Crmnica Wine Road Tour

Crmnica is one of Montenegro’s most renowned wine regions, celebrated since ancient times for its vineyards and wine culture. Alongside grape growing and winemaking, local families also produce healthy food, fruit, and other traditional products, while developing rural tourism in the area. Organized by Monte Mare Travel, this tour invites you to discover authentic wine cellars in Crmnica and enjoy the rural charm of four family-owned vineyards. For lovers of wine, brandy, and local cuisine, this is an ideal way to experience the “homeland of the grapes” and taste a variety of wines in a truly memorable setting.

Day 1:

Visit: Winery Garnet

The tour begins at Winery Garnet, a stone house where the hosts process and store their wines in a building that is at least five centuries old. It is surrounded by similarly styled houses of the same age, forming a unique settlement that the State of Montenegro has declared a Heritage Site – the Historical Hamlet of Godinje.

Guests are welcomed on the terrace of the old family home before enjoying a tasting of three domestic wines, three liqueurs, and brandy. The visit lasts approximately one hour. One of the most fascinating parts of the experience is seeing how brandy is traditionally “baked” in old-fashioned kettles.

Day 2:

Visit: Cermeniza vineyard and wine cellar

Next, the journey continues to Winery Cermeniza, where traditional Montenegrin hospitality meets modern comfort. Set on a hill in the heart of Crmnica, the country’s most famous wine region, it offers panoramic views of Skadar Lake.

Here, you will explore 200-year-old vineyards covering 5,000 square meters and enjoy a wine tasting in the rustic cellar. During the walk through the centuries-old vines, the family’s oldest member, the grandfather, shares his knowledge and stories about their finest wines. The stone-and-wood cellar creates the ideal conditions for keeping wine at the perfect temperature.

The tasting includes Cermeniza barrique, Cermeniza red wine, Cermeniza white wine, and five types of brandy. Duration: approximately one hour.

Day 3:

Visit: Mašanović vineyard and wine cellar

The third stop is Winery Mašanović, located in Orahovo field in Crmnica, near Skadar Lake, at an altitude of 10 meters. The vineyard lies one kilometer from the winery, on land once used by Ivan Crnojević as a summer house. The cellar is situated next to the former vineyard and the cellar of King Nikola.

Although Vranac is the best-known autochthonous Montenegrin variety, the Mašanović vineyard also grows Kratošija, Marselan, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sangiovese, with vines aged between 5 and 40 years. The winery produces black wines such as Crmnički Vranac Barrique and Krin Barrique, as well as small quantities of brandy, fruit brandies made from peach, kiwi, apple, pomegranate, plum, and quince, plus local juices from their orchards.

After the presentation, guests enjoy a snack and beverage tasting for 1 hour 30 minutes. Snacks include dry figs, nuts, homemade bread, prosciutto, kulen, cheese from spice oil, and goat cheese. Beverages include three premium red wines — Krin (Dry), Dionis (Dry), and Tre Sorelle (Natural Sweet) — plus two types of fruit brandy of your choice or two types of liqueur: walnut and cherry. All products are homemade.

Day 4:

Visit: Kopitović vineyard and wine cellar

After Mašanović, the tour continues to Kopitović Winery in the village of Donji Brčeli, not far from Skadar Lake, at an altitude of 300 meters. The village is known for its historical significance, including the endowments of the Balšići family, Bishop Danilo’s winter residence at the Monastery of Petrović, and the Monastery in Donji Brčelj, where the church of Saint Nikola holds the burial of Emperor Šćepan Mali.

The Kopitović family settled in Donji Brčeli in the 15th century and has long been dedicated to vine cultivation and the production of red wines from autochthonous varieties. Their house includes a tavern more than 300 years old, once used for making and preserving wine and brandy. Because the family focuses on quality, production is limited.

Inside the family home, an authentic-style restaurant offers the chance to taste local wine, brandy, and traditional cuisine. After learning about the production process, guests enjoy a wine tasting lasting approximately one hour. The beverages served are Tre sorelle white wine, Sojak black wine, and Šćepan Mali.