardarie – around the capital of Skopje; Pcinja-Osogov and Pelagonija Polog
Wine grapes are primarily Red varietals include: Kratsija and Vranac; and white varietals Smederevka, Laski Rizling, Zilavka, and Rkacsiteli.
We live in great wine times and I can see this region developing further–perhaps regain hectares of wine grapes lost due to recent history. I do believe consumers are seeking high quality wines and wines of lesser known varietals spiced with lesser known regions–but regions producing great quality.
I look forward to tasting more wines from the Republic of Macedonia.
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¡Salud!
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Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.
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