Winery Panajotović – underground wine tasting

Winery Panajotovic

Life is a miracle. Always take us to places that you would never even think they really exist, and when you get there you realize that you’ve always wanted to come here.

Night had fallen. We went on Senjak. Winery Panajotović. We had an arrangement to meet in front of the underground lagum. Hmm … What is lagum? After googling it we find out that it is the underground passage … Hm enough. We do not want to further explore it online, we want to hear the real story! Looks interesting and mystical, even a bit frightening. However, it is 8 o’clock in the evening …

We both had a restless spirit pass on joking, because we learned a long time ago that prejudices are almost never true. Although we were not sure why would some guy hustling grapes under the ground! We are familiar with the tradition of wine-making from books and movies, this somehow does not fit! We park the car and come to the entrance …

Visibly excited we waited for the host.

After a short introduction we headed the corridors illuminated by torches and candles. A mystic at the same time, a very pleasant scene, as if from a movie with secret chambers. We listened to the story of the history of the underground lagum, when it was originated, for which was used when once upon a time people walked these undergorund passages …

Looks interesting, right? Even more interesting, when you reach the end of this tunnel and you come across a bunch of precisely stacked bottles, for which we later find out that they are full 🙂

And then is starting a conversation about wine along with the tasting …

We learned which wine goes with gorgonzola cheese and which goes with other chees … Also, we learned that some foods can kill the taste of wine and vice versa. When you learn to dance of food and wine you will begin to enjoy real tasting, after which your head will not explode, and you will not feel bad, even if you mix 2-3 species of wine, varieties … 🙂

The temperature in this undergound passages is 12 degrees, which feels very good for wine. Storing wine is a process. Wine teaches you to be patient and wait for the right moment, when it is best to sell it or enjoy in it.

Wine teach you to feel and listen your senses. Only then you can taste chocolate, coffee, fruit or smell the spices and/or plum in wine.
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It is very interesting to listen to the technologists (who is in love with wine for years) that explains how they make it.

The story of the winery, technology development, bottles, caps, logo, labels and giving names like Victor and Knez will not leave anyone indifferent. And then at some point you realize …

When someone loves what he does out of nothing can create something special. This lagum was cold and dark for years. Wine and candles breathed life in here. Once a forgotten place today is a place of entertainment. The place where there is no mobile network, the Internet. A place where time is measured by candles. A place where time stops and begins a story about wine and life. Cheers!

P.S. IF you come to Serbia and Belgrade visit WINERY PANAJOTOVIĆ, tell THAT YOU HAVE READ OUR STORY and you will get free rakija TASTING ( something like brandy ) 😉 Cheers!