A Wine Country Most People Miss
Montenegro has been producing wine for over two thousand years, but most visitors never make it past the coast. The Crmnica valley, tucked between Skadar Lake and the mountains south of Podgorica, is the heartland of Montenegrin winemaking. The microclimate here creates conditions that produce intense reds and crisp whites you simply cannot find outside the country.
A driving tour of the wine road takes half a day and pairs perfectly with a visit to Skadar Lake. The roads are quiet, the cellars are informal, and the prices are a fraction of what you would pay at comparable wineries in France or Italy.
The Crmnica Valley
The valley runs south from the village of Virpazar along the western shore of Skadar Lake. Vineyards climb the hillsides in terraces, some of them dating back centuries. The main grape is Vranac, a thick-skinned red grape that produces big, tannic wines with dark fruit flavours. The white grape Krstac grows at slightly higher altitudes and makes a mineral, citrus-forward wine.
The road through the valley is paved but narrow, winding through villages where grapes dry on racks outside stone houses. In September and October, the harvest is in full swing and you can smell fermenting juice from the car.
Where to Stop
Sjekloce Wine Cellar
A small family operation in the village of Sjekloce, about fifteen minutes from Virpazar. They make around 5,000 bottles a year, mostly Vranac, and the tasting room is the family kitchen. No reservation needed. The grandmother makes cheese and prosciutto that she serves with the wine. Expect to pay around €3-5 for a full tasting.
Kopitovic Winery
A slightly larger operation near the lake shore with a proper tasting room and terrace overlooking the vineyards. They produce both Vranac and Krstac, along with a rose and a grape brandy (rakija). Tours are available in English. A tasting with four wines costs about €8.
Radonjic Vineyard
One of the more established wineries in the region, with a modern cellar and restaurant. They make a premium Vranac reserve that spends eighteen months in oak barrels. The restaurant serves traditional Montenegrin food with wine pairings. Book a table for lunch if you can, especially at weekends.
Understanding Vranac
Vranac is Montenegro's signature grape, producing deep red wines with high tannins and flavours of blackberry, plum, and leather. The name means 'black stallion' in Montenegrin. The grape is indigenous to the region and grows nowhere else with quite the same character, though you will find it across the border in North Macedonia under a different name.
Pair Vranac with grilled meat, aged cheese, or the smoked ham (prsut) that every winery seems to have on hand. For a cultural stop on the same drive, consider combining the wine road with our monastery circuit guide.
Suggested Route
This route takes about 4-5 hours including stops and tastings. Start in the morning to arrive at the first winery by 11am.
- Start in Virpazar. Park by the lake and walk through the village first.
- Drive south along the lake shore to Sjekloce (15 minutes). First tasting.
- Continue to Kopitovic winery (10 minutes). Second tasting and terrace views.
- End at Radonjic for lunch and a final tasting. Drive back via Virpazar or continue to Bar on the coast.
Wine Road Tips
- Designated driver: Montenegro has a strict 0.03% blood alcohol limit. If you are tasting, spit or have a designated driver.
- Reservations: Small cellars do not need booking. Radonjic and larger wineries are best booked a day ahead.
- Food: Every winery offers food with tastings. Do not eat a big breakfast if you want to enjoy the pairings.
- Buying wine: Prices at the cellar are 30-50% cheaper than in shops. Stock up. Vranac travels well.