At the peak of Gubovac hill in Župa (South Serbia), the sun burns mercilessly. After a few minutes, one gets bathed in sweat whilst the more than 120 year old vines of Prokupac withstand the heat without a problem. They are used to the local microclimate and the rocky slopes of Gubovac hill obviously suit them perfectly. The largest part of Gubovac hill consists of vineyards owned by Budimir winery, which automatically means that local varieties Prokupac and Tamjanika are planted there. Traditional bush vines testify to the age of these vineyards. Long ago all vineyards were planted as bush vines in the wine region of Župa and in southern Serbia in general. The first encounter with these vines brings images of an enchanted forest from the film Lord of the Rings, but at the same time, seeing them evokes respect and admiration over centuries long tradition of the region of Župa.
A crooked hat protrudes between the old vines of Prokupac. It’s Grandpa Buda arriving along the curved rocky path through the vineyards. Although the sun is at its peak, the experienced winemaker who has entered the 9th decade of his life still likes to personally visit the vineyards and observe the situation. The vineyard is a part of his everyday life.
Grandpa Buda is at the same time a symbolic connection for Budimir Winery between tradition and modernism. Budimir Winery was founded in 1878, when the family’s ancestor Živadin Zdravković received a medal from Prince Milan Obrenovic for his services in the Serbian liberation wars. This was because he brought wine from his wine cellar so that the Serbian army could receive communion before the decisive battle against the Turks.
In the yard surrounding the family house, a modern winery with a tasting room sprang up in 2006, right next to the old cellar of Grandpa Buda Zdravković. There, he still produces small quantities of wine for himself, but also top Rakija (fruit brandy) and Vinjak (Serbian version of Cognac).
Budimir Winery stands out from the others on the market also because they give their wines enough time to age in the wine cellar. Therefore, you should not be surprised if you see a bottle of wine from Budimir winery that is more than a decade old on the shelf of the wine shop. Simply put, Budimir winery is determined to provide its consumers with wine in the best condition, when it has reached its maturity and promises the best experience.
Prokupac variety is the identity card of Serbian winemaking. From the very beginning, Budimir winery insists on autochthonous varieties (Prokupac and Tamjanika). The highlight of Prokupac variety is best shown by Prokupac Boje Lila, the wine made from grapes harvested in old vineyards on Gubovac hill. Working in old vineyards is by no means easy. Everything is done by hand, from pruning to harvesting. But at the same time, it gives continuity between a man and the vine. Vineyards have been managed manually for centuries in Župa and it will be done the same way in the future, because it cannot be done otherwise. With more than 70 harvests experienced in his life, Grandpa Buda is a walking encyclopedia of viticulture. Such a life experience cannot be bought with money and the wines from Budimir family winery clearly show that.