Intriguing legacy of Budimir winery
In the town of Aleksandrovac, Zdravković Budimir – affectionately known as “Deda Buda” (“Grandfather Buda” in English) – has been crafting nearly 80 vintages of authentic wines.
In 2006, his son-in-law Aleksander Rašković made a bold but imperative decision to systematically commercialize Budimir’s wines, allowing the wines to not only be available to wine lovers in Serbia but also around the world.
The winery sits in the heart of the Župa Valley, a small but significant wine-growing area within the Tri Morave wine region of Serbia. There are approximately 2,000 hectares of vineyards in Župa, with the red grape Prokupac and white grape Tamjanika taking center stage.
Vino Budimir’s flagship wines are the mature wines based on indigenous varieties. However, the winery also produces fresh, everyday wines to satisfy the needs of the local market. The best-seller of the young wine selection is the Tamjanika.
Tamjanika is the Serbian name for Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, a grape that creates floral white wine. Many locals doubted that it could make serious wine; but Vino Budimir has shown that the grape is capable of that and so much more. The entry-level Tamjanika is meant to be consumed young but also capable of short-term aging.
For a different expression of Tamjanika, look out for “Vera”, which is named after Deda Buda’s wife. It is a blend of Tamjanika wines from multiple years and the blend is aged in a large oak cask for several years before release. The final product is nutty and honeyed, quite unlike any other Tamjanika wines.
The core of Vino Budimir’s production is the “Triada” line, which consists of a white wine and a red wine. Triada stands for the triune core of the winery: Deda Buda’s family, his land, and his wine.
The red Triada is predominantly Prokupac, while the white Triada is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Tamjanika. Both wines are aged in neutral oak, and as such, they offer moderate levels of complexity and great value for their price points.
Another popular wine is the I Kao Da Si Anđeo, which translate to “And you are like an Angel.” It is a Merlot matured in 225-litre French oak. This is the best-selling red wine of Vino Budimir, and it’s easy to see why. It’s plush with flavors of plum and earth.
But what Vino Budimir takes the greatest pride in is the mature, premium wines that undergo long aging. The winery’s signature wines are the Margvs Margi Riesling, Boje Lila Prokupac, and SvB Rosa.
The Margvs Margi Riesling is made in the same traditional style that Deda Buda has been doing for decades. The wine is aged in large oak casks for several years before bottling. It is a fascinating white wine that fans of Austrian Riesling will mostly likely embrace.
The Boje Lila Prokupac is made from Prokupac grapes grown on bush vines that were planted more than a century ago. 2009 is the first vintage of this wine, and it was aged for over 60 months before It is a medium-bodied wine that packs a lot of herbaceous, earthy notes.
The SvB Rosa, which means “under the rose”, is a blend of 60% Prokupac and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Prokupac grapes are grown on old bush vines.
SvB Rosa 2007, the inaugural vintage of this wine is the first Serbian wine to receive 90 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. It’s a serious wine for Old World fans who want to try something different.
It has brilliant freshness, spiciness and earthiness from Prokupac combined with the tannic structure and savory flavors of the Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a wine that is not to be missed!
Budimir is a producer that has achieved a time-tested house style. If you’re looking to expand your palate knowledge or if you’re seeking for a new sensory experience, the wines from Budimir are sure to tickle your fancy.
