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Premium Wines of Bosnia-Herzegovina

With great pride, we present top quality wines produced in the rocky vineyards of sun washed Herzegovina (Her-tsuh-GOH-vee-nuh), where limestone, minerals, herbs and the Mediterranean sun are infused into every drop. Winemaking enjoys an ancient and proud tradition in this land between
the mountains and sea.

Wines have been produced in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) since the times of ancient Illyria. In 2007, archeologists discovered two Illyrian ships in the marshlands of Hutovo Blato Wildlife Refuge near Medjugorje, a well-known
pilgrimage site. Sunk more than 2100 years ago, loaded with Illyrian wine destined for distant ports, this discovery conjures images of ancient Mediterranean trade routes and shows how deeply the winemaking tradition is rooted here.

Wine production continued after the Romans defeated the last ruler of Illyria, Queen Teuta, in 168 BC. The front gate of the Roman Fortress Mogorjelo, built by Augustus Oktavian in the third century BC near the town of Capljina (CHAP-lee-na), is decorated with motifs of grapes and wine goblets. Long after the Roman Empire was divided between east and west, evidence of the local wine producing tradition can be found on “stećci,” medieval tombstones decorated with grape and vine motifs are scattered over Bosnia’s mountain tops.

In the 19th century, Austro-Hungarians invested heavily in Herzegovina winemaking. They planted new vineyards and re-invigorated old ones of Blatina (BLAH-tee-nah), Zilavka (Zhi-LAV-kah), Vranac (VRAH-natz) Trnjak (TERnyak), Plavac Mali ( PLAH-vatz MAH-lee) and other native vines to produce the finest wines for the Viennese Hapsburg court.
Viticulture in this region continues today, with vintners creating premium quality wines of both international and excellent local varietals. These wines were once only produced for royal consumption, but now are available to a
broader audience. Wines of Illyria is proud to introduce this ancient tradition of winemaking to American wine lovers and enthusiasts.