Celebrations

IN THE MINING SETTLEMENT OF LAZAREVAC, WHICH HAS ONCE AGAIN BECOME THE CENTRE OF VINE GROWING, LIKE BEFORE
To the Glory of Wine and Life
Under the old slogan ”It is time for wine, let us drink the local one”, the fourth Wine Festival in Lazar’s town once again gathered the best manufacturers and major connoisseurs. Also promoted was the book ”Vinopev”, a collection of poems about wine, they say the first of this kind published in Serbia. Again, the successful organizers were the Municipality of Lazarevac and the Association of Vine-growers and Wine-Makers of Serbia


The city of coal and mining has been increasingly talked about as the center of vine growing. For the fourth time in a row, Lazarevac has organized the Wine Festival, an event that promotes truly the best what mining skills can give. This year again, on the first Saturday in November, in the old hall of the Sports-Recreational Centre ”Kolubara” in Lazarevac, this event gathered Serbian vine growers and wine makers, about fifty of them, with a desire to introduce themselves, to show and offer the best they know and the best they have in their cellars. And all this in the city that is known much more for the mining basin and coal production than production of grapes.
– It is less known that vine growing in Lazarevac area has a long tradition – explains Radosav Čvorović, President of the Association of Wine-Makers”Zeočki Vineyards”. – The oldest preserved written document on this subject is Turkish cadastre list from 1428, which has a mention of the village of Zeoke. At that time, this village of Lazarevac had only 12 households and an obligation to pay as a substitute for annual tax of 15 coins three buckets of perry. Therefore, the wine was produced even then. In the late 19th century, in the territory of the current municipality there were over 240 hectares under vineyards, which is six times more than today. Fortunately, despite industrialization, in recent years vineyards have been restored in many villages, producing wine of an increasingly good quality, and Lazarevac could soon become an important point in the vine growing map of Serbia.

THE LAST MINUTE FOR US

However, for those who are better informed, and especially for regular visitors of this Festival, Lazarevac has never stopped being a city of wine. This year’s festival, still under the slogan ”It is time for wine, let us drink the local one”, was another opportunity to show that Serbia is god given for the production of the heavenly drink, but also to raise the question: on the land that is, in accordance with all criteria accepted around the world, perfect for production of grapes in Serbia, why is only one third under vineyards?
– Wine making and vine growing are a great potential in Serbia. We used to be a serious wine producer, and today we produce three times less than only half a century ago – said Aleksandar Antić, President of the Assembly of Belgrade. – It is a serious indicator, and maybe now is the high time for us to do something about this. When we arrive at the threshold of the European Union, in accordance with their regulations, we will no longer be able to increase the surface of vineyards, and this would be a shame, because we can really produce top quality wines.
And the church municipality in Lazarevac gave the best example of what we can do. Liturgical wine was presented for the first time at the Festival, the same wine that we had been importing from abroad for decades for the purpose of church rituals, primarily from the Greek island of Santorini.
– The essence of worship is to offer to the God the best we have and the best we can make ourselves – said archpriest Aleksandar Novaković. – The result of everything is this fruit preserve, dessert wine, produced in the Diocese of Šumadija, upon the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Jovan. Judging by the first reactions, I believe that we have succeeded in this.
The Festival also presented wine knights from all vine growing regions, and also promoted was the book Vinopev, a collection of poetry about wine, they say the first of this kind published in Serbia. Just like in previous years, the successful organizers were the Municipality of Lazarevac and the Association of Vine-growers and Wine-Makers of Serbia.