You might think it’s odd that someone would plant the largest single vineyard in Europe is one of its smallest countries. I was curious. In my search for the unique autochthonous or indigenous grapevine varieties, I discovered that most of this vineyard is planted with Vranac, a unique grape found in the Balkan regions. So […]
My plan is to meet Goran Radevic at the Radevic Estate Winery at 2:30. I carry all my bags down the steps from my Admiral Apartments in Perast. There’s an ice cream delivery truck blocking my bike. It’s a sign I should sit and have an espresso, or two, and enjoy the view before heading […]
At the suggestion of Goran, I pull my roots from Kotor and motor north, rounding the bay and leaving the stop and go traffic behind. I pull off the road, and a parking guard lifts the gate that keeps most vehicular traffic out of the tiny bayside fisherman village of Perast. There is one street, […]
It’s pushing over 100 degrees when I arrive at the border between Montenegro and Albania. There is a massive line of cars waiting, to get into Albania. I join a handful of motorcycles that weave closer to the control point, but we still have to wait. I take off my jacket and helmet, and as […]
It’s with regret and sadness that my time in Albania nears the end. From Sarande to Tirana the history, people, food, and wine excelled and beyond expectations. Only the thrill of discovery, something new helps to cure the sadness of long goodbyes. So it’s the open arms and welcome of Montenegro and the promises of […]
What I thought would be a night or two in Tirana is now three nights. In between getting work done, laundry, and learning about Balkan wines from Jimmy, I continue to meet a host of influential people from the Albanian world of hospitality, literature, and wine. The largest distributor, exporter, and importer of wines in […]
The Dinasty Hotel in Tirana meticulously built, with beautiful wrought iron accents, hand laid stone tile floors, handmade furniture, and beautiful stone walls. Tables on the patio are all made by hand with beautiful mosaics. The four-story building looks nothing like other buildings in the neighborhood. Bay windows, stained glass, and curved balconies fitted with iron […]
I’ve been looking forward to meeting Flori Uka for many months. He’s a sommelier turned winemaker and along with his father and brothers, is focused on sustainable and organic farming for not only wine grapes but for fruit and vegetables. After the fall of communism in Albania, a 2-hectare parcel of land outside Tirana returned […]
When I tell Muharrem the hotel I’m thinking of staying, he picks up his phone and makes a call. “You will stay in a traditional hotel, not a modern hotel.” But the hotel he called was booked. He makes another call and books me a room at Hotel Muzaca, a hotel in a traditional stone […]
I face more Sarande traffic madness to get out of town; I find myself more bold and aggressive, which isn’t always a good thing when riding a motorcycle on foreign soil. But I make it out of Sarande and head down to the valley through the same mountain pass I arrived two days earlier. To […]
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