Tikves Kratosija Crveno 2018

Tikves Winery is based in the town of Kavadartsi in the the Balkan country of Northern Macedonia. First established back in 1885 they've been producing wines ever since depsite being in a parto fo the world that has seen many political upheavals during that time.

After 1945, when in Tito's Yugoslavia the winery was nationalised and targets were based on quantity rather quality. However since the 1990's things have changed somewhat. While it remains one of the largest wineries in the Balkan region the current owners, the M6 investment group who took over in 2003, have changed this around completely. In 2010 a French wine consultant, Philippe Cambie, from the Rhône Valley, was brought in and alongside Marko Stojakovic, head winemaker, who grew up and studied in France before returing to the Balkans they head up the team responsible for their range of wines.

Their focus is very much on indigenous varieties which, while often being difficult for western european tongues to pronounce, have certainly begun to make an impact. Their Barovo 2015 single vineyard red picked up a platinum medal at the Decanter World Wines Awards 2018. Northern Macedonia is somewhat off the beaten track, but at Tikves the wines being made are worthy peers from any of the better known wine producing nations.