The tradition of cultivating grapevines and wine production in the Negotin region is inextricably linked to the Bukovo Monastery, which, due to its geographical location, exceptionally favorable climatic conditions, and distinctive soil type on the monastery estate, has represented a synonym and the main characteristic of viticulture and winemaking in this area for centuries.
After the emergence of phylloxera (at the end of the 19th century), which severely threatened the entire European and Serbian viticulture, the Bukovo Monastery established the first viticulture school on its estate in 1887, which four years later became the first state agricultural school for viticulture and pomology.
The monastery thus became the center for the revival of viticulture in the Negotin region.
The rich history of viticulture and winemaking at our monastery, as a kind of legacy from numerous generations, inspired Bishop Justin of Timok to continuously encourage the brotherhood, gathered under his spiritual guidance, to renew and continue this tradition. These incentives bore fruit, and the monastic brotherhood established a unique plantation of the Black Tamjanika grape variety on a two-hectare area, preserving this ancient variety from oblivion and creating the foundation for a new, originally Serbian wine.
This specific muscat variety is very challenging to cultivate due to its unique periodicity in fruiting and yield. In terms of its varietal characteristics, Black Tamjanika regularly achieves sugar content in the range of 25% to 32%, and in exceptional years when the yield is significantly lower, and we wait for the “drying” phase, it can contain up to 45% sugar. Such grapes can produce wines with an alcohol content of 14-17.6% with residual unfermented sugar, making it an exceptional semi-sweet muscat wine.
In the years that followed, the monastery expanded its grape variety selection, which is reflected in the plantings of Cabernet, Merlot, Burgundy, Gamay, as well as the white variety Chardonnay. The monks produce wine exclusively through spontaneous fermentation, and vinification is performed by hand-submerging the cap while controlling the state and temperature of the must.
Striving to unite tradition and modern technology in wine production, the monks nurture the monastery vineyards with dedication and regularity, relying on God’s grace to complement all their shortcomings, with the desire to re-establish top-quality wines worthy of this region in Serbia.