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Vranac

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Vranac
Grape (Vitis)
A cluster of Vranac grapes in Montenegro
SpeciesVitis vinifera
Also calledVranec
OriginMontenegro
Notable regionsMontenegro, North Macedonia
VIVC number13179

Vranac (pronounced [ʋrǎːnats]) is a Montenegrin autochthonous red grape variety. It is the most planted grape variety in Montenegro. Under the name Vranec, it is cultivated in Macedonia. Vranac is considered the most important grape variety in Montenegro and one of the most important in North Macedonia.[1]. The first mention of a genetic relationship between Vranac and Kratošija (Zinfandel), described as a first-degree relationship, was made by Calò et al. (2008).[2]

However, the full pedigree of Vranac was established through genetic identification of the variety in the joint international research by Tello et al. (2020), entitled "Population genetic analysis in old Montenegrin vineyards reveals ancient ways currently active to generate diversity in Vitis vinifera".[3] The research was conducted with the participation of the Institute of Grapevine and Wine Sciences (ICVV), La Rioja, the Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, the Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada, Universidad de Sevilla, the Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, the University of Montenegro Faculty of Biotechnology, the Faculty for Food Technology, Food Safety and Ecology, University of Donja Gorica, Podgorica, and the Research and Development Department of Plantaže, Podgorica.

It was established that Vranac originated from a cross between the autochthonous Montenegrin varieties Kratošija and Duljenga. Kratošija was confirmed as the male parent, and Duljenga as the female parent.[3]

History

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The first description of the Vranac variety was published by Mitar Plamenac in 1891 in the journal Grlica.[4] A description of the variety was also published in 1909 in the ampelography by Pierre Viala and Victor Vermorel.[5]

Maraš et al. (2015) report that many authors from the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, of which Montenegro was a part until June 1991 like Stojanović (1929), Bulić (1949), Ulićević (1959, 1966), Nastev (1967), Ćetković (1978), Zirojević (1979), Pejović (1987), Avramov (1988), Burić (1995), Božinovik (1996), Maraš (2000), Maraš et al. (2004), and Milosavljević (2008) described Vranac as an autochthonous Montenegrin grapevine variety and stated that it was historically cultivated only in Montenegro.[6]

Nastev (1967) states that Vranac is an autochthonous Montenegrin grapevine variety, cultivated mainly in the Lake Skadar region, particularly in Crmnica, but also on the Montenegrin coast .[7] He also states that Vranac was introduced to Macedonia in the 1950s at the Butel experimental field, from which it subsequently spread throughout the former Yugoslavia.[7]

Bulić (1949) states that Vranac spread from Montenegro to Dalmatia.[8]

Distribution and cultivation

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At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the cultivation area of Vranac was very small, extending for about 30 km. Until World War II, the variety was mainly distributed in the Crmnica subregion. During this period, Vranac had not spread beyond varietal collections or experimental vineyards. It later spread from Crmnica to other parts of Montenegro and beyond.[6]

In 2021, Vranac was cultivated on 1,346 hectares, accounting for 51.16% of the total area under grapevines in Montenegro.[9] Outside Montenegro, it is most widely cultivated in North Macedonia. It is also grown in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and central Serbia.[9]

Ampelographic characteristics

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The vine is vigorous. The flower is morphologically and functionally hermaphroditic. The leaf is medium-sized to large, five-lobed to seven-lobed, with the blade showing no visible hairs on either side. The cluster is medium-sized to large, cylindrical, medium-compact, rarely loose, weighing 160–250 g. The berry is medium-sized, elongated, round or oval, blue-black or black, with a thin skin and abundant bloom. It belongs to productive and very productive varieties. The grapes ripen in the third epoch. It is a late variety. To obtain a high-quality yield, the variety favors well-sunlit positions and warm, loose-gravelly, permeable and moderately fertile soils.[9]

Wine characteristics

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The wine is full-bodied, with an intense ruby-red color, aromas of small berry fruits such as blackberry and blueberry, and subtle dried spices. It is described as a top-quality wine and is recognizable for its intense color. Owing to the rich oenological potential of the Vranac variety, several profiles and styles of Vranac wine can be produced. Due to its quality characteristics, it is also suitable for blending with wines of other varieties.[9]

Phenolic profile and oenological significance

[edit]

The content of phenolic compounds is one of the main factors determining the quality of grapes and wine. The quantity and structure of phenolic compounds in grapes significantly influence the oenological potential of grapes and the sensory properties of wine, affecting wine colour, astringency, bitterness, stability and ageing potential.[10][11]


The polyphenolic profile is influenced by various factors, such as the grape variety,[12] climatic conditions and seasonal weather,[13][14] the health status of the grapevine,[15] as well as vineyard management.[16] In addition, the polyphenolic profile of wine is also influenced by the winemaking techniques used.[17] The chemical nature and behaviour of polyphenols contribute to the fingerprint of authenticity and typicality of the variety and its region of origin.[18][11]

The examined Vranac grapevine variety from the Podgorica region has a broad spectrum of diverse phenolic compounds.[11] In samples of its leaves, grapes and young wine, 129 phenolic compounds were identified, including 38 anthocyanins and 23 flavan-3-ols.[11] Of particular significance were (epi)catechin 3-O-coumarate, tentatively identified in grape seeds, and chalcan–flavan-3-ol dimers, tentatively identified in both grape seeds and wine of the autochthonous Montenegrin Vranac variety. These types of compounds had never previously been reported in any grapevine variety or in any species of the genus Vitis.[11] (Epi)catechin 3-O-coumarate had previously been isolated and identified in green tea extracts.[19] With regard to Vitis species, it was found only in the grape-seed extract of the autochthonous grapevine variety Vranac.[11] The structure of (epi)catechin 3-O-coumarate found in the seed extract is unusual and is an indication of the distinctive phenolic metabolism of Vranac seeds.[11]

The rare phenolic compounds identified in Vranac may represent part of its characteristic “chemical fingerprint” and contribute to the authenticity and distinctiveness of the variety.[11]

[edit]

Polyphenols such as flavonoids, anthocyanins, hydroxybenzoates, hydroxycinnamates and stilbenes, the major wine compounds, are well known for their role in reducing the risk of diseases related to oxidative stress, such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.[20][21] Moreover, these compounds also exhibit good anti-inflammatory properties.[21] Not only have phenolic compounds themselves been found to have antioxidant activity, but some of their metabolites are antioxidants as well.[22]

The study conducted by Đorđević et al. (2018), entitled An insight into chemical composition and biological activity of Montenegrin Vranac red wine,[23] aimed to describe the chemical composition and potential health benefits of three Vranac wines obtained from new grape clones (CI, CII and CIII) recently developed and recognised.[23]

Altogether, Montenegrin Vranac wines represent a rich source of both phenolics and minerals, exhibiting promising antioxidant potential. The wines have high amounts of gallic acid, catechin and epicatechin, significant K/Na ratios and favourable contents of essential metals, making them products with health-added values.[23] There was a significant amount of gallic acid and catechin in the samples. These two compounds, commonly present in wines, are important for medicinal reasons.[23] Indeed, some studies have shown that the development of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases is inhibited by gallic acid.[24][25] Moreover, catechin, known as the main beneficial compound from green tea, facilitates a good defence against free radicals and, consequently, oxidative stress-related diseases.[26]

The most abundant component of the hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives group in Vranac was caffeic acid, with an average abundance of approximately 1.5% of all the compounds determined.[23] Previous studies confirmed that caffeic acid and its derivatives may have various positive effects on human health, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antitumour activities.[27][28][29] Quercetin and myricetin were almost equally represented components in the group of flavonols.[23] Quercetin is known to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-aggregatory, vasodilating and carcinostatic properties.[30][31][32] Since its structure is more hydroxylated than the chemical structures of other flavonoid compounds, myricetin displays a broad range of bioactivities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antitumour and potentially antidiabetic effects.[33][34][35] K, crucial for nerve and heart function, was the most abundant element in all the analysed wine samples.[23] In addition, K–Na flux is essential for the conduction of nerve impulses, while the high K/Na ratio observed in the wine samples reported here is crucial for the prevention of heart diseases through a decrease in blood pressure.[36] K also participates in the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins.[23]


References

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  1. ↑ Stevenson, Tom (2005). The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia (4 ed.). Londyn: Dorling Kindersley. p. 427. ISBN 0-7566-1324-8.
  2. ↑ Calò, Antonio; Costacurta, Angelo; Maraš, Vesna; Meneghetti, Stefano; Crespan, Manna (2008). "Molecular correlation of Zinfandel (Primitivo) with Austrian, Croatian, and Hungarian cultivars and Kratošija, an additional synonym". American Journal of Enology and Viticulture. 59 (2): 205–209. doi:10.5344/ajev.2008.59.2.205. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 Tello, Javier; Martínez-Zapater, José Miguel; Ibáñez, Javier (2020). "Population genetic analysis in old Montenegrin vineyards reveals ancient ways currently active to generate diversity in Vitis vinifera". Scientific Reports. 10: 15000. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-71918-7. PMC 7490262.
  4. ↑ Plamenac, M. (1891). "Gajenje vinove loze u Crmnici". Grlica (in Serbian). Cetinje: State Printing House.
  5. ↑ Viala, P.; Vermorel, V. (1901–1910). Traité général de viticulture: Ampélographie (in French). Vol. I–IV. Paris: Masson et Cie.
  6. 1 2 Maraš, Vesna; Popović, T.; Gazivoda, A.; Raičević, J.; Kodžulović, V.; Mugoša, M.; Šućur, S. (2015). "Origin and Characterization of Montenegrin Grapevine Varieties". VITIS. 54 (Special Issue): 135–137. doi:10.5073/vitis.2015.54.special-issue.135-137. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  7. 1 2 Nastev, Dragan (1967). Specijalno lozarstvo [Special Viticulture] (in Macedonian).
  8. ↑ Bulić, Stjepan (1949). Dalmatinska ampelografija [Dalmatian Ampelography] (in Croatian). Zagreb: Poljoprivredni nakladni zavod.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Vranac". Leksikon vinogradarstva i vinarstva Crne Gore (Lexicon of Viticulture and Winemaking of Montenegro) (in Montenegrin). Crnogorska akademija nauka i umjetnosti (Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts; CANU). 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  10. ↑ Jordão, A. M.; Simões, S.; Correia, A. C.; Gonçalves, F. J. (2012). "Antioxidant activity evolution during Portuguese red wine vinification and their relation with the proanthocyanidin and anthocyanin composition". Journal of Food Processing and Preservation. 36 (4): 298–309. doi:10.1111/j.1745-4549.2011.00588.x.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Šuković, Danijela; Knežević, Bojana; Gašić, Uroš; Sredojević, Milica; Ćirić, Ivanka; Todić, Slavica; Mutić, Jelena; Tešić, Živoslav (2020). "Phenolic Profiles of Leaves, Grapes and Wine of Grapevine Variety Vranac (Vitis vinifera L.) from Montenegro". Foods. 9 (2): 138. doi:10.3390/foods9020138.
  12. ↑ Pajović, R.; Raičević, D.; Popović, T.; Sivilotti, P.; Lisjak, K.; Vanzo, A. (2014). "Polyphenolic Characterisation of Vranac, Kratosija and Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L. cv.) Grapes and Wines from Different Vineyard Locations in Montenegro". South African Journal of Enology and Viticulture. 35 (1): 139–148. doi:10.21548/35-1-994.
  13. ↑ Ivanova-Petropulos, Violeta; Hermosín-Gutiérrez, Isidro; Boros, Borbála; Stefova, Marina; Stafilov, Trajče; Vojnoski, Borimir; Dörnyei, Ágnes; Kilár, Ferenc (2015). "Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of Macedonian red wines". Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 41: 1–14. doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2015.01.002.
  14. ↑ De Pascali, S. A.; Coletta, A.; Del Coco, L.; Basile, T.; Gambacorta, G.; Fanizzi, F. P. (2014). "Viticultural practice and winemaking effects on metabolic profile of Negroamaro". Food Chemistry. 161: 112–119. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.03.128.
  15. ↑ Rusjan, Denis; Veberič, Robert; Mikulič-Petkovšek, Maja (2012). "The response of phenolic compounds in grapes of the variety 'Chardonnay' (Vitis vinifera L.) to the infection by phytoplasma Bois noir". European Journal of Plant Pathology. 133 (4): 965–974. doi:10.1007/s10658-012-9967-7.
  16. ↑ Bešlić, Zoran; Pantelić, Milica; Dabić, Dragana; Todić, Slavica; Natić, Maja; Tešić, Živoslav (2015). "Effect of vineyard floor management on water regime, growth response, yield and fruit quality in Cabernet Sauvignon". Scientia Horticulturae. 197: 650–656. doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2015.10.029.
  17. ↑ Raičević, Danijela; Božinović, Zvonimir; Petkov, Mihail; Ivanova-Petropulos, Violeta; Kodžulović, Vesna; Mugoša, Milena; Šućur, Sanja; Maraš, Vesna (2017). "Polyphenolic content and sensory profile of Montenegrin Vranac wines produced with different oenological products and maceration". Macedonian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. 36 (2): 229–238. doi:10.20450/mjcce.2017.1145.
  18. ↑ Palade, Laurentiu Mihai; Popa, Mona Elena (2018). "Polyphenol Fingerprinting Approaches in Wine Traceability and Authenticity: Assessment and Implications of Red Wines". Beverages. 4 (4): 75. doi:10.3390/beverages4040075.
  19. ↑ Ridder, Lars; van der Hooft, Justin J. J.; Verhoeven, Stefan; de Vos, Ric C. H.; Bino, Raoul J.; Vervoort, Jacques (2013). "Automatic chemical structure annotation of an LC–MS(n)-based metabolic profile from green tea". Analytical Chemistry. 85 (12): 6033–6040. doi:10.1021/ac400861a. PMID 23662787.
  20. ↑ Jang, M.; Cai, L.; Udeani, G. O.; Slowing, K. V.; Thomas, C. F.; Beecher, C. W. W.; Fong, H. H. S.; Farnsworth, N. R.; Kinghorn, A. D.; Mehta, R. G.; Moon, R. C.; Pezzuto, J. M. (1997). "Cancer chemopreventive activity of resveratrol, a natural product derived from grapes". Science. 275 (5297): 218–220. doi:10.1126/science.275.5297.218. PMID 8985016.
  21. 1 2 Youdim, K. A.; McDonald, J.; Kalt, W.; Joseph, J. A. (2002). "Potential role of dietary flavonoids in reducing microvascular endothelium vulnerability to oxidative and inflammatory insults". The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. 13 (5): 282–288. doi:10.1016/S0955-2863(01)00221-2. PMID 12015158.
  22. ↑ Villaño, D.; Fernández-Pachón, M. S.; Troncoso, A. M.; García-Parrilla, M. C. (2005). "Comparison of antioxidant activity of wine phenolic compounds and metabolites in vitro". Analytica Chimica Acta. 538 (1–2): 391–398. doi:10.1016/j.aca.2005.02.016.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Đorđević, N.; Novaković, M.; Pejin, B.; Živković, M.; Savić, A.; Mutić, J.; Tešević, V. (2018). "An insight into chemical composition and biological activity of Montenegrin Vranac red wine". Scientia Horticulturae. 230: 142–148. doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2017.11.033.
  24. ↑ Wang, Y. J.; Thomas, P.; Zhong, J. H.; Bi, F. F.; Kosaraju, S.; Pollard, A.; Fenech, M.; Zhou, X. F. (2009). "Consumption of grape seed extract prevents amyloid-beta deposition and attenuates inflammation in brain of an Alzheimer's disease mouse". Neurotoxicity Research. 15 (1): 3–14. doi:10.1007/s12640-009-9000-x. PMID 19384583.
  25. ↑ Liu, Y.; Pukala, T. L.; Musgrave, I. F.; Williams, D. M.; Dehle, F. C.; Carver, J. A. (2013). "Gallic acid is the major component of grape seed extract that inhibits amyloid fibril formation". Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 23 (23): 6336–6340. doi:10.1016/j.bmcl.2013.09.071. PMID 24157371.
  26. ↑ Kerio, L. C.; Wachira, F. N.; Wanyoko, J. K.; Rotich, M. K. (2013). "Total polyphenols, catechin profiles and antioxidant activity of tea products from purple leaf coloured tea cultivars". Food Chemistry. 136 (3–4): 1405–1413. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.09.066. PMID 23194541.
  27. ↑ Sud'ina, G. F.; Mirzoeva, O. K.; Pushkareva, M. A.; Korshunova, G. A.; Sumbatyan, N. V.; Varfolomeev, S. D. (1993). "Caffeic acid phenethyl ester as a lipoxygenase inhibitor with antioxidant properties". FEBS Letters. 329 (1–2): 21–24. doi:10.1016/0014-5793(93)80184-V. PMID 7689063.
  28. ↑ Lee, Y. J.; Liao, P. H.; Chen, W. K.; Yang, C. Y. (2000). "Preferential cytotoxicity of caffeic acid phenethyl ester analogues on oral cancer cells". Cancer Letters. 153 (1–2): 51–56. doi:10.1016/S0304-3835(00)00389-X. PMID 10779629.
  29. ↑ Park, J. H.; Lee, J. K.; Kim, H. S.; Chung, S. T.; Eom, J. H.; Kim, K. A.; Chung, S. J.; Paik, S. Y.; Oh, H. Y. (2004). "Immunomodulatory effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester in Balb/c mice". International Immunopharmacology. 4 (3): 429–436. doi:10.1016/j.intimp.2004.01.013. PMID 15037220.
  30. ↑ Deschner, E. E.; Ruperto, J.; Wong, G.; Newmark, H. L. (1991). "Quercetin and rutin as inhibitors of azoxymethanol-induced colonic neoplasia". Carcinogenesis. 12 (7): 1193–1196. doi:10.1093/carcin/12.7.1193. PMID 2070483.
  31. ↑ Chopra, M.; Fitzsimons, P. E. E.; Strain, J. J.; Thurnham, D. I.; Howard, A. N. (2000). "Nonalcoholic red wine extract and quercetin inhibit LDL oxidation without affecting plasma antioxidant vitamin and carotenoid concentrations". Clinical Chemistry. 46 (8): 1162–1170. doi:10.1093/clinchem/46.8.1162. PMID 10926898.
  32. ↑ Pérez-Vizcaíno, F.; Ibarra, M.; Cogolludo, A. L.; Duarte, J.; Zaragoza-Arnáez, F.; Moreno, L.; López-López, G.; Tamargo, J. (2002). "Endothelium-independent vasodilator effects of the flavonoid quercetin and its methylated metabolites in rat conductance and resistance arteries". Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 302 (1): 66–72. doi:10.1124/jpet.302.1.66. PMID 12065701.
  33. ↑ Xu, H. X.; Lee, S. F. (2001). "Activity of plant flavonoids against antibiotic-resistant bacteria". Phytotherapy Research. 15 (1): 39–43. PMID 11180521.
  34. ↑ Holder, S.; Zemskova, M.; Zhang, C.; Tabrizizad, M.; Bremer, R.; Neidigh, J. W.; Lilly, M. B. (2007). "Characterization of a potent and selective small-molecule inhibitor of the PIM1 kinase". Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 6 (1): 163–172. doi:10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-06-0397. PMID 17218638.
  35. ↑ Pasetto, S.; Pardi, V.; Murata, R. M. (2014). "Anti-HIV-1 activity of flavonoid myricetin on HIV-1 infection in a dual-chamber in vitro model". PLOS ONE. 9 (12) e115323. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0115323. PMID 25546350.
  36. ↑ Perez, V.; Chang, E. T. (2014). "Sodium-to-potassium ratio and blood pressure, hypertension, and related factors". Advances in Nutrition. 5 (6): 712–741. doi:10.3945/an.114.006783. PMID 25398734.
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