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Šapat Wine Atelier recently had a remarkable appearance at one of the most prestigious wine events in the world, organized by one of the greatest global authorities in the wine world – the renowned James Suckling. His expert team organizes prestigious wine tasting events under the name James Suckling’s “Great Wines of the World”, which this March took place first in New York and then in San Francisco, gathering selected wine producers from around the world.
The Šapat winery had the true honor of presenting its wines to the most discerning global audience, marking an outstanding breakthrough on the international stage. In New York, it was one of only two wineries from Serbia, while in San Francisco it was the only representative from our country.
The team of our winery – director Mladen Ćirić and chief oenologist Mladen Dragojlović, who are currently in the United States, expressed great enthusiasm about the presentations at this event, as well as about the impressive reactions their wines received from an exceptionally discerning audience. At the center of their presentation were Atila Chardonnay 2023 and Cuvée 2022, and the response from the professional community, as they say, was extraordinary.
“We ourselves are surprised by the level of interest and the positive reactions from the audience. These are people who truly understand wine – they know what they want and clearly recognize what they are tasting and what they can expect. Many visitors to our stand had a strong desire to taste wines made from grape varieties they know well, but originating from Serbian terroir. There is also great interest in indigenous varieties, for which there is definitely room in this market. The audience was truly impressed by the wines, and the Šapat stand was extremely well visited, and we made numerous new contacts and opened new opportunities for cooperation. All in all – incredible results and an invaluable experience,” said Mladen Dragojlović, sharing his first impressions from the U.S.
This year’s James Suckling’s “Great Wines of the World” took place on March 2 and 3 in New York, and five days later in San Francisco. It is one of the most well-known international wine tasting events organized by the famous wine critic. It is a global series of premium tasting events featuring wines that have received high scores on jamessuckling.com. Both events were organized as walk-around tastings, with 200–250 exhibitors each, featuring prestigious wineries from around the world.
“We are extremely satisfied with the communication with the audience in New York, but San Francisco exceeded all our expectations. Our stand was among the most visited, and a line formed in front of it throughout the entire duration of the event. Visitors were pleasantly surprised to learn that we come from Serbia and were eager to try something new. Simply put, they were delighted with the wine. Word about our wines spread not only among visitors but also among other exhibitors, so people from surrounding stands came to taste them. Although we are aware of the highest potential of our wines, we were still pleasantly surprised by such open reactions,” said Šapat’s director Mladen Ćirić, adding that numerous conversations were held with distributors, as well as with people who offered contacts with distribution companies.
The most common question heard at the Šapat stand was where the wines could be purchased. Visitors were also interested in the possibility of shipping wines directly from the Šapat cellar in Novi Slankamen to their home addresses in the United States. In short, participation in this renowned event has opened new opportunities for broader export cooperation.
The event was opened by James Suckling, who welcomed the large number of attendees and emphasized that, considering the strong interest of wineries and the professional public, he does not believe in the global trend of declining wine sales and consumption.
“This is widely discussed, but I do not fully believe it, especially when it comes to high-quality wines produced in the traditional way. Those wines are exactly what I focus on and that will remain the case in the future. I have no doubts about that. Alcohol-free wines, as well as dealcoholized wines that are currently in fashion, are simply not of interest to me and I do not accept evaluating them,” said Suckling.
James Suckling’s “Great Wines of the World” is an extremely influential event that gathers a large number of renowned wineries from the most famous wine regions, distributors, wine critics, as well as leading sommeliers, collectors, and selected connoisseurs of wine culture. The event also has a networking character, as it brings together some of the most influential actors on the global wine scene.
The team of Šapat Wine Atelier decided to present Atila Chardonnay, the most awarded wine of the winery and its distinctive hallmark. It is one of the most prominent Chardonnays on the contemporary Serbian wine scene. The wine is produced from carefully selected grapes grown in Šapat’s vineyards on the loess soils of Fruška Gora. It is a wine of strong character – mineral, buttery, and layered with aromas of ripe apple, pear, vanilla, and citrus. Its authority comes from a carefully controlled production process, specific technological practices, and aging in oak barrels.
The second wine presented in the United States was Šapat Cuvée – an elegant red wine created through a harmonious blend of Merlot (60%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%). This wine is characterized by balance and roundness, with complex aromas featuring notes of black berries, hints of cedarwood, dried plum, and subtle nuances of eucalyptus that give the wine its recognizable aromatic depth.
