2022 Babuna Red, Tikveš

The Macedonian Dark Flame

This is Macedonian red wine with depth, heat and a dark-fruited glow. A blend of Vranec, Plavac Mali and Shiraz, it opens with blackberry, black cherry, baked plum and violet, followed by iodine, pepper, earthy spice and a savoury mineral edge. It is bold and full-bodied, but there is freshness underneath, keeping the fruit vivid rather than heavy.

The palate is rich, dry and succulent, with pomegranate, sour cherry, raspberry and bramble fruit wrapped in fine-grained tannins. There is power here, but also balance, the kind of red that feels made for smoke, spice, grilled meat and long conversations.

For when you want a red with Balkan soul, dark fruit and proper dinner-table presence.
Pairs with roast lamb, grilled sausages, venison, beef stew, mushroom ragù, smoky aubergine, hard cheeses, or barbecue with char and spice.
If this wine were… a flame, it would be burning low in a stone hearth, throwing blackberry, violet and pepper into the evening air.

Tikveš is one of North Macedonia’s defining wineries, founded in 1885 in a region with centuries of winemaking history. Based in the Tikveš wine region, the estate works with native and regional varieties such as Vranec and Kratoshija, combining long Macedonian tradition with modern winemaking and a clear ambition to bring the country’s wines to a wider audience.