Sensory characteristics of local wines of Vrtogos wine region (Republic of Serbia) as a potential for tourist development

Abstract

Serbia has significant potential for the development of wine tourism. Wine tours, which are increasingly common forms of tourist attractions, both for domestic and foreign tourists, occupy a significant role on the tourist map of the country. The development of local vineyards, through the promotion of the best wines, represents the next significant step that will raise wine tourism in Serbia to an even higher level. Precisely for this reason, the main subject of this paper is the sensory evaluation of four local wines from the Vrtogos wine region of the Stari Dani winery, which is located in city Bujanovac in the very south of Serbia. Sensory evaluation of quality was carried out by trained tasters, who had the task of evaluating the potential they have for the development of wine tourism. Four types of wine were selected for the experiment, produced from commonly known grape varieties, but with an authentic and recognizable identity. The main goal is to show the sensory characteristics of the selected wines and compare their ratings, which can show whether the given wines have the potential to be drawn on the tourist map of Serbia and become an integral part of the hospitality and tourism offer.