A tasty wine from war-torn Bosnia
Bosnia-Herzegovina? When we hear the name of this Balkan nation, sadly, we're more likely to think of war, ethnic cleansing, and genocide than wine.
From the 1992-1995 war following the breakup of Yugoslavia, and before that its suffering under the Iron Curtain, the World War II Axis, and even its role in triggering World War I, to its current shaky 3-president government today, it may seem Bosnia isn’t very stable.
And yet… peace currently prevails, and this little country is evolving a tiny but growing wine economy. “It does not produce a significant quantity of wine,” reports the Wine-Searcher Bosnia-Herzegovina page, “although it does have a few thousand acres of productive vineyards.”
We’re tasting a wine from the former Yugoslavian state, Bosnia-Herzegovina, today. Have you tried a wine from the Balkans?
Historically, Bosnia consumes more beer than wine, and its 400-year history under the Muslim Ottoman Empire before the early 1900s would have discouraged alcoholic beverages entirely. But the region seems ripe with potential.
The Škegro family gathers with pride to show off their Bosnia-Herzegovina vineyards. (Photo from importer Vinum USA Inc.)
The Balkans lie just across the narrow Adriatic Sea from Italy, and coastal regions share similar climates and soils. Indeed, its northern neighbors, Croatia and Slovenia, boast long histories as wine producers, drawing from their own heritage and nearby Italy and Austria. Indeed, modern DNA studies have traced the origin of Zinfandel to Croatia’s Crljenak Kaštelanski and Tribidrag.
I was delighted the other day to pick up the first wine I’ve ever found from Bosnia – Škegro 2020 Krš Crni Blatina. It was a delicious red wine, full of blackberry and black cherry flavors and subtle chocolate and pepper notes. And more interesting still, it was also my first opportunity to try a wine from Bosnia’s little-known Blatina grape.
Today’s Tasting Report
Škegro 2020 Krš Crni Blatina ($19.99)
Clear ruby in color, Škegro 2020 Krš Crni Blatina introduces the relatively unfamiliar Blatina grape in a wine from Bosnia & Herzegovina. Blatina dominates a field blend at 85%, with smaller portions of Trnjak (Petit Bouschet) and Kambuša (Alicante) to provide color and encourage pollination. Ripe blackberry and black cherry scents rise from the glass, backed by a hint of dark chocolate and a whiff of black pepper. Crisp acidity brightens a good black-fruit flavor, with soft, palatable tannins in the background. Organically grown and fermented with indigenous yeast, it is kept in stainless steel and neutral oak to preserve its fresh fruit character. 13.5% alcohol. U.S. importer: Vinum USA Inc., Basking Ridge, N.J. (Jan. 22, 2025)
FOOD MATCH: It’s a natural with beef or lamb and would make a tasty Bosnian treat with cévapi, burek, and šarma if you have Balkan restaurants or groceries nearby.
WHEN TO DRINK: This 2020 vintage is perfect right now and would probably be best drunk over the next couple of years while it’s fruity and fresh.
VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com’s $20 average U.S. retail offers a range of vendor prices from $18 to $24. There’s no doubt of its value through the middle teens, and it rates as a bargain if you can find it for less.
WEB LINK:
Importer Vinum USA offers a detailed fact sheet on this wine at this link. There’s also an article about the Škegro family and their story.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Škegro 2020 Krš Crni Blatina on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read about the Bosnia & Herzegovina wine region and look up more wines from the area at this Wine-Searcher link.
This Wine-Searcher link offers information about the Blatina grape and links to wines and vendors.
Find the wines you want
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Wine-Searcher.com is the place to go online if you want to find where to buy a particular wine that interests you. What’s more, Wine-Searcher.com offers so much more. It’s well worth a visit just to discover its many features, including its popular list of the world’s Top 10 Best Value Wines.
Good wines we’ve tried under $10.99!
Want tips to still more good, inexpensive wines? Here are Wine-Searcher links to vendors and prices for a bunch more wines for $10.99 or less that I’ve told you about in recent years. In some cases, the prices may have risen over the $10.99 mark since I reviewed them, but they should still be excellent bargains. Please tell us about your favorites!
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