The seat of the wine superpower from Fruška Gora, Kovačević Winery (Vinarija Kovačević) is in Irig, the old capital of Fruška Gora, in the impressive building of the former cellar of the Fruška Gora wine and fruit co-operative founded in 1930. Impressive space inside the cellar, divided into areas for receiving grapes and processing, barrique halls and storage for archival wines, impress every visitor.
Here, in addition to modern wine production and storage, a part of the wine tradition from the past can be seen through photographs of grape harvests and other work related to wine culture. There are also special concrete tanks in which wine used to be stored, and today that space is used to store wine in barrique barrels. Right next to the cellar there is a building in the final phase of construction where there will be an exhibition space, a wine shop and a souvenir shop.
The vineyards of this wine house are on the southern slopes of Fruška Gora near Irig and on the northern slopes near Sviloš and Grabovo. The grape assortment[1] they have chosen consists of: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Rhine and Italian Riesling, Pinot Gris, Neoplanta, Traminer, White and Red Tamjanika, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Vranac, Probus, Prokupac and Muscat Hamburg. All the vineyards of this winery have been introduced into organic production.
The following wines are on offer: Orpheline White, Orpheline Red, Orpheline Rose, Cuvée Piquant, Kovačević Rhine Riesling, Rosetto Kovačević, Chardonnay Kovačević, Sauvignon Kovačević, Aurelius Kovačević, Symphony Bermet White, Symphony Bermet Red, Chardonnay Kovačević Edition S, Aurelijus Kovačević Edition S, Chardonnay Kovačević Edition R, Sauvignon Kovačević Edition R, Riesling Kovačević Edition R (quevri), Pinot Noir Kovačević Edition R, Penušavo Vino Kovačević (Kovačević Sparkling Wine), Fresco Bianco and Fresco Rose.
Fruit brandies as well as grape seed oil are also on offer. These are wines that fully represent the climate in which they are produced, regardless of different production styles and different types of wine. Several wine selections represent the skills and knowledge to produce different wine flavours from the same grape variety, and to offer the audience several selections from standard to orange wines. The quality of the wine and the flavours offered to wine lovers are created in full accordance with the accepted vision, which means a return to nature and tradition.
Quality awards were not missing: IWCB Bucharest, 2018 (gold medal for Penušavo Vino Kovačević 2010); AWC Vienna, 2018 (gold medal for Penušavo Vino Fresco Bianco 2017); AWC Vienna, 2016 (gold medal for Aurelijus Kovačević Edition S 2014).
Vinska kuća Kovačević (Kovačević Wine House) is a famous place. It is a restaurant with a spacious garden that can accommodate up to two hundred people, and it also has a children’s playground, car park, and accommodation. The tourist programme, which begins with a tour of the cellar with a story about the history of the winery and wines, ends in a restaurant where food and wine are paired through a choice of one of ten possible types of wine tasting offers, each with an appropriate menu.
With prior notice and agreement regarding the type of service, each guest can enjoy a top gastronomic offer accompanied by appropriate wines. Kovačević Wine House is also an à la carte restaurant, a frequent choice of lovers of refined service that includes both culinary magic and wine that accompanies everything, as well as the dedication of the host to each guest. The plan is to build a hotel within the wine spa centre, where organic wine will be served with appropriate food, which makes the Kovačević wine empire one of the Fruška Gora tourist giants.
The announcement for groups is mandatory several days in advance.
Vojvode Putnika Street 78, Irig
Restoran Vinska kuća Kovačević (Restaurant of the Wine House Kovačević)
Krstašca bb, Irig
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 08:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. The announcement and booking for weekend is desirable.
Phone: +381 (0)22 463 137; +381 (0)63 104 4934
E-mail: vinskakucakovacevic@gmail.com
Website: www.vinarijakovacevic.com
Text: Gordana Stojaković
Photographs: Aleksandar Milutinović
Tourism Organisation of the City of Novi Sad is not responsible for changes in information and services.
The text posted in: October 2021
[1] Transcription of the grape assortment names is given according to: Cindrić, Petar and Vladimir Kovač (2007) “Vinogradarstvo i vina“ (“Viticulture and Wines“) Fruška Gora. Ed. Nebojša Jovanović and Jelica Nedić. Pg. 498. Beograd: Zavod za udžbenike
