Although its main winery is in Slovenia (white wines only), Puklavec has produced this Vranec from its North Macedonia winery and vineyards, which focus on red varieties. From nine-year-old vines grown around the Lepovo area of the Vardar River Valley (Povardarie), this wine shows youthful red and dark fruit aromas and flavours – red and black currant, blackberry – with just a hint of coffee bean and liquorice coming through. These, along with lively acidity, smooth tannins and fine length, are given firm yet understated support from the eight months spent maturing in large (2,500 litre) Slavonian oak barrels.