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House icon Authors ▸ Ivana Simjanovska

About Ivana Simjanovska

Ivana began her adventures in wine in 2007 by establishing North Macedonia’s first wine club and organising a series of successful tasting events. In 2011 she wrote and published the first Macedonian Wine Guide with Dave Vlam and four years later collaborated with Paul Caputo on the second edition.

Today, Ivana is an important writer and critic with a widely recognised specialist knowledge in Macedonian viticulture. She continues to promote the country’s wine at festivals and fairs throughout Europe, gives educational lectures on the subject and makes regular contributions to a range of international wine publications. Ivana is also a specialist in wine tourism at Macedonia Experience and organiser of the Skopje Wine Salon - Vinodonia. Her personal blog can be found at www.ivanasimjanovska.com.

Ivana scores wine using the following rubric:

  • 95-100 - Unique and exquisite wines which age extraordinarily well
  • 90-94 - Excellent wines, perfectly balanced with depth, complexity, and potential to age well
  • 85-89 - High quality wines with expressive varietal and terroir characteristics
  • 80-84 - Pleasant wines for everyday consumption

Ivana's Most Recent Articles...

Disan - One of the Great Terroirs of North Macedonia
Added by Ivana Simjanovska on 7 Jul 2020

The picturesque surroundings of the Disan area, located just outside the town of Negotino, in the famous Tikveš Wine District, might remind us of the rolling hills of Tuscany. Boasting the breathtaking scenery of unspoiled nature, vast stretches of vineyards quilt the landscape. Of course, flashes of every day rural Macedonian life also populate the view; ambling villagers, labourers in the fields, the old and rusting road signs, and the tinny echo of rudimentary farming equipment, all symbolic of times gone by, remind us that we are clearly on the Balkans. When it comes to wine though, things are changing fast…

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Recently Tasted Wines


Tikveš “Koria” Temjanika W.C.O.
Tikveš “Koria” Temjanika W.C.O.
Venec Winery, Tikveš, North Macedonia
2019 2018 2017
Temjanika (100%)
“Temjanika wines (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) are quite popular on the Balkans and are predominately made in a dry version. Such is this one, produced from Temjanika variety from the winery’s own 15 year old vineyards located in the village of Koria where the soil is sandy-clay. It is characterised by crystal light-yellow colour. An aromatic wine showing abundance of floral aromas of white and elderberry flowers, honey and basil. On the palate it opens in layers with white peaches, basil and fresh juicy lemon dominating, complemented with spicy undertones of white pepper and grapefruit skin, adding additional complexity. Wine with remarkable freshness and long aftertaste. A truly enjoyable wine!”
90 Ivana Simjanovska
Tikveš Temjanika W.C.O.
Tikveš Temjanika W.C.O.
Venec Winery, Tikveš, North Macedonia
2019
Temjanika (100%)
“Dry wine produced from Temjanika variety from the winery’s own vineyards located in the village of Sokolche. It is characterised by crystal light-yellow colour and aromas of elderflower and honey. Wine that reveals freshness of juicy lemon in the taste accompanied by spicy white pepper notes and long lingering aftertaste. A good Temjanika for everyday consumption.”
83 Ivana Simjanovska
Tikveš “Rosé” W.C.O.
Tikveš “Rosé” W.C.O.
Venec Winery, Tikveš, North Macedonia
2019
Cabernet SauvignonKadarkaStanušina
“Dry wine produced from Cabernet Sauvignon, Stanushina and Kadarka varieties from the winery’s own vineyards located in the village of Sokolche. It is characterised with light salmon colour (in Macedonian it would be onion skin colour) and aromas of red currant, forest strawberries and candy bonbons. Likeable, fruity wine with pomegranate freshness in the taste accompanied by a spicy note and long grapefruit skin aftertaste.”
84 Ivana Simjanovska
Tikveš “Orle” Vranec W.C.O.
Tikveš “Orle” Vranec W.C.O.
Venec Winery, Tikveš, North Macedonia
2017
Vranec (100%)
“Dry red wine produced from the Vranec variety, from the winery’s own 21 year old vineyards where the soil is mostly clay. The microlocation is known as Orle and is located at 500m on the Kozuf Mountain in the Tikves Wine District. It is characterised by deep dark red colour and aromas of ripe blackberries, blueberry jam, plums, and additional notes of dry tobacco leaves, violets and cinnamon. Elegant, luscious and full-bodied wine with tamed velvety tannins, rich in dark berry jam taste, harmonic acidity and long dark chocolate and canella aftertaste. By ageing it will gain on complexity and splendor in the years to come.”
90 Ivana Simjanovska
Tikveš “Single Block” Cabernet Sauvignon W.C.O.
Tikveš “Single Block” Cabernet Sauvignon W.C.O.
Venec Winery, Tikveš, North Macedonia
2018
Cabernet Sauvignon (100%)
“Dry red wine produced from the Cabernet Sauvignon variety from the winery’s vineyards located in the village of Muratov Dol. It is characterised by red ruby colour with dark red hues and aromas of ripe red cherries, blackberries and spicy notes of cocoa, green pepper and mint. Elegant, full-bodied wine with fruity-spicy character, soft and velvety tannins, harmonic acidity and long aftertaste of liquorice and roasted coffee beans due to the ageing in new French barrels.”
87 Ivana Simjanovska
Tikveš “Single Block” Merlot W.C.O.
Tikveš “Single Block” Merlot W.C.O.
Venec Winery, Tikveš, North Macedonia
2018
Merlot (100%)
“A truly big wine with a huge potential although this might not be the first thing you write at an opening of a wine tasting note, unless you are truly blown away by it. It’s a dry wine produced from the Merlot variety from the winery’s own 18 year old vineyards located in the village of Zad Gradishte, where the soil is predominately clay. It is characterised by an intense dark red colour and aromas of red and dark berry fruits, accompanied by cinnamon and cocoa notes, the result of ageing in new French barrels. Elegant, complex and full-bodied wine with fruity-spicy taste, tamed and velvety tannins and long plum marmalade and dark chocolate aftertaste.”
91 Ivana Simjanovska
Tikveš “Oaked Single Block” Chardonnay W.C.O.
Tikveš “Oaked Single Block” Chardonnay W.C.O.
Venec Winery, Tikveš, North Macedonia
2019
Chardonnay (100%)
“It is characterised by crystal golden colour. The nose is complex and reveals aroma of yellow flowers and tropical fruit. Full-bodied and elegant wine that open in layers on the palate with more of that tropical fruit as well as crème de brulle and vanilla pudding due to the ageing in new French oak barrels. The wine has pleasant freshness, crispy acidity and a long and persistent spicy aftertaste. Having to compare with 2018, I would say vintage 2019 gives more complexity.”
86 Ivana Simjanovska
Tikveš “Single Block” Chardonnay W.C.O.
Tikveš “Single Block” Chardonnay W.C.O.
Venec Winery, Tikveš, North Macedonia
2019
Chardonnay (100%)
“It is characterised by crystal clearness and bright yellow colour. The nose reveals aromas of ripe tropical fruits complemented with discreet herbal notes of freshly cut grass and intriguing undertones of roasted almonds. Full-bodied wine that opens broadly on the palate with more of that juicy tropical and citrus fruit, crispy acidity and spicy undertones of ripe lemon skins in the aftertaste. A typical warm-climate Chardonnay.”
86 Ivana Simjanovska
Tikveš “Disan Valley” Pinot Grigio W.C.O.
Tikveš “Disan Valley” Pinot Grigio W.C.O.
Venec Winery, Tikveš, North Macedonia
2019
Pinot Grigio (100%)
“A bit more on the ripe side, it is characterised by bright yellow lemon colour. The nose reveals aromas of tropical fruits such as ripe pineapple, peaches and somewhat floral blossomy scented notes. The taste is full with more of that tropical fruit, pleasant freshness and harmonic acidity - and a lingering spicy aftertaste of white pepper.”
84 Ivana Simjanovska
Skopje Pinot Noir
Skopje Pinot Noir
Château Kamnik, Skopje, North Macedonia
2016 2015
Pinot Noir (100%)
“This Pinot Noir is a dark ruby red colour showing vivacity in the glass. On the nose it’s already evolved with an abundance of dark cherry, cranberry and dark cocoa-chocolate, complimented by smokey aromas emerging from an ageing period of 15 months in French and American oak barrels. Silky tannins are omnipresent, acidity is balanced and integrated, while the finish is a long an attractive with a touch of spice.”
86 Ivana Simjanovska