Rahovec Wine Region

Rahovec sits on south-facing slopes between Prizren and Gjakova and is the centre of Kosovo's wine growing, with vineyards running across the hills and a cellar complex built in the socialist period on a scale that was meant to supply a much larger market than the region has now. Smaller private wineries have started up alongside it. Vranac and Rieslings do best here. Vineyards here cover several thousand hectares, which is the great majority of the country's planted area.

What you actually see

• The hillside vineyards - south-facing slopes across the whole district.
• The large cellars - the socialist-era complex built for a much bigger market.
• The private wineries - the smaller producers working alongside.
• The grape varieties - Vranac and Riesling as the district's mainstays.

When to go

May to October is the season; harvest falls around September. The wine festival is held in the autumn. Winter closes most tasting rooms.

Honest expectations

Visits and tastings should be arranged rather than turning up. The big cellar operation is industrial rather than picturesque. Quality across producers varies considerably.

Nearby

Velika Hoča is nearby, and Prizren is southeast.