Grape growing and wine production in Šumadija region of Serbia go back as far as the Roman Ages. The Romans, who once ruled these territories, recognized the enormous potential for grape growing and determined local toponyms based on their grape vines.
During the medieval period, the great Serbian rulers, Stefan Lazarević and Đurađ Branković had vineyards in Šumadija. Legend has it that the last Serbian Despot Pavle Bakić gave the renowned wine from the village of Lipovac to the Ottoman guards in December 1525 and as a result managed to escape Ottomans with the last of the nobility to Hungary.
Great potential for wine making in this region did not go unnoticed by the well-known medieval chronicler from Burgundy, Bertrandon de la Broquière. After his visit to Šumadija in 1432, he particularly emphasized the quality of wines from this region in his book titled “Le Voyage d'Outre – Mer”.
"All acts of love are pure and keen;
for the Love is
the greatest of all virtues""A homage to love" by Saint Stefan Lazarević, year 1409.
