From the cellar and the wine scene

Awards, people and stories from Knjaževac. Everything that happens at a winery that has been going since 1927 – in one place.

Ivica Vukelić: Džervin steps up a level

After 12 failed privatisations and a near slide into oblivion, the former wine giant Džervin found a new owner in agronomist Ivica Vukelić, a native of Vojvodina. No surprise, then, that Džervin's Grašac has caught the public's attention, that the Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 won platinum at the Open Balkan Wine Trophy 2023, and that the Sauvignon and the rest of the range are impatiently awaiting even higher honours.

Podrum Džervin 1927 wins Grand Gold at the Open Balkan Wine Trophy

At the prestigious Wine Vision by Open Balkan fair, Podrum Džervin 1927 won no fewer than 10 medals, including Grand Gold for the Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 with 95 points. This success at an international competition judged by top wine experts confirms the growing quality and ambition of the Knjaževac winery, which is attracting more and more attention from wine lovers at home and abroad.

Džervin strikes gold in Vienna

At the prestigious AWC Vienna competition, Džervin won its first gold outside the Balkans, for the premium Riesling 2021. This fresh, vibrant label comes from a winery quietly building a reputation for outstanding value, with organic-leaning practices and notable successes for earlier labels such as the Sauvignon Blanc and the Rose Pinot.

Džervin's rosé – Serbia's best value wine

Džervin's Rose Pinot 2021, made from Pinot Noir from the old Štipina vineyard, charms with an elegant salmon hue and fruity freshness. With a serious 13.5% alcohol and a price of around 800 RSD, this wine offers excellent balance and broad use – from fish and white meat to roasts and dry pastries.

Džervin's rosé in Serbia's TOP 5

Modern Serbian rosés win with elegance, freshness and clear varietal character. They are made for the table and for an increasingly demanding market, and among them are labels that offer exceptional value for money.

Good news, good wines from Džervin

The Sauvignon Blanc (2019) from the Džervin cellar won Grand Gold with 96 points at the Serbian National Wine Assessment, confirming that the former wine giant is back through the front door. After restoring old vineyards and planting new ones, the winery now produces top-quality wines in limited series, winning awards at home and abroad. With a focus on quality, tradition and patient growth, Džervin is becoming the leader of the wine scene in eastern Serbia.

The legacy of the god Dionysus

Knjaževac's winegrowing tradition goes back more than 2,000 years, as the head of the god Dionysus found near the village of Ravna confirms. Surrounded by mountains that shield the vineyards from harsh winds, this region is ideal for growing top varieties. In the early 20th century, the vision of Radul Aranđelović and the founding of the cooperative were key to the birth of the wine giant Džervin, which went on to shape the history of the area.

Džervin, more than wine

Džervin's return to the wine scene in 2017 surprised many – the very next year its litre and bottled wines won awards at BeoWine 2018. Silver medals for the Schlossberg 2017 Merlot in Vienna and Sofia further confirmed the ambition to bring the Knjaževac winery back onto the map of the region's most respected producers.

Makers of premium wine since 1927

Podrum Džervin, founded in 1927 in the wine town of Knjaževac, once had 700 hectares of vineyards and produced 6 million litres of wine a year. Its wines were drunk across Yugoslavia, in Germany, Russia and Japan, and the combine was also famous for its jams, brandies and juices. After the collapse of the nineties and failed privatisations, Džervin got a new chance in 2013 with investors from Novi Sad.