Upcoming Red October Terroir.mk

Planning to visit the Balkans in October, you should know this

Autumn has begun, and in what day is its first month, October. For me the Red October.
​October is perhaps one of the most promotionally active months on the "Wine Peninsula" (read Balkans).
And yes, it has nothing to do with beer, nor with Bolshevism or the revolution.
​Although, when I think about it, it could be a revolutionary unification of wine countries from the Balkans in the direction of promoting the "Wine Peninsula", like a new revelation of the Old Wine World. 
That would be a challenge for the Nobel Prize. Anyway, sometimes it's important to start something, and how it will end in the Balkans, only a good Lord knows.

I would single out three key wine events that, in addition to being the backbone of Red October, offer a large selection of wines from three very important black Balkan varieties. Let's go in order!

VRANÆC WORLD DAY 
It would be nice to start by heading to the south of the wine peninsula to North Macedonia, were on October 5, the Vranec World Day will be celebrated. The event is organized by Wines of Macedonia, and you can find more information on ​Vranec World Day

The event is dedicated to wines from the Balkan black variety Vranec or Vranac (VRANÆC).
The wines are characterized by an excellent expression of the terroir, mostly dry with vivid acidity, high tannins, and alcohol, full-bodied, complex aromas and flavours of red and black fruits, followed by secondary aromas, with mid-long finish.   

On the Vranec World Day eve, 04 October, you can visit a small wine gem the Taste of Awards.
An event of highly rated Macedonian wines in 2024, from four prestigious international wine competitions.​
More information on the official page of the organizer:
Macedonian Association of Sommeliers - MASOM

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INTERNATIONAL PROKUPAC DAY 
Continue north into a Serbia.
Be there on October 14 on the International Prokupac Day.
Explore another important black variety from the wine peninsula, Prokupac.

Prokupac has distinct aromas of cherry, black cherry, fresh plum, blackcurrant, blackberry and often pleasant spicy notes. Elegant, with medium body, medium color intensity and often pronounced tannins.

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INTERNATIONAL MAVRUD DAY
Back to the south, but this time to Bulgaria.
The International Mavrud Day is held on 26 October, organized by Bulgarian Association of Wine Professionals. Be there, to taste the different wine styles from Mavrud black grape variety. Another gem from Balkans - The Wine Peninsula.

Mavrud is one of the most valuable Bulgarian varieties for dry red wine production. In long and warm autumns, the grapes manage to ripen fully and give wines with medium alcohol, intensely colored, extractive, with moderately high acidity, optimal content of phenolic substances and harmonious taste. Aromas typical for the variety are blue plum, blackberry, ripe mulberry, mint, thyme, rose hip, blueberry, black pepper, red berries. The variety has many faces and can be vinified in many styles: as a white wine “Blanc de Noir”, as a rose, a sparkling, a fresh red wine, a barrel aged red or as a dessert wine.

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If you have a spare day left, I would be happy to join the International Xinomavro Day even though it is November 1st. Therefore, make your way further south, to Greece.

Xinomavro as a ‘’multi-dynamic’’ variety, can be found in different types and styles of wines, sometimes classic-rustic and sometimes modern-innovative. red, rosé or white (blanc de noirs), fresh or matured, dry, semi-dry or semi-sweet, foamy, semi-sparkling, sweet.​