A journey in honor of Serbian grape varieties and winemakers

Šapat Wine Atelier sommelier Marko Krstić has successfully completed his unique endeavor – a 500-kilometer journey on foot dedicated to Serbian grape varieties and wines, which he named “From Prokupac to Grašac.” The adventure lasted 18 full days, taking him from Toplica to Fruška Gora and through five wine regions. The warm welcome for the young sommelier at Šapat Wine Atelier provided a fitting conclusion to the official presentation of three new wines – Trofej, Grašac and Atila Plavi.

Krstić set out on his journey through Serbian wineries with the aim of promoting indigenous and long-established grape varieties, while also drawing public attention to the work of Serbian wineries and their potential. In pursuit of this goal, the sommelier visited 26 wineries, 15 monastery wineries and a number of households along his route, all on foot.

“I walked from Prokuplje to Slankamen in honor of all those remarkable people who preserve indigenous grape varieties and produce wines of exceptional quality. This unusual journey confirmed what I already knew and felt: Serbia is a country of outstanding winemakers and an increasingly developed wine culture. This is particularly important given the global trends toward globalization and declining wine consumption worldwide. My message is: let us preserve our wine heritage, continue to develop it and enjoy all the gifts of our beautiful country, its nature and its hardworking people,” Krstić said.

Marko began his journey in Prokuplje, the city where his family has its roots. From Toplica, his route took him through the Aleksandrovac Župa wine region, Pomoravlje and Šumadija, before reaching Srem and Šapat, his home winery. Overcoming all the challenges of such a long-distance walk, the young sommelier patiently pieced together Serbia’s diverse wine landscape, step by step, while genuinely enjoying the country’s natural beauty and the hospitality of its people.

“Those of us working in hospitality cover dozens of kilometers every day, but within a relatively small area. I wanted to connect all those steps and walk through Serbia’s wine regions, visit wineries, talk to people and gain an authentic experience of wine in the very places where it is produced. It is incredible to discover the wines our country has to offer, many of which can stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the world’s best-known wines. It is up to us to preserve and further develop our old indigenous and long-established grape varieties, enjoy excellent wines, and take pride in the beauty of our country,” Krstić said.