The red wine variety Vranac is one of the very long-established varieties of the Balkans and stands for very high-quality red wines with a decent ripening and aging potential. The name means something like “the strict curd”, a reference to the variety’s pronounced tannin content. Vranac has probably been cultivated in Serbia or Montenegro since the Middle Ages. Its exact origin is unknown, but it is certain that Vranac is an ancestor of Tribidrag, which puts it in a close relationship with Zinfandel, and therefore also a somewhat more distant ancestor of Plavac Mali, another very high-quality red wine variety with a focus on the Croatian coast. From what is now Serbia and Montenegro, the variety also spread to the Republic of Macedonia in the mid-19th century. The variety reacts very sensitively to frost, the thin-skinned berries in the compact clusters are also susceptible to rot diseases such as sour rot. The Vranac, on the other hand, is reasonably resistant to both powdery mildew and downy mildew. After early budding, it matures after a medium ripening period. The Vranac is widespread in Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro and the Republic of Macedonia. It produces rich and powerful red wines and is quite flexible in terms of style. It also responds excellently to aging in small oak barrels. Because of its deep colors, it is also often used for blends to give them stronger colors. No other occurrences of this variety are known.
This grape variety is also known by the name of:
Kratošija, Prhljavac, Vranac Prhljavac, Vranac Rehuljavi, Vranak, Vranatz, Vranec, Vranik, Vranac Crni, Vranac Ornogorski, Vranac Crmnichki
