Red Wines

Fruška gora in red: the strength of terroir and the elegance of Tomcat’s Wines

Although Fruška gora is known for its white wines, it would be a great injustice to ignore its red treasures. It is true that this terroir is more challenging for red varieties, but it is precisely this challenge that gives birth to wines with a specific character.

Reds from Fruška gora are not marmalade-like, too heavy wines with high alcohols that we often find in very warm climates. Here, thanks to the cooler nights and the influence of the wind rose, the red varieties manage to retain their freshness and acidity. This results in wines that are elegant, fruity, with fine structure and aging potential. These are the so-called wines of cooler style, which are more reminiscent of Burgundian elegance than Mediterranean strength.

On the southern slopes of the mountain, where the sun shines the longest, varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, but also the local hero Portugieser, give outstanding results, offering complexity and depth.

Mačkov Cellar: Red wines with noble manners

At the Tomcat winery in Irig, the approach to red wines is serious and patient. Sava Jojić Mačak and his team know that great red wine is not born overnight.

Their philosophy with red wines is to achieve the perfect balance between the fruitiness of the grapes and the body obtained by aging. Wooden barrels (barriques) are used, but the goal is never to let the flavour of the wood overpower the wine. On the contrary, the wood is there only as an accessory, as a frame that should support the image, and the image is the terroir of Irig. The result are wines that are drinkable and approachable, but at the same time complex and capable of developing in the bottle for years.

Red aces of the Tomcat’s Wine Cellar

The portfolio of red wines from Tomcat’s wine cellar covers the spectrum from fluffy and light to elegant and powerful wines, and each one bears the distinctive seal of the winery.

1. Tomcat’s Portugieser, a rascal that easily steals heart and often gets the epithet that it "slips like milk". Joking aside, the revival of this old and forgotten variety of ours is a serious undertaking that Sava Mačak embarked on by planting the first hectares of vineyards with this variety, remembering his childhood and the table that was always decorated with a bottle with Portugieser. This is a very light and drinkable wine, light ruby ​​in colour and rich in red fruit aromas. Since Portugieser is an early-ripening and early-harvesting variety, it is suitable for the application of a special technology - carbonic maceration. This method is used for the world’s most famous young wine, beaujolais nouveau. A young wine is one that was finished in the same year that the grapes from which it was made were picked. The Day of the Young Portugieser, or Wine New Year, is a big event that we have been organising every November since 2008, and in which we ceremoniously open the first barrels and the first bottles of this delightful wine. You can read more about this event on the Day of the Young Portugieser. 
2. Tomcat’s Merlot Merlot is a variety that feels at home on Fruška gora, and Tomcat’s interpretation is a true symphony in a glass. This is a wine that conquers at the first sip with its softness and velvety texture. The aroma is dominated by red forest fruits and ripe plums, with mild notes of chocolate and spices. The tannins are polished and gentle. This is an ideal wine for Sunday lunch with red meat dishes or with red sauces, but it is so drinkable that many people like to drink it on its own, with a good book or a bar of chocolate.
3. Tomcat’s Pinot Noir Pinot Noir is a kind of pinnacle in winemaking, a variety difficult to grow and process, which requires a cooler climate - exactly what Fruška gora offers. Tomcat’s Pinot Noir is a wine for those looking for sophistication. It is not oversaturated with tannins; it is a gentler, intense ruby ​​colour. It exudes aromas of raspberry and forest fruit, rounded off by aromas of vanilla and coffee. Elegant, with mild tannins. A layered wine that goes well with duck or mushroom risotto.
4. Camerlot This is the flagship of the house when it comes to red wines, a wine that shows the potency of the Tomcat’s wine cellar. Camerlot is a blend of three powerful varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The name is a play on words that combines all the names of these varieties and alludes to the powerful knights of the round table of Camelot. In this wine, Cabernet Sauvignon gives structure, tannins and aromas of black currant and cedar, Merlot fills out the wine giving it body and suppleness and Cabernet Franc adds elegance and aromatic complexity. Aging in oak barrels gives it notes of vanilla, smoke and fine spices. It is a serious, layered, full-bodied wine that pairs ideally with steak, game and cherry or mint sauces. A wine that can be stored and gets better with age.
5. Cabernet Franc is an international variety that is most often used in blends and can rarely be found on its own, which represents another precedent and unusual gesture from Tomcat’s wine cellar. This is a very powerful wine, with rich tannins, which has been aged in barrique barrels for 24 months, which gives notes of red fruit and spices and aromas of vanilla and toast. This is a wine that is ideally paired with dishes equally potent, strong flavours, dishes made of red meat, or mature cheese.