Wines of Illyria was founded in 2016 by Indira Bayer, a native of the former Yugoslavia dedicated to bringing wines from the Balkan peninsula to American consumers. Her goal was to create jobs for unemployed youth in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and to build up the reputation of the area as a top wine-making region with a storied viticultural history.
Since the times of ancient Illyria, wines have been produced in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, and other countries in the Balkan region. Infused with Mediterranean sun, rocky vineyards are built upon a long-standing, ancient tradition that has been part of this land, centered between the mountains and the sea, for over 2,000 years.
In the 19th century, Austro-Hungarians invested heavily in Herzegovina’s wine making. They planted new and re-invigorated old vineyards of native grapes to produce the finest wines for the Vienna Hapsburg court. Today, Indira works with both large and small wineries throughout the Balkan Peninsula sourcing these indigenous varietals, which include Vranac, Blatina, Plavac Mali, Zilavka, and Tamjanika, among others. The region’s native wines, once produced only for royal consumption, can now be enjoyed around the world by anyone looking for a taste of the Mediterranean.
Products:
