About Popova Kula

By Paul Caputo

Popova Kula Winery is without doubt one of the main wine tourism attractions in Macedonia, boasting excellent hospitality, picture post card surroundings and an impressive range of clean, authentic wines to match. The winery, now approaching its 15th year, has been been working diligently to protect the rare Stanušina, one of the very few indigenous Macedonian grape varieties in existence. Thanks to the dedication of Jordan Trajkov, the founder of Popova Kula, and his team of oenologists, Stanušina has been saved from extinction. Early results are promising and use of the variety will hopefully spread.

The winery and its vineyards are located on the southern slopes of Veliko Brdo west of the town of Demir Kapija. This area is particularly well suited to quality wine making. Vineyards are irrigated with pure water flowing from three different rivers, the Boshava, Doshnica and the Vardar and the area benefits from 280 sunny days per year.

The winery pays respects to the wine tradition in the region in many other ways as well - Popova Kula was named after an important tower, the Popova Kula (Priest’s Tower) which once served as an important checkpoint on the old Roman road that passes next to the location. In tribute, they have erected a new seventeen metre high tower and named the winery Popova Kula.