Wine cellar Živković

Wine cellar Zivkovic mostly bases its production on the Serbian autochthonous grape variety - Prokupac. Prokupac is a Serbian autochthonous grape variety that is used for making rosé and red wines, then for blending as well as for the production of grapevine and brandy. Prokupac, is a variety about 1000 years old. There are records that indicate that this variety was cultivated in the time of King Lazarus. In one of the charters of Princess Milica from 1395, which confirms that she donated a vineyard to the monastery of St. Panteleimon on Mount Athos, there is the first mention of the Slavic name Prokuplje, but also an indication that the area is rich in vines, which is confirmed by numerous records of travel writers. at that time they were on their way from Constantinople to Rome. It is estimated that the Toplica region at that time had about 5,000 ha of vineyards, while today it is only 765 ha. However, the procurer spread from his homeland to the nearby parish, where he still has the most. According to historical and archeological sources, Župa occupies an important place in the centuries-old tradition of Serbian viticulture and winemaking for more than 3000 years. In written documents, it is first mentioned in 1196 in the Studenica Charter, where it is written that the prefect Stefan Nemanja donated wine-growing villages in Župa to the Studenica monastery. Once upon a time, the three largest Serbian monasteries, Hilandar, Studenica and Žiča, had their own vineyards and wine cellars in Župa throughout the Middle Ages. The famous Serbian prince Lazar had his cellars in Župa in the Kruševica field. For centuries, wine in Župa has been a sign of power, wealth, power, but also a source of survival. It was drunk by Celtic warriors, Roman legionaries, Byzantine strategists, Serbian prefects and emperors, bishops and archbishops, and even Turkish beys. Prokupac is called the ""King of the Parish"" because in a way he became and survived there. Historically, at the time of its greatest glory, it ruled Serbia as a red variety, but also larger regions of Bulgaria. At the time when it was threatened with extinction, it was mostly in Župa and somewhat towards Smederevo, while in recent years it has been planted more and more in the Toplica district and radiantly spreading from Župa to the Smederevo vineyards, but also to the east and south of Serbia. It is present in Kosovo and Metohija, and in some places in Vojvodina.