American Tourists Discover the Secrets of Serbian Wine

The "Golden Crown" Wine Museum opened on October 4, 2024, and Rapajic told Newsmax Balkans that they chose Serbia’s most visited historical destination, Topola, as the location for the museum.

"This is the place where the modern Serbian state was founded. It naturally attracts tourists, and in the past six months, we've had a large number of visitors, including guests from the USA. Not a huge number, but enough to exchange experiences and confirm the areas of interest for American tourists," he said.

He added that, as president of the "Wine Routes of Serbia" association and someone actively involved in promoting wine tourism in Serbia, he is in contact with winemakers who report a significant number of visitors from the United States.

"There is interest in Serbian wines among all wine tourists, including Americans. The reason is simple: Serbia is an interesting country with a unique terroir and remains largely undiscovered by many wine lovers around the world," he explained.

According to Rapajic, nearly every visit ends with wine tourists being impressed and promising to return to Serbian wineries.

"Since we are a young and relatively unknown wine market, the number of visitors increases year after year. These are mostly individual visits; there are few organized group tours. Wine culture is something very familiar to American tourists, and what stands out is that they are often surprised to realize our wineries and wine culture are in no way behind the rest of the world," Rapajic emphasized.

Americans Pleasantly Surprised

American tourists are well acquainted with wines produced in Serbia from imported grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, or Shiraz. Still, Rapajic says they enjoy trying them here, as they differ from what they’re used to tasting in, for example, Napa Valley.

He adds that Americans are especially pleasantly surprised when they try Serbia’s indigenous grape varieties.

"In conversations with American tourists, we noticed they were very surprised — and more than satisfied — with the diversity of our offerings. Our wines, ranging from those in the north near Subotica and Palic, popularly known as 'sands wines,' to those in the far south of the country, known for their fullness and robustness, offer wine lovers the chance to enjoy a wide spectrum of outstanding wines," Rapajic emphasized.

He points out that wine tourists from around the world leave the museum “mildly put, stunned,” because in just about an hour of touring, they learn about Serbia’s incredible and rich wine history, backed by original artifacts.

"Through twelve stories, they go through the history of winemaking and viticulture in Serbia, from ancient times to the present day. They are especially interested in the periods and events familiar to them — such as the times before and after phylloxera, the world wars, and economic crises. They are curious how we managed to recover from all of that, and also from a period unfamiliar to them — the era of socialism — which we document with more than 500 original exhibits. They are particularly delighted by the tastings we offer, two of which are the most attractive: indigenous Serbian wines and the best wines of Sumadija," he said.

The Oscar Winner’s Wine and a Bottle from the Titanic

Rapajic says that American tourists were particularly thrilled by the Francis Coppola Diamond Collection wine.

"This red wine, made from the Zinfandel grape and from the 2015 vintage, comes from the winery of the famous Hollywood director, screenwriter, and Oscar winner Francis Ford Coppola, known for films such as The Godfather and Apocalypse Now. The wine was donated by academic painter Dragan Stojkov, and due to its cultural significance, it holds a place of honor in the museum’s 'Treasury'. Tourists were fascinated not only by the wine itself but also by the story it carries — connecting the art of cinema with wine tradition," he explained.

Foto: Muzej vina Topola

A particularly special item is a bottle of Bermet wine from 1924, made by Petar Kostic. Bermet is an aromatic wine containing over 20 herbal ingredients, and it is believed that this wine was on the Titanic’s voyage to the United States, and that Empress Maria Theresa exempted all winemakers from Sremski Karlovci who produced it from military service.

"Petar Kostic was a renowned winemaker and merchant from Sremski Karlovci, who owned companies both in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and in the USA. Besides Bermet, he exported the finest wines and brandies from Karlovci. The journey of this unopened bottle of Kostic’s Bermet began in Sremski Karlovci in 1924. It crossed the Danube, passed through Budapest and Vienna, and after half a century arrived in Munich — finally returning to Serbia in 2014. Through a series of incredible circumstances, the last stop on its century-long journey became 'Villa Biserka' in Oplenac, the home of the Wine Museum 'Golden Crown' since 2024," Rapajic explained.

Recalling anecdotes with American visitors, he shared that one guest needed a special explanation of Saint Tryphon, as well as the exhibit of fascinating illustrations depicting viticulture and local customs from ancient times — Illyrians and Romans — to the Middle Ages, Stefan Nemanja, and Emperor Dusan.

"To him, it all seemed like a fairy tale — and he was especially amazed by the story of a wine pipeline, 25 km long, which ran from vineyards in Velika Hoca to Emperor Dusan’s palace in Prizren. That’s when we had to explain that all this took place in Kosovo and Metohija, and that’s where the conversation ended — because in our museum, we don’t talk politics. We talk about wine," Rapajic emphasized.

Wine Tours and Tastings

In response to a question about how much wine tours and tastings have contributed to the promotion of Serbian wines among foreign visitors, Rapajic said that since 2010, he has organized countless wine tours with guests from all over the world — and believes this form of promotion is key to introducing tourists to Serbian wineries and wines.

"The tastings organized by our winemakers are truly outstanding, and I can say they’re on par with those at world-renowned wineries. Wine tourists themselves say that even the largest wineries in the world conduct tours and tastings in a rather routine way, whereas here they feel a genuine warmth and sense of welcome," he emphasized.

When it comes to wine purchases by wine tourists, Rapajic says Americans are generous, even though they initially find Serbian wine prices higher than expected.

"That opinion changes once they taste the wines and recognize their quality and variety. I’m not fully informed about any large-scale exports of our wines to the U.S., though I know small quantities have been shipped. But honestly, we’re a small market, so that’s to be expected," he noted.

Rapajic has long advocated that wine tourism is an economic sector that can bring significant economic benefits — and believes that everyone should contribute to its growth.

"Starting with the Serbian Tourism Organization and promotional campaigns that should be aimed not only at tourism in general but specifically at wine tourism, which reflects a country's culture. We have everything needed to satisfy any wine tourist, even those from America. Our people’s knowledge of viticulture, winemaking, and hospitality is among the best in the world. So it’s up to state institutions, the Ministry of Tourism, and other responsible bodies to do even more — although I don’t have many complaints about what’s already been done. In the national tourism development strategy, wine tourism must take a leading position," he concluded.

Is Sumadija the "Serbian Napa"?

When asked whether Sumadija could be considered the "Serbian Napa," Rapajic responded that he doesn't like such comparisons.

In his view, each wine region has its own unique characteristics and represents a kind of autonomy.

"Sumadija is truly an old wine region that has seen both rises and falls. But now it’s on a significant upswing, and I can confidently say that the best Serbian wines are being made in Sumadija. The only advantage I see for Napa is that it has had continuous growth for about 165 years and hasn't experienced what we had — the socialist approach to the development of viticulture and winemaking.

Today, if you place a wine from Sumadija next to one from Napa and taste them, I’m absolutely sure you’d say that each is exceptional in its own way," Rapajic concluded.

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