Aleksandar Saša Vinčić is a representative of the “new school” of viticulture in Serbia: small batches, selective harvests, terroir expression and a scientific approach to winemaking grounded in rigorous vintage selection and producing wine only when the quality of the grapes and natural processes allow. In weaker years the winery makes no wine at all, ensuring the consistency and integrity of the brand.
Respect for nature, variety and consumer
Vinčić’s Grašac 2020 – Grašac being the local name for Graševina – was crowned with Platinum and a Best in Show award at Decanter, and it is no exception but the result of a philosophy that respects nature, climatic and soil conditions, the variety and the consumer. In the context of the modern wine market, Vinčić can serve as an example of how marginalised varieties and, in global terms, peripheral wine regions can reach the highest world standards of quality.
The winery and vineyards are in Srijem, in Šid, and represent the finest example of synergy between the terroir of Fruška Gora and a contemporary oenological approach. Its most prominent site, Zaravan, sits along the Croatian border and effectively adjoins the renowned Principovac vineyard near Ilok.
Minimal interventions
It is characterised by a complex soil composition dominated by clay and carbonate structures, with pronounced micro-site specifics that make the difference when finesse is at stake. The philosophy of grape processing and vinification is founded on a minimal-intervention approach leaning on classic techniques: very short maceration, controlled fermentation, reductive conditions for the white wines, and limited use of wood with the aim of preserving varietal character.
Much has already been written about Grašac 2020, yet it continues to command attention with its impressive development in the bottle, so each tasting is a new experience and a fresh thrill. As the wine matures, opening it becomes a journey through time to be savoured from the first to the last swirl of the nose and sip on the palate. This great wine does not need to be dissected in detail; it is best regarded as a homogeneous whole possessing depth and breadth, harmony and balance, energy and character.
Two Grašac from 2023
Grašac 2023 is a wine of great potential, rightly expected to succeed its three-year-older brother. Its nose is moderately intense, dominated by the fruity aromas of pear and ripe red apple, with black locust blossom and yellow meadow flowers emerging in the background. In time, the fruit aromas can be expected to give way to herbal notes and further underline its seriousness. The palate is rich and broad, shot through with mineral freshness and a pleasant varietal bitterness. Time is on its side.
Grašac Grand Fru 2023 is of a rarer style where Graševina is concerned. Raised in a large oak cask that shaped it to a considerable degree, it nonetheless retains all its varietal typicity. The vinification is executed to artisanal perfection, giving a wine of layered nose, complex palate and great cohesion. There is a fine balance of alcohol and acidity, so the wine is soft and delicious yet suffused with pronounced freshness. It is a true example of a complex wine in which everything is arranged with measure: the palettes of aroma and flavour are broad, and nothing stands out unduly.
Frankovka’s time is yet to come
It is fully ready, but with enormous potential for development. A pleasant surprise is the Frankovka from 2021. Saša drew it from the barrel a touch shyly, just for a taste, and it was a delight. Such extract-rich Frankovka is rare, with a pronounced fruit profile and beautifully integrated oak. Its still-vivid colour with violet rims suggests that its time is only just coming. A new tasting is eagerly awaited once it goes into bottle and spends some time there.
23.06.2025.
