The former Yugoslavia is one of the oldest wine-growing countries in Europe. The Phoenicians brought vines from their homeland (today's Lebanon) and from their colonies in Cyprus and Crete as early as 1,200 BC and planted them on the Dalmatian Adriatic coast. Greek colonists cultivated vines from the 7th century BC on the Istrian and Dalmatian coast near Trogir and on some (now Croatian) islands such as Korčula, Hvar and Vis.
When the Romans conquered the area in the 2nd century AD, they already found an extensive wine culture and developed it further. Emperor Probus, who came from Illyria (today Croatia), promoted viticulture. Around 1,000 AD, Venice conquered the coastal region. In the 14th century, large parts of the former Yugoslavia came under Turkish rule for centuries and viticulture was severely affected by the Islamic ban on alcohol. Many vineyards had to be destroyed for religious reasons and were devastated by the phylloxera catastrophe in the 19th century.
The Wine lexicon helps me to keep up to date and refresh my knowledge. Thank you for this Lexicon that will never end in terms of topicality! That's what makes it so exciting to come back often.
Thorsten Rahn
Restaurantleiter, Sommelier, Weindozent und Autor; Dresden