{"id":8242,"date":"2021-04-09T09:33:32","date_gmt":"2021-04-09T14:33:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/?p=8242"},"modified":"2021-04-09T09:33:33","modified_gmt":"2021-04-09T14:33:33","slug":"kosovo-stone-castle-vineyards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2021\/04\/kosovo-stone-castle-vineyards\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Wine – Kosovo\u2019s Stone Castle Vineyards Provides Pride, Hope & Jobs #WinePW"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The #WinePW group of writers is talking about under the radar European wine regions this month. And I knew just the country whose wines I wanted to feature. Kosovo! Particularly those from Stone Castle Vineyards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes I\u2019m able to write an article with small amounts of research and can get it turned around pretty quickly. The same holds true with travel planning. But other times, I find myself spending hours doing research just to understand the status quo and how and why we are where we are. In the case of travel, this happened when I took trips to places like Croatia and Slovenia as well as places like Hungary<\/span><\/strong><\/a> and Austria<\/span><\/strong><\/a>. Particularly when I visited Croatia<\/span><\/strong><\/a> and Slovenia<\/a><\/span><\/strong>, I found myself going down the rabbit hole and studying the former Yugoslavia all the way back to the First World War. I just hate to be ignorant and not understand what I\u2019m looking at when I travel. That\u2019s what beach trips are for! I still recall some of the thought-provoking conversations we had with a driver in Croatia and because I was armed with some knowledge of Croatia\u2019s history, I had context for her comments – even through the haze of all the Croatian wine. As an aside, I still contend that of all the places I\u2019ve visited, I never felt more welcome as I did in Croatia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, when I heard about Kosovo\u2019s Stone Castle Vineyards and Winery, I again went down the rabbit hole to understand more of the country\u2019s history, particularly as it relates to the state of the current wine industry. So once again, I was back studying the former Yugoslavia from its early beginnings all the way up to its breakup and beyond. Don\u2019t worry, I\u2019m not going to give a history lesson – this is a wine blog after all – but the background certainly helped me to understand the importance of the rise of Stone Castle Vineyards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Kosovo Wine Industry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

History <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t know much about it now, chances are you\u2019ll soon be hearing more about the Kosovo wine industry. Kosovo has a long history of cultivating grapes and producing wine (thousands of years in fact) albeit with the techniques that are a carryover from the former state-owned system. Production and exports were humming in the 1980s under the tutelage of the government. Wine production had long been an important part of the country\u2019s agricultural business as wine was one of the leading exports. But the breakup of Yugoslavia, followed by the conflicts of the 1990s, wreaked havoc on the vineyards and production facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But changes are a-happening. After the wars of the 1990s, both the government and private business showed a renewed focus on the industry. With privatization and an emerging economy in transition, new entrants are slowly entering the industry. At the end of 2019, there were 27 licensed producers in the country. Hmm, could this be my chance to invest in a vineyard? Inquiring minds want to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The country is also tackling its laws surrounding viticulture and wine production. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Development has put in a great deal of work in this area during the past decade, with the hope of finalizing the rules by 2025. They also plan to establish consistency with European wine law as well as make Kosovar wines more prominent in both regional and European markets. Wines are currently exported to over 30 countries, with Croatia, Serbia, Albania, Slovenia, and Switzerland making up the largest markets respectively. Work is also being done to shore up vineyards and production facilities, establish new cultivation systems, and diversify the wines produced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The future certainly seems bright for the Kosovar wine industry. There are even \u201cwine routes\u201d that are cropping up, pointing thirsty visitors to the various vineyards and wineries in a burgeoning wine tourism destination. The wines are also receiving international accolades, further cementing the country\u2019s status as a place of quality wine production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regions and Grape Varieties<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Kosovo is comprised of 18 distinct wine regions, with the bulk of the production in the Rahovec region (where wine growing dates back to 1 AD) followed by Lipjan and Prizren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kosovo Wine Regions, Courtesy of Ylber Ku\u00e7i<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Red grapes varieties make up 2\/3 of vineyard plantings and are by far, the most popular. While indigenous varieties dominate – Vranac, Prokupa, and Zhameta are the top three in order – many international varieties also crop up. Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot can be found amidst the myriad varieties grown in the country. I was so excited to see the prominence of Burgundian varieties!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With respect to white wine, native variety Smederevka is by far the most planted, with Welschriesling (aka Italian Riesling as it\u2019s called locally), Chardonnay, and (Rhine) Riesling also being planted in significant quantities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yes, the geography is great for cultivating wine grapes. The major wine-growing regions with their moderate climates receive 270 days of sunshine which provides ideal growing conditions. The Rahovec Valley in particular, with its Mediterranean climate similar to southern France and Italy, is located in an agriculturally rich region of southwestern Kosovo. With its clay and limestone soils, elevations that reach up to 1,700 feet above sea level, and varied microclimates, it\u2019s understandable why Rahovec Valley is the premier wine region in Kosovo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several state owned wineries were privatized once fighting had ceased. The largest of these is Stone Castle Vineyards in Rahovec in the southwest of Kosovo. The area is sunny with a moderate climate and historically has a reputation for Pinot Noir wines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stone Castle Vineyards and Winery <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Located in Rahovec Valley, known locally as the \u201cTuscany of Kosovo\u201d in southwest Kosovo, is Stone Castle Vineyards and Winery<\/strong><\/a>. It is the largest and most well-known winery in the country. Inspired by visionary winemaker Robert Mondavi, Albanian American Rrustem Gecaj saw Kosovo\u2019s potential and set about putting his homeland on the international wine map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Background<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Gecaj emigrated from Yugoslavia in 1974 to escape communism, first moving to Italy and then to Canada, and eventually landing in the United States. In 1976, he was granted a United States visa and settled in New York City, eventually becoming a U.S. citizen. He began working in a restaurant and after several months was promoted to a chef position where he remained for three years. After building his savings, Gecaj partnered with his nephew in a series of real real estate investments from residential to commercial and even had a successful pizzeria. While he thrived in New York, Gecaj never forgot his homeland and dreamed of one day rebuilding his family Kulla <\/em><\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span>back in Kosovo. In 2002 he made his initial investment in property in Kosovo, and in 2006 when the privatization of the winery was allowed, he saw the opportunity to return and realize this lifelong dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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