Albanian wine
Encyclopedia
The wine of Albania is characterized by its unique sweetness and indigenous varieties. Albania
produced an estimated 17,500 tonnes of wine
in 2009. The geographic elevation
of Albania makes it a perfect setting for wine production. During communism, the production area expanded to some 20000 hectares (49,421 acre). The Albanian wine industry is striving to re-establish an international presence in line with its long reputation as a quality wine producer.
. Ancient Roman writer Pliny
describes Albanian wine as "very sweet or luscious" and refers to it as "[taking] the third rank among all the wines". Albanian families are traditionally known to grow grapes in their gardens for producing wine and Rakia
.
, Korca
, Tirana
, Durres
and between Lezha and Shkodra.
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
produced an estimated 17,500 tonnes of wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
in 2009. The geographic elevation
Geography of Albania
Albania has a total area of . It shares a border with Montenegro to the northwest, a border with Kosovo to the northeast, a border with Macedonia to the north and east, and a border with Greece to the south and southeast. Its coastline is long...
of Albania makes it a perfect setting for wine production. During communism, the production area expanded to some 20000 hectares (49,421 acre). The Albanian wine industry is striving to re-establish an international presence in line with its long reputation as a quality wine producer.
Antiquity
Albania has one of Europe's longest histories of viticultureViticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
. Ancient Roman writer Pliny
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
describes Albanian wine as "very sweet or luscious" and refers to it as "[taking] the third rank among all the wines". Albanian families are traditionally known to grow grapes in their gardens for producing wine and Rakia
Rakia
Rakia is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by distillation of fermented fruit; it is a popular beverage throughout the Balkans. Its alcohol content is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger . Prepečenica is double-distilled rakia which has an alcohol content that may...
.
Communism up to present
Albanian wine held a reputation among foreigners for its distinct and good quality. During the communist rule, almost all plantations were dedicated to export. After the collapse of communism, many new wineries were opened by expats returning home from Italy and other countries.Wine regions
Albania is divided into four wine producing regions:- Western lowland,
- Central hilly region
- Eastern sub mountainous region
- Highlands
Wineries
Some of the most important wineries (kantina) in Albania include Rilindja, Skenderbeu, Çobo, Luani, Bardha, Arberi, Sara, Vintage, and Kokomani.Preferences
According to Nasse and Zigori (1968) the best Albanian wine varieties are Debine (noir and blanche), Kallmet, Mereshnik, Mjaltez, Serine (rouge and blanche), Shesh i Bardhe, and Vlosh. The best wine producing areas are around BeratBerat
Berat is a town located in south-central Albania. As of 2009, the town has an estimated population of around 71,000 people. It is the capital of both the District of Berat and the larger County of Berat...
, Korca
Korča
Korča is a village in the municipality of Hadžići, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-References:...
, Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
, Durres
Durrës
Durrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
and between Lezha and Shkodra.