(2020) Smederevka is one of North Macedonia's most widely-planted white wine varieties, here blended with around 10% Rhine Riesling and made in stainless steel. Lovely aromatics, bright and floral, with a touch of sherbet and lemon zest, the palate quite textural and weighty despite only 11% alcohol here, presumably some lees ageing adding that texture and a certain creaminess to the mid-palate, before very juicy red apple and citrus acids that sit nicely in an easy-drinking and rather delicious picture.
(2017) Vranec is closely related to Zinfandel apparently, and this version pours a very deep, dense colour, with a vinous nose of dark vine fruits, a little truffle and game, but all quite compact and dense aromatically. IN the mouth there's suddenly a creamy, mocha coffee-chocolate velvet texture and flavour, with lots of dark sloe and plum blue-black fruit flesh, spice cocoa on the finish. It's a big wine, and relatively 'showy', but it does deliver a massively pleasing comfort blanket of flavour and texture. £12.37 to Daily Drinker Club members.
(2017) I am familiar with (and a bit of a fan of) the Rkatsiteli grape from my years of chairing the Georgian National Wine Competition, but this version comes from Macedonia, and consultant winemaker Philippe Cambie (apparently declared 'best oenologist in the world' by Robert Parker in 2010). There's a lovely zing to the aromas, a touch of Torrontés florality, plenty of elderflower and herb punch and fruit too. In the mouth it is really quite substantial, quite full-bodied, but it is pithy, citrussy and dry, a mouth-watering quality to the acids that is very moreish. Daily Drinker Club members will buy for £12.37.
