Mačkov Podrum is a family-owned winery located on Fruška gora, in the town of Irig, where the sixth generation of winemakers is active today. The Fruška Gora wine region is considered one of the oldest in Europe. According to tradition, the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus, born in Sirmium (modern-day Sremska Mitrovica), planted the first grapevines on Fruška Gora as early as the 3rd century AD.

This centuries-old tradition of viticulture and winemaking has been preserved to the present day, when Sava Jojić, the founder of the winery, established Mačkov Podrum in its current form.

Vineyards on Ideal Fruška Gora Slopes

Part of the vineyards represents a valuable family heritage passed down through generations, while the rest consists of carefully selected parcels that meet the most modern criteria for producing premium wines.

All vineyards are located on the southern slopes of Fruška Gora, characterized by constant sun exposure, favorable air circulation ensuring excellent ventilation, gentle inclines, and soil composition professionally confirmed as suitable for the planted varieties. The vineyard sites Memijevo, Belengir, Budakovac, and Ružaš conceal the very best that noble Fruška Gora has to offer—faithfully bottled in Mačkov Podrum wines.

A Wide Portfolio – From International to Indigenous Varieties

Mačkov Podrum cultivates and bottles a broad range of grape varieties. International varieties include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Wines from these grapes express the specificity and beauty of the Fruška Gora terroir, with pronounced fruitiness and balance.

The winery gained special public attention by reviving Portugieser, once one of the most widespread varieties on Fruška Gora. From this grape, Mačkov Podrum produces:

• a young red wine in the Beaujolais Nouveau style

• Frajla rosé

• Diškrecija Bermet (aromatized wine)

Indigenous Fruška Gora Varieties – Looking to the Future

A decisive step toward full dedication to indigenous grapes and the preservation of tradition comes with the release, in 2025, of two white autochthonous varieties from Fruška Gora: Sremska Zelenika and Lipolist. With this, Mačkov Podrum further strengthens its role as a guardian of local wine identity and heritage.

“Knowing How to Drink, Knowing How to Live” – Wine as Culture

Guided by the motto “knowing how to drink, knowing how to live,” the winery has, since its founding, promoted wine culture and the art of enjoying life, actively supporting cultural and creative expression.

Young Portugieser Day – A Unique Wine Event in Serbia

Eighteen years ago, Mačkov Podrum launched Young Portugieser Day, an event first held for ten years in Novi Sad and later in Irig. Inspired by similar celebrations in France and Italy, this event is unique in Serbia.

With music, tamburitza bands, poetry, and song, the wine new year is welcomed and the first bottles of young Portugieser—traditionally known as svatovac—are ceremonially opened.

A Wine Knightly Order and the Arts

Mačkov Podrum also established a wine knightly order. From the first Knight of Young Portugieser, actor Aljoša Vučković, to the most recent, poet Miodrag Mića Jakšić, the title has been awarded to actors, musicians, writers, and other distinguished cultural figures whose work and values have enriched society, forging a lasting bond with the Portugieser variety.

Poetry and Wine – An Annual Competition

In cooperation with the Serbian Reading Room in Irig, the winery organizes an annual competition for the most beautiful poem about wine. The winning poems are announced during Young Portugieser Day. Due to the large number of submissions, shortlisted poems have been published in collections, including:

• Wine Is a Kiss of Existence

• Wine Is a Song, the Song Is Wine

A third poetry collection, covering the eleventh to fifteenth years of the competition, is currently in preparation.

Awards, Recognition, and the Hearts of Wine Lovers

The quality of Mačkov Podrum wines is continually confirmed by medals at numerous domestic and international competitions. Equally important, however, is the appreciation of wine lovers who find joy in a glass of good wine.

Wine as a Philosophy of Life

As written by Hungarian author Béla Hamvas, author of The Philosophy of Wine:

“Once again I tell you: drink wine! Then you will feel inclined to kiss, to pick flowers, to make friendships, to sleep deeply and well, to laugh—and in the morning, instead of newspapers, you will read poets.”

Cheers!