All 12 Šapat wines score above 90 points, with Terol leading the way

One of the world’s most influential and highly regarded wine critics, James Suckling, has awarded all 12 Šapat wines more than 90 points out of a possible 100. Suckling visited Serbia in July this year, when he was a guest of Šapat Wine Atelier, and has now published the results of his ratings of Serbian wines.

Of all the wines produced by the winery in Novi Slankamen, Terol received the highest score – 95 points – and was characterized as an outstanding wine of exceptional quality, complexity, and distinctive character.

“Year after year, Terol continues to demonstrate its exceptional quality and shows that the Teroldego variety produces fantastic results in our vineyards and is one we can count on in the future,” said Mladen Dragojlović, Chief Oenologist at Šapat Wine Atelier.

In addition to Terol, Atila Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Atila Chardonnay 2024, and Chardonnay 2024 were among the highest-rated wines, each receiving 94 points, while Grašac 2025, Šapat’s newest label, was awarded 93 points.

Grašac particularly caught Suckling’s attention. Made from an indigenous grape variety, the wine was singled out for praise by the renowned critic, who highlighted its creamy texture and fullness, balanced by remarkable freshness. He also described it as a wine with complex layers of herbal and citrus aromas.

“Our Grašac comes from a young vineyard, yet it showed plenty of character from its very first harvest. It is distinguished by freshness, depth, complexity, and fruit aromas. It is up to us to work even harder and demonstrate that Grašac is also a variety capable of producing great wines,” said Dragojlović. “Another local variety we are proud of is Frankovka, which did not enjoy the reputation it deserved in previous decades, but we have shown that it is a variety with a future. This is a style of wine with moderate alcohol, depth, and complexity, while remaining fruity and fresh. These wines are easy to drink, but that does not mean they are simple. This is the direction that red winemaking will take.”

Suckling’s high scores contribute to the international visibility of Šapat wines and further strengthen the winery’s presence on the global wine scene. During his visit to Šapat Wine Atelier, the renowned wine expert said he was impressed by the quality of Serbian wines.

James Suckling is one of the world’s leading wine critics, whose reviews are read and respected by wine enthusiasts, serious collectors, and wine industry professionals around the world. His website currently features more than 300,000 wine ratings. He uses a 100-point scale, a system he has applied for nearly 40 years. Wines scoring 90 points or more are considered outstanding, while a score of 95 points or higher represents one of the highest distinctions in the wine world.