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Erdevik Winery: impressive results with Roman history

In the western reaches of Fruška Gora, Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus ordered the planting of grapevines in the village of Erdevik in 276.

Unfortunately, like many wine regions in this part of the world, the Fruška Gora wine region disconnected from its viticulture history and lost its luster during the Yugoslavian era. Now that time is in the past and several wineries are looking to restore vinous glory to Fruška Gora. 

Named after the village of the same name, Erdevik Winery occupies the compound that once served as a state-run cooperative in Yugoslavia. The facilities are now in capable, private hands, and the winery boasts premium vineyards that are located 100 meters above sea level.

Noble grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah are planted in alluvial soil with several layers of clay and limestone before reaching the remains of the Pannonian Sea.

These grapes receive ample light from both the sun and the reflection of the Danube. Contributing to this viticultural sweet spot, the cool air from Fruška Gora flows in to cool the grapes and help retain acidity in the berries.

The winery’s claim to fame locally is its rosé production. Erdevik produces two rosé wines: Tri Rozé Kozé & Roza Nostra.

Tri Rozé Kozé is a cuvée of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. It has a few grams of residual sugar to flesh out its body and elevate its floral and red fruit flavors.

The Roza Nostra is made from predominantly Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a serious rosé built up by lees contact. It’s big enough to be drunk on its own or with food.

The varietal white wines at Erdevik Winery are pushing the winery’s reputation to a new frontier. The Sauvignon Blanc are given two treatments: Tri Bele Koze is fermented in stainless steel and Ex Cathedra is barrel-fermented. The Chardonnay is barrel-fermented and named Omnibus Lector.

Tri Bele Koze is an easy-drinking fresh Sauvignon Blanc with a balanced profile of citrus of stone fruit.

Ex Cathedra offers a harmonized botanical profile with mineral-accented persistence. The Omnibus Lector received a silver medal at the Citadelles du Vin in 2017.

This wine is a suitable “poster wine” to show the world what Serbia can offer in terms of Chardonnay. It is a great marriage of a creamy body and refreshing acidity.

The finish is supported by drawn-out mineral flavors.

The winery also produces two red blends from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. The wines are called Trianon and Grand Trianon.

Fruška Gora has a reputation of being a great region for producing white wines and producers like Erdevik are working on changing that with these high-quality reds.

The Trianon and Grand Trianon wines are made from estate fruit and aged in French oak. These wines are big and plush thanks to the Merlot while the Cabernet Sauvignon adds structure and Syrah offers lift.

Erdevik has all the pieces to make some noise in the wine world. They have significant vineyard holdings, large facilities, and their current vintages are already impressive. The winery has refurnished their tasting room, and there are further plans to upgrade the estate.

With more like-minded producers working towards a collective goal, the region of Fruška Gore has the potential to regain its lost footing in the wine world.

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