There is a town in central Serbia, not far from the Romanian-Bulgarian border, called Negotin. It was already a regional centre in the late 1800s, a serious wine region where the French bought most of their wine, and it is no coincidence that in the middle of the Philoxera period the Serbian state established one of the most important schools of viticulture and oenology here.
Bukovo hill, with its Orthodox monastery of the same name and the modern Matalj winery built among the vineyards, is located on the immediate outskirts of the town. Bukovo is also a vineyard, the hill is only 25-30 hectares, and according to Nikola, who is both the owner and the head winemaker of Matalj, it is “the last stretch of the Carpathians”, but is in fact one of the northernmost parts of the Serbian Archipelago. Last November, as life would have it, I was able to attend a special tasting at the winery (and a super dinner) where we tasted wines from here, one after the other. Vineyard selection Serbian style…
Trasko Bagrina 2023 I 88 points
Pale lemon colour. Subdued nose, mainly citrus. Medium body, lively acidity, citrus and green apple on the palate. Elegant structure with restrained minerality.
Aglaja Bagrina 2022 I 92 points
Medium pale lemon colour. On the nose it has apricot, hay, green apple and sweet spices. The palate is medium-bodied with lively acidity, fruity flavours and a long finish. Very drinkable, super!
Matalj Bagrina 2023 I 91 points
Medium lemon colour. Nose of mint, beeswax, vanilla and white fleshy fruit. Tasted over medium body, nice acidity, tiny bit of butteriness, creamy texture. On the palate, popcorn and peach, vanilla and ripe apple. The finish is long.
During the tasting, I suspected that it was not all from one vineyard, and it turned out that we were tasting wines from four wineries on the hill and nearby.
Bukovo Crna Tamjanika 2021 I 82 points
Pale red colour. A restrained nose, with just a hint of a brittle, compotey, cognacy note. Tasting it all questions are answered, big body, lazy acidity, alcohol almost stinging. Should harvest it earlier.
Matalj Bukovski 2021 (70% prokupac, 23% zacinak, 7% kadarka/cetereska) I 95 points
Medium ruby colour. Cherry, cherry, spices on the nose. The palate is lively, fruity, with good acidity and medium body. A real wine to ask for, it can become great without being sluggish for a single minute and can be drunk in a whole bottle. A world class wine!
Aglaja Prokupac 2023 I 89 points
Medium ruby colour. Restrained but fruity nose. Tasted over medium body, round acidity, lots of red berry fruit, silky tannins. Drinkable, exciting wine.
Trasko Fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 I 87 points
Deep ruby colour. Nose of blackberries, black pepper, but also some green pepper. Silky tannins on the palate, round acidity, more than medium body, some freshly grilled peppers on the palate alongside the fruitiness. The finish is medium.
Bukovo Filigran reserve 2019 I 90 points
Rustic nose with lots of sweet spice, plum and some oak. Big body, the alcohol is definitely sticking up, jammy overtones, all adding to the rusticity. Not a bad wine, but oldschool, if they paid more attention it could be a world beater.
Matalj Kremen Kamen 2020 I 96 points
Deep ruby colour. Nose of graphite, blackberry, cassis and minerality. Full bodied, brisk acidity, the palate repeats the nose with lots of blackberries and blackcurrants, graphite and again mineral overtones, but never for a moment becomes sluggish or jammy. It is taut, vibrant yet mellow and elegant, with an endless finish. Certainly the most beautiful face of Cabernet Sauvignon.
After the wines from the four wineries were put in order, the “leftover wines” from the host were presented. The Matalj winery is one of the best in Serbia with 27 hectares. They produce 150,000 bottles of wine a year, and they also run one of the best restaurants in rural Serbia, a great dining experience, I recommend it to everyone!
Matalj rosé 2023 (20% gamay, 80% merlot) I 86 points
Medium salmon colour. On the nose, lots of cherries, salty seaweed, umami. The space is medium, as is the acidity. Drinks well, fruity with a long finish.
Matalj Chardonnay 2022 I 90 points
Medium lemon colour. Sweet fruit, apple and clove on the nose. The body is more than medium, the palate shows elegant barrel use, fruit, spices and wood chips. The finish is long.
Matalj Sauvignon Blanc 2023 I 88 points
Medium lemon colour. Restrained nose, clearly European style, with ripe apple, pear and mint. Medium body, elegant acidity, vibrant yet restrained minerality. The finish is medium.
Matalj Kadarka/Cetereska 2023 (barrel sample) I 90 points
Deep ruby colour. Medium body, ringing acidity, with hints of lestane, rose pepper and some ground red pepper, cherry and sour cherry on both the palate and nose. As it opens up in the glass, the palate becomes more kadarka-like and spicy, ending with a long finish.
Matalj Zacinak 2023 (barrel sample) I 86 points
Deep ruby colour with a black core. Nose of purple flowers, mainly violet, graphite, pepper and nutmeg. Tasted over medium body, good acidity, tight-drying tannins. On the palate, it's mainly figs at first glance. More of a cuvée base, adds structure to the wine.
Matalj Crna Tamjanika 2023 (70g sugar) I 87 points
Pale cherry colour, almost rosé. Red flowers, strawberry and raspberry on the nose. Tasting it is light, with good acidity, a lively palate, good proportions and a nice balance. The finish is medium, not leaning towards sugar.
