Our story begins with a dream —
to create a wine in the heart of Serbia that the world will celebrate.
Welcome to „Wine and Brandy“, a family business that started an ambitious wine story in the village of Misača, not far from Aranđelovac, where the fertile land of Šumadija embraces the mild climate and the old winemaking spirit.
About us
Our story begins with a dream — to create a wine in the heart of Serbia that the world will celebrate.
Welcome to “Wine and Brandy”, a family business that started an ambitious wine story in the village of Misača, not far from Aranđelovac, where the fertile land of Šumadija embraces the mild climate and the old winemaking spirit.
This year we planted our first vineyard on slopes reminiscent of the centuries, believing that true wine does not start in the glass, but in the soil. “Casa Dragaš” will be the home of our wines. We are starting this journey with passion, knowledge, and the highest quality standards.
But what sets us apart is not just the soil, the climate, or our commitment.
We are a family that founded the company “Wine and Brandy” with a simple but ambitious idea: To create a wine in Serbia that can compete with the most prestigious European and global brands.
To achieve this, we have not looked for shortcuts. We hired the biggest name in Italian and world oenology, the man who signs some of the most famous wines in the world — Riccardo Cotarella
When we started this story, we knew we wanted to bring more than just another wine to the market. We wanted to create a wine that carried the history of our land but with the stamp of superior knowledge, experience, and skill.
Riccardo Cotarella
After visiting our plots for the first time, Cotarella recognized a potential that even we had not dared to dream of.
His words were simple but powerful:
“On this land we can make a wine that will go down in the history of Serbia. I want the wine we produce here to be a reason for the whole of Serbia to raise a glass with pride. I can promise that we will produce the best wine from Serbia.”
Since then, this project has become more than just a job — it has become a mission.
“Here in Šumadija, in Misača, I see a potential that reminds me of the best places in Italy. I expect that we will produce a wine here that will change the perception of wine in the Balkans.”
– Riccardo Cotarella
From the very beginning, we wanted every step in our vineyard to be guided by Riccardo Cotarella’s knowledge and experience.
Therefore, before the first planting, at his initiative, we spent more than a year thoroughly analyzing the soil of our plot — its structure, its minerality, its ability to retain and release moisture — as well as the specific microclimatic conditions that Misača offers. Only when we looked at all the results together did Cotarella make a clear recommendation as to which varieties should be grown here. We planted Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Semillon, and Petit Manseng, white varieties that he is sure will develop exceptional aromatic complexity, pronounced freshness, and fine minerality on this soil, qualities that characterize top white wines.
For the red wines, he suggested Merlot and Cabernet Franc because here, under the conditions of our soil and climate, they can achieve the perfect balance between power, elegance, and long aging potential.
We believe in his vision and know that thanks to it we will have wines that are the best recommendation not only for “Casa Dragaš” but also for the whole of Serbia and the region.
About us
Our story begins with a dream — to create a wine in the heart of Serbia that the world will celebrate.
Welcome to “Wine and Brandy”, a family business that started an ambitious wine story in the village of Misača, not far from Aranđelovac, where the fertile land of Šumadija embraces the mild climate and the old winemaking spirit.
This year we planted our first vineyard on slopes reminiscent of the centuries, believing that true wine does not start in the glass, but in the soil. “Casa Dragaš” will be the home of our wines. We are starting this journey with passion, knowledge, and the highest quality standards.
But what sets us apart is not just the soil, the climate, or our commitment.
We are a family that founded the company “Wine and Brandy” with a simple but ambitious idea: To create a wine in Serbia that can compete with the most prestigious European and global brands.
To achieve this, we have not looked for shortcuts. We hired the biggest name in Italian and world oenology, the man who signs some of the most famous wines in the world — Riccardo Cotarella
When we started this story, we knew we wanted to bring more than just another wine to the market. We wanted to create a wine that carried the history of our land but with the stamp of superior knowledge, experience, and skill.
After visiting our plots for the first time, Cotarella recognized a potential that even we had not dared to dream of.
His words were simple but powerful:
“On this land we can make a wine that will go down in the history of Serbia. I want the wine we produce here to be a reason for the whole of Serbia to raise a glass with pride. I can promise that we will produce the best wine from Serbia.”
Since then, this project has become more than just a job — it has become a mission.
“Here in Šumadija, in Misača, I see a potential that reminds me of the best places in Italy. I expect that we will produce a wine here that will change the perception of wine in the Balkans.”
– Riccardo Cotarella
From the very beginning, we wanted every step in our vineyard to be guided by Riccardo Cotarella’s knowledge and experience.
Therefore, before the first planting, at his initiative, we spent more than a year thoroughly analyzing the soil of our plot — its structure, its minerality, its ability to retain and release moisture — as well as the specific microclimatic conditions that Misača offers. Only when we looked at all the results together did Cotarella make a clear recommendation as to which varieties should be grown here. We planted Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Semillon, and Petit Manseng, white varieties that he is sure will develop exceptional aromatic complexity, pronounced freshness, and fine minerality on this soil, qualities that characterize top white wines.
For the red wines, he suggested Merlot and Cabernet Franc because here, under the conditions of our soil and climate, they can achieve the perfect balance between power, elegance, and long aging potential.
We believe in his vision and know that thanks to it we will have wines that are the best recommendation not only for “Casa Dragaš” but also for the whole of Serbia and the region.
Riccardo Cotarella
Naša filozofija
Verujemo u strpljenje, posvećenost detaljima i u snagu saradnje. Naš cilj nije da žurimo s prvim berbama, već da svakom čokotu damo vreme koje mu treba, kako bismo kroz godine proizveli vino koje će stajati rame uz rame sa najboljima iz Italije, Francuske i sveta. Vino dostojno Cotarellinog potpisa i naših snova.
Zato kažemo: ovo nije samo vinograd. Ovo je početak vinske priče koja će se pričati generacijama.
I dok gradimo „Casa Dragaš“, mi u stvari gradimo budući ponos Srbije.
Riccardo Cotarella
The man who has decided to write a new wine history of Serbia with us
Riccardo Cotarella is not only a renowned Italian oenologist. He is the president of the Italian Oenologists’ Association (Assoenologi) and the president of the International Union of Oenologists (UIOE).
His name is associated with some of the most famous wines in Italy, Europe, and the world. His signature on the label is a guarantee of top quality.
But Riccardo Cotarella is not just an oenologist. He is an architect of taste, a man whose philosophy shapes labels that become legends. Today, he sets the standards by which top wines are measured.
Above all, he is a tireless explorer, someone who searches for places where he can leave a mark that extends beyond the label.
Why did he decide to work with us?
During his visits to Serbia, Cotarella was impressed by the microclimate in Misača, the nature of the terrain, and the passion we conveyed to him.
This is not just another project for him.
“For me, what we are doing in Serbia is a challenge and a privilege. I expect that we will produce a wine here that will not only be the best in Serbia but also one of the most interesting in this part of Europe.”
– Riccardo Cotarella
His experience and knowledge are now woven into every row of vines in Misača. Together we plan every phase — from the selection of clones and rootstocks to future vinification and aging.
For us, this was the beginning of something more than just a partnership — it’s a shared mission to change the way the world sees Serbian wines.
Riccardo Cotarella and Luka Dragaš — a young winemaker growing up under the personal mentorship of the world's greatest oenologist.
More than a consultant — part of our family
For us at “Wine and Brandy,” at “Casa Dragaš,” Cotarella is not just a top oenologist. He has become part of our family, a mentor and companion on this journey that has only just begun. From day one, Riccardo has approached this project as if it were his own.
He is not the type of consultant who just sends recommendations by email or comes by once a year for a check-up. He comes in person and talks to us about every step, about every substrate, every clone of the vine, about the type of pruning, and about how the future wine will “breathe” in the barrel.
During these visits to Serbia, he became a friend of our family, a part of our shared dream. He shares the joy with us when we see the first green shoots sprouting, but he also cautiously warns us when we should stop and think.
His passion for this project is genuine and deep. That is why we know that what we are doing together, we are doing in a way that deserves to go down in the wine history of Serbia.
As we watch our vineyard grow, we know that a wonderful story is growing with it. The story of “Casa Dragaš”, about Serbian land and Italian know-how, about wines that will write the most beautiful pages of the future.
Because for Riccardo, wine has never been just a science. For him, it is art, philosophy, and the constant search for the perfect balance between nature and man.
Today, Riccardo Cotarella is not only our oenologist. He is part of the Dragaš family, someone who dreams with us of the day when the first bottles of “Casa Dragaš” will come out of the cellar and stand side by side with the best from Italy and France.
Riccardo Cotarella
Our philosophy
01.
We believe in patience, attention to detail, and the power of collaboration. Our aim is not to rush the first vintages but to give each grape the time it needs so that over the years we can produce a wine that can compete with the best from Italy, France, and the world.
02.
A wine that lives up to Cotarella's signature and our dreams.
That is why we say, this is not just a vineyard. This is the beginning of a wine story that will be told for generations.
03.
And while we are building "Casa Dragaš", we are building the future pride of Serbia.
Follow us as we open a new chapter in Serbian wine together with Cotarella.