Kremen and Dusica keeping Negotin area tradition – Matalj winery to build new facility and wine tasting hall

The grapevine was brought to the territory of today’s Serbia by the Romans in the 3rd century. The wine making tradition has not been broken since then in the Negotin area, which currently has around 100 hectares under grapevine.

One of the wineries of this area is Matalj, founded in 2004 by Nikola Mladenovic.

– My family decided to revive the neglected vineyard on the Kremenjaca hill in the village of Tamnic. We planted new sorts, above all Cabernet Sauvignon, and started producing our best rated wine, Kremen – Nikola Mladenovic recalls in his interview for eKapija.

The Matalj winery produces around 70,000 liters a year. Along with Kremen, they also produce Kremen Kamen, Dusica and Terasa. They named the wines, as Mladenovic says, after vineyard locations.

– We get Kremen from the Kremenjaca vineyard in the village of Tamnic, whereas Terasa Chardonnay and Terasa Sauvignon Blanc come from the Terasa vineyard from the village of Mihajlovac on the Danube. Dusica is called that as it’s a wine for the soul (TN: dusa [Ser]) – Nikola Mladenovic explains.

The wines cost from RSD 700 to RSD 4,000, and Mladenovic says that the price is an indicator, but not a guarantee of quality. The Matalj winery’s main market is Serbia, but they also sell their wines abroad – around 10% of what they produce is exported to Germany and Denmark.

Kremen has brought Matalj several awards so far. For two years in a row, 2013 and 2014, they were awarded with the Grand Prix for the best wine in Serbia.

– Of course, when we started reviving the old vineyards, we didn’t think about awards and prizes. Still, Negotin has always been known for its quality red wines, and our vineyard has a very good location and we expected our wines to be good. The acknowledgments arrived naturally on their own – our interviewee says.

He points out that medals and acknowledgments are important and that they promote the brand, especially if they are awarded at relevant contests. This is why Matalj, our interviewee adds, will continue taking part in local and international competitions.

New winery to increase production

Our interviewee also announces ambitious plans for increasing the production, as soon as the new facility at Bukovo above Negotin opens.

– We produce 70,000 liters, but we expect to more than double the amount after the new facility opens, to 150,000 liters. We are building a modern facility with 1,600 square meters. Aside from the production area, it will feature a wine tasting hall for up to 100 visitors. The works are going according to plan. We expect to move in this June, and the completion of all works, that is, the opening of the wine tasting hall, is expected for 2018 – Mladenovic says for our portal.

Negotin area’s protected indication of geographical origin

The winemakers from the Negotin area were the first ones to start bringing the indication of geographical origin in line with the system prescribed by the EU since 2011.

– With great help from the government and GIZ, the Study on the protection of wine with the Negotin area indication of geographical origin was adopted in 2015. Fourteen wineries entered the process, whereas twelve finished it. The study prescribes the wine quality necessary for the label to include the Negotin area indication (TN: Negotinska Krajina), as well as rules of the sale of grapes and wine – owner of the Matalj winery explains.

Mladenovic explains that it is very important for the wines and the winery to be associated with the Negotin area.

– The indication of geographical origin links us to the tradition and history of producing quality wine, which only contributes to better marketing. I also believe that each acknowledgement for our wines contributes to better promotion of this winemaking region. These two things are thereby connected and complement each other – Mladenovic says.

The plan is for the winery to increase the areas under vineyards featuring local sorts.

– We are currently focused on completing the new winery and equipping it. This year, we are planting the Prokupac and Kadarka sorts on new areas, along with the already planted Crna Tamjanika, Bagrina and Zacinka. I believe that we will succeed in making a lot of wine from the autochthonous sorts. New vineyards will enable us to try to make the old Negotin mix – Prokupac, Kadarka and Zacinka, as our only traditional wine – Nikola Mladenovic says.

Our interviewee says that the secret of a good wine is in combining “grapes, climate and man into the best possible whole”. Mladenovic says that, above all, one needs to know the grapes really well and then turn them into top quality wine with as few interventions as possible.

Miroc cheese

The Matalj company also includes a dairy factory, whose processing capacity is 2,000 liters of milk a day. Miroc cheese is produced there.

– The idea of producing Miroc cheese originated in our desire to present our autochthonous cheese, previously unfairly neglected, to Serbia. The special feature of Miroc cheese is that the milk originates in practically intact natural environment, from the cattle grazing on the slopes of the Miroc and Deli Jovan mountains. The cheese is characterized by remarkable thermal stability, making it suitable for grilling – eKapija’s interviewee explains.

Sanja Sojic

PMR Matalj Negotin

GIZ Beograd