It is always useful to hear a second opinion, preferably from an unbiased and knowledgeable observer. In our instance, that was Saša Špiranec, international wine judge and journalist from Croatia, with considerable experience under his belt.

Saša reflected on the development of Balkan’s wine industry and where its potential in the international market is, which unsurprisingly is all about quality wines made from autochthonous varieties.
Alongside the wine talk, Saša also spoke of the immense strength of Serbian rakija (brandy), in particular plum brandy, as a unique spirit that was recently listed on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.

Touching upon the food scene, his remarks were brief and on the point, concluding that in the south