I was on a quick visit to Sremski Karlovci in Srem to help select this year's Fruska Gora TOP50, and since I was there anyway, after the wine tasting I accompanied my good friend, Igor Lukovic, editor-in-chief of Vino&Fino, to the nearby Bjelica winery for a quick tasting.
The building that serves as the estate's headquarters is a five-minute drive from downtown Sremski Karlovci. Just head south, towards Belgrade, on the main road, climb the hills, and before you reach the top, you'll see the Pecina Stroga restaurant and accommodation on your right, which is also the winery building. The name requires some explanation. There is a well-known Serbian children's song, actually a poem by Ljubivoje Ršumović called "Baba Roga," which tells the story of a brave little boy who ventures into Baba Roga, or the witch's cave, called Pecina Stroga. The restaurant (and accommodation) was named after this, as their top wines are called Babaroga and, of course, the witch appears on the labels.
Dusko 2022 I 88 points
Traditional sparkling wine, 100% Grasac. Pale greenish lemon color, nice foam, tiny bubbles. Restrained aroma of green herbs, white-fleshed fruits, mainly apple and a hint of lemon peel. On the palate, slightly above medium body, lively acids, green apple flavor, lemon peel in the finish. Refreshing, easy to drink.
Saga 2023 (Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon) I 87 points
Medium greenish-yellow color. Restrained aroma, slight plastic, matchstick, salty lemon, apple. Medium body on the palate, round acids, broad mouthfeel, white-fleshed fruits in the flavor, elegant structure. The finish is longer than medium, mainly structurally beautiful, not conquering with its flavor, with mandarin in the finish.
Babaroga Chardonnay 2023 I 88 points
Medium lemon color. Restrained aroma, with citrus, a hint of sweet spice, and mineral reflections. On the palate, medium-bodied, round acids, broad mouthfeel, elegant structure, beautiful tannins. The flavor is sweet spices, ripe apple, a hint of pineapple, vanilla, but not excessive. The finish is long, sweetish, spicy, with a slight warmth from the alcohol at the end.
Evil 2022 rosé (Merlot & Marselan) I 89 points
Pale salmon color. Ripe aroma with plasticine, barrel spices, hecsedli and cherry. On the palate, it has a medium-plus body, a broad mouthfeel, ripe sweetish notes, a hint of cherry jam, hecsedli and sweet spices. The finish is longer than medium. Not your average rosé, that's for sure!
The winery cultivates six hectares in two vineyards in the Sremski Karlovci area, producing around 30,000 bottles of wine annually. The restaurant specializes in long-aged meats, and we tried one that had been aged for four months before cooking. Its texture was close to perfect, but the accompanying yogurt, garlic-roasted eggplant, eggplant cream, and hummus were also wonderful!
Graffiti 2022 (Merlot & Marselan) I 88 points
Deep ruby color with garnet reflections. Cherry aroma dominated by Merlot, with hints of chocolate, nutmeg, and cognac cherry in the background. Full-bodied on the palate, with soft acids, a broad mouthfeel, and good alcohol warmth. The flavor profile is essentially cherry jam and cognac cherry, with a slight bitterness at the end. Medium finish.
Babaroga red 2021 (Merlot & Marselan) I 90 points
Deep ruby color with garnet reflections. Complex aroma with chocolate, cognac cherry, hecsedli and sour cherry, a hint of leather, and oriental spices. Full-bodied on the palate, with rounded acids, warming alcohol, silky tannins, and a spicy, cherry flavor with a hint of chocolate and jam on the finish. A beautifully mature, big wine, but by no means light, it will be a favorite among Villány connoisseurs.
