We were first introduced to the talented Serbian winemaker Kristina Lukić by Etienne de Montille (of Domaine de Montille), who insisted we try the excellent wines she makes at Vinarija Dalia. Kristina, who studied viticulture and oenology at the University of Udine, honed her craft across Europe, Chile, California and New Zealand before ultimately returning to her native Serbia. Here, she has helped inspire a revival of the country’s rich winemaking history (which dates back to the Neolithic period), particularly among her fellow female winemakers.
Dalia (derived from the Arabic for ‘grapevine’) was founded in 2021 as a collaboration between Kristina and a winery she’d previously consulted for, Vinarija Raj, in the Negotin Valley (Negotinska Krajina) of Eastern Serbia. A subregion of Timok, the Negotin Valley is close to the borders of both Bulgaria and Romania. The valley, described as a ‘treasure trove of modern Serbian wine’ by Caroline Gilby MW, enjoys a dry, sunny continental climate moderated by the Deli Jovan Mountain to the west and the Danube River to the east.
Kristina makes the Dalia wines in Vinarija Raj’s winery and sources most of her fruit from their organically farmed, nine-hectare vineyard. Planted on clay and limestone soils at an elevation of 150-200m, the vineyard boasts a wealth of international and native varieties, from Riesling, Gewürtztraminer, Gamay and Merlot to Bagrina, Smederevka, Prokupac, Začinak and Red Tamjanika. Vinarija Dalia also rent one hectare of Gamay vines and 0.8 hectares of Gewürztraminer in the village of Smedovac. This is one of few Serbian villages to have preserved its traditional 19th-century stone wine cellars, which were recently nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status.
In the cellar, Kristina takes a minimal-intervention approach to winemaking, utilising indigenous yeasts, spontaneous fermentation, natural tartaric stabilisation and limited sulphur additions. The `Trač` Gewürtztraminer spends 24 hours macerating on its skins before fermentation and is aged in stainless-steel tanks until the spring following harvest. Fresh and vibrant, this is an approachable style brimming with notes of lychee, white flowers and candied stone fruits. The ‘Splet’ blends Gamay with the black-skinned Vranac, a variety native to Montenegro. Made using 100% destemmed grapes, it undergoes two weeks of pre-fermentation maceration before ageing for 10 months in used Serbian and French oak barrels. The result is a medium-bodied wine with notes of dark cherry and liquorice and a subtle, earthy finish. The ‘Kos’ Merlot is named after the Serbian word for ‘blackbird’ and references this grape's French origins (‘Merlot’ likely being derived from ‘merle’, French for blackbird). ‘Kos’ is made with 30% whole bunch fermentation to help enhance its vibrant, red fruit aromas. Ten months of ageing in Serbian acacia barrels and French oak result in a fine, well-structured red with vivid tannins and a hint of chocolate on the finish.
The fruit is sourced mostly from Vinarija Raj’s organically farmed, nine-hectare vineyard, in the village of Rajac. The region enjoys a dry, sunny, continental climate, moderated by the Deli Jovan Mountain to the west and the Danube River to the east. The Merlot grapes grow at 150-200 metres above sea level, on soils predominantly composed of clay and limestone, which contribute to the flavour intensity and freshness of the grapes. The vines are mostly Guyot trained and farmed using only copper, sulphur, and natural treatments to combat fungal diseases and shallow ploughing to improve the soil structure.
The 2022 growing season in Rajac and Smedovac was hot and dry, which resulted in minimal disease pressure, although some of the younger vines experienced water stress. Both grape varieties ripened well, developing great phenolic maturity, while retaining balanced acidity. The grapes were harvested between the 30th of September and 1st of October 2022.
The grapes were handpicked, allowing for careful selection in the vineyard. Upon arrival at the winery, most of the grapes were destemmed and macerated for three weeks, 30% whole bunch, to enhance the red fruit aromatics. Fermentation took place in open top stainless-steel tanks with indigenous yeasts. The wine was then aged in old Serbian acacia 500 litre tonneau and French 225 litres oak barrels for 10 months prior to bottling without fining or filtration.
The wine is deep ruby with hints of purple in colour. On the nose, there are lively aromas of red fruits, dark cherries with hints of spice and chocolate. On the palate, the wine is well-structured, with vivid tannins, and a long finish.
