Miletic Winery Oparic
The prominent village of Oparić, near Rekovac, in the Levač area of Serbia is famous for Janko Brašić – the founder of the Serbian naive arts, but it regained its popularity by the Miletic Winery. Levač area and the Oparić village feature impressive and internationally recognized cultural heritage of the Naive arts, the spiritual Medieval monasteries of Kalenić and Preradovac, thriving bee-keepers, diligent peasants, but also several successful wineries, that greatly contribute to the wine tourism of Serbia. The epic tradition has it that the Kalenic Monastery, located west of the Oparic village, used to be called the Kalemic Monastery, along its brethren which was considered the very skilled in-grafters of grapes. All around the Medieval shrine of the Kalenic Monastery the grape was grown, which for centuries resulted in high quality red wine, that was usually brought to Krusevac in the scarf to the Prince Lazar for tasting.
The Miletic Winery is one of the Levac wineries, whose wine-making and viticulture dates back to the 18th century. Daughters of the Miletic Family – Zorica, Milica and Marija were the guarantee that the family wine-making will survive, as the youngest daughter Marija followed the steps of their grand-grand father, and nowadays successfully develops and improves the wine production in the vineyards which cover 8 hectares.
Marija was raised in the family vineyards where she helped her father in vine growing for production of good wine which was always served on the table of the Miletic Family. The Miletić-Simić families started some ten years ago to develop its own family brand and wine making, by continuation the rich and long tradition established by the grand-grand father of Marija, after he graduated the School of Agriculture, when he started the serious production of grapes and wine. The Family idea enabled Marija to graduate at the the Department of Food Technology at the Faculty of Agriculture, and complete the wine technology and to continue the family wine-making. Nowadays Marija runs the vineyards and wine production in their modern winery, together with his husband, dr Goran Simic, who is doctor in the local Health Center. The clear vision of Marija to return back to Oparic and continue the viticulture tradition has come true, and she gets lots of assistance from her parents and husband in this responsible and complex wine business. They have three children, who are to continue along their steps….
Special attention is payed to the wine-making in the Levac vineyards, that feature ecological and suitable conditions for wine growing, as the moderate continental climate, distance from big industrial centers and gentle slopes of the east, west and south expositions and plateaus. Plantage vineyards of Levac area make the modern wine-growing plants and gain high quality grape varieties: the Rhine Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot, Caberne Sauvignon, Red Burgundy and Franconia. The wine plant has deep plant root, so that dry years do not impact the harvest, while the climate changes contributes to the grape vine and the grape quality.
The Miletic Winery in Oparic is recognized for excellent wines and the fact that the family can live well from wine-making, along with constant investments and great commitment of all generations. The Miletic Winery was awarded the I Prize in the category of red wines for its wine Impresija-Cabernet Sauvignon barrique harvest 2012, and the II Prize in category of rose wines for its wine Roze-kupaža of the Frankovka and Shiraz sorts, harvest 2013. The ,,Miletić“ Winery is part of the Wine routes of Serbia, of the Shumadija and Pomoravlje wine region. Besides tasting of wines, visitors are offered with specific food of the Levac area. In the vineyards of the Miletic Winery there is the house for wine tourists and tasting hall, famous for excellent wines of Impresija rizling rajnski and the Impresija merlot barrique, as well as the finest food and unique flavors of the Levac area. Marija of the Miletic Winery confirms that wine-making has larger dimension and through tourism is now in the pursuit of quality and recognition of the whole Levac region and of Serbia.
