Virtus Winery Žabari Svilajnac

The Virtus Winery was founded at the end of 2010 on the territory of the Mlava region – Požarevac wine-growing hills of the Central-Eastern Serbia. The founders of the Virtus Winery are a group of good friends and enthusiasts, who have been brought together by a shared love of wine and the idea that only team work can create good results. The vineyards of the Virtus Winery cover 27.5 hectares of gentle rolling hills complex in the beautiful small village of Viteževo, between Žabari and Svilajnac, 15 km from the Beograd-Niš motorway. On the surface of 15 hectares in 2011 and 2012 there were specially selected cultivated grapevine seedlings from France and Serbia – Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Marselan and Prokupac, when the phase-construction of the winery complex started. The major part of the technological and administrative facilities of the Virtus Winery has been completed until now, with the aim to obtain the wines of the highest quality.

Extraordinary geo-climate conditions of this wine region of Serbia allow successful grapevine cultivation today, as well as it was for thousands of years ago, which is corroborated by archaeological excavation of sites from the Antiquity of Serbia. At present the Virtus Winery bear witness and takes part in wine production of Serbia, and by maintaining the rich traditions and history of Serbia proudly continues the development of the wine growing of Serbia. Owners of the Virtus Winery truly believe to achieve their goal of celebrating Serbia and its spirit with the wine connoiseurs and lovers of high quality wines.

By its slogan “Read the Wine  – Taste the History” the Virtus Winery proudly confirms the fact that ancient Serbia established and has been the part of the great Vinca Danube civilization, the then technologically most advanced society in the world, before the Ancient Rome and Greece and Mesopotamia. The Vinca culture of the Danube left testimonies and traces of the roots of literacy – the Vinca script or symbols that date way back before the cuneiform script. The renowned Serbian painter Isidora Ivanović has used these Vinca symbols and a stylized figure in the labeling of the wines of the Virtus Winery with a aim to make the wine lovers also the history lovers. The most beautiful remains from that ancient Vinca age are the famous Vinca figurines that have inspired the appearance of the wines and the motto of the Virtus Winery. They depict figures with large eyes, symbolizing care and attention, and they all have broadly spread arms as a symbol of cordiality and warm welcome.

Sauvignon Blanc is considered a classic among aristocratic white wines. Like every great variety of vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc is the “baby” of the land on which it grows. Its aroma is permeated with an unusually strong varietal note which changes depending on the region in which it grows. Pinot Grigio is a symbol of summer, tasty food and simple natural products. Variety Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanc are two varieties originating from the mutation of noble Pinot Noire. It is successfully grown in the chilly mountainous region of Oregon, as well as in Sicily. In Alsace, Pinot Gris, as it’s called there, renders rich, fragrant white wines with the notes of walnut, smoke, spices and sometimes honey. This variety is known in our country as Sivi Burgundac – Grey Burgundy. The Gewürztraminer variety is one of 18 noble wine varieties, often referred to as “adult” Muscat. The prefix “Gewürz” meaning “savoury” refers to the aroma of this variety that comes from northern Italy (formerly South Tyrol). The wine is fragrant, floral, resembling the finest Turkish delight, primarily because of the expressive notes of rose petals and then of its strangely oily structure. Rosé and pink wines are not as popular as white or red ones, probably due to lack of information about them. Those familiar with these plentiful, natural wines never diminish their value, both because of the complex manufacturing technology and their magnificent flavor and the richness in antioxidants that help us with retaining our youth. Rosé is wine that is rightly linked to summer and the heat because it can be very cool without any fear of losing “its body.” Rosé goes well with different foods. Because of this particular feature, many treat it with certain mistrust. But in the last ten years, winemakers have been successfully coping with such a reputation of Rosé, so today the growing popularity of this wine does not surprise anyone. Prokupac is an old Serbian native variety, indigenous to our region. Many winemakers, faithful to the Serbian tradition have been renewing this variety thus contributing to and developing the domestic wine identity. Virtus Winery’s Prokupac is wine of deep red color, with the aroma of ripe red fruit, complemented with the aromas of cherry liqueur and cocoa with specific mineral notes characteristic for our ‘territory.’ The taste is fruity, soft, with pronounced sweet tannin, well fitted to this elegant and fine balanced wine, while the aging of a part of this wine in oak barriques has contributed to its elongated finish.