Wine regions

Wine regions / 01/23/2019 / 1869

SREM

Srem wine region is located on the slopes of Fruška Gora facing the Danube (north) and Sava (south) rivers. The territory of Srem wine region excludes  the peaks of Fruška Gora which are a part of the forest area of the national park. Within Srem region, there is only one sub-region - Fruška Gora.

According to 2012 data, there are 2,141 hectares of vineyards in Srem wine region. The vineyards are situated at an altitude ranging from 90 to 270 meters, mainly on the northern and southern slopes. The southern and northern sides of Fruška Gora are intersected by numerous streams that flow into the Danube River to the north and the Sava River to the south. For this reason, exposure of the plot depends on which side of the stream it is located. Smaller or bigger plateaus are nestled between the streams. On the southern slopes of Fruška Gora, these plateaus are spacious, often comprising dozens of hectares in one piece, with gentle sloping and seldom facing erosion problems. The altitude is gradually decreasing as we go from the slopes of Fruška Gora towards the edge of the wine region.

Soil: The predominant type of land is Chernozem, and to a lesser extent also Cambisol, Rendzina (humus-rich soil on limestone), Regosol, Orthent on magmatic bed.

A moderating factor affecting the local climate is the Danube River, which affects earlier ripening of grapes due to intense diffuse radiation (the effect of two suns).

Grape Producers: In this wine region, 2,170 households own vineyards. The largest areas under vineyards are located in the municipality of Šid.

Varieties: Grašac, Slankamenka, Sremska Zelenika, Furmint, Medenac Beli, Bakator, Tamjanika, Neoplanta, Župljanka, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Rhine Riesling, Blaufrankisch, Portugizer, Vranac, Probus, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Marselan, Seduša, Kadarka.

Interesting trivia:

- Historians note that Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus (276-282) planted the first vineyards on the territory of present-day Fruška Gora and thus marked the beginning of vinegrowing and winemaking in Serbia.

- If we talk about Srem wine region, then we inevitably touch the history of aristocratic family Odescalchi. Following the expulsion of the Turks, the Vienna Imperial Court rewarded the Odescalchi family with a property which included a large portion of Srem. Their newly acquired estate included Upper Srem area centered around the town of Ilok (present-day Croatia) and Lower Srem area centered around the town of Irig (present-day Serbia). Duke Livio Odescalchi (1652-1713) and his descendants are largely responsible for development of winemaking tradition in Srem. In Ilok, he modernized the old cellar from the 15th century. In the early 18th century, the Odescalchi family expanded vineyards in Ilok and constructed a new winery next to the existing old cellar. Historic records also indicate that the Odescalchi family established in 1826 the first winery in Erdevik (Serbia). 

- Srem is a unique region in Serbia where Furmint grows. Historic records indicate that Furmint was once widespread in Fruška Gora, and today there are only 5 vineyards in Fruška Gora. A small group of young winemakers aspires to put Furmint back on Serbia's wine lists.

- In contemporary Serbian winemaking, Fruška Gora stands out as a dynamic wine region where young winemakers experiment with wine styles, varieties and philosophy in the vineyard / cellar, which is supported by the number of winemakers dedicated to natural wines, biodynamic, organic, orange wines, etc. 

- Bermet, traditional aromatized fortified wine, is produced in Fruška Gora. You may often hear that this wine was served on the Titanic, however, these claims are not confirmed in reality. Anyway, it sounds like a nice story for tourists.

 

 




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Tomislav Ivanović

Awarded wine writer, wine critic and contributor to selected wine magazines. WSET3-certified author and editor-in-chief of www.vinopedia.rs. Member of Vojvodina Sommelier Association. Juror in national and international wine competitions. Lecturing about wines of Serbia and the Balkans. Local partner of Wine Mosaic organization. Co-founder of International Prokupac Day.

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