Eco Resort & Winery Cermeniza

Poured from a cellar of stone and wood, the tastings at Cermeniza run through grape varieties grown on the family's own vines, guided by the grandfather who learned the trade from six generations before him. The resort sits above Lake Skadar in the Crmnica hills, Montenegro's old wine country, on a plot of 5,000 square metres planted with vineyards nearly two hundred years old. Thirteen villas, named for grapes and wine styles, from Vranac and Chardonnay to Cabernet and Zinfandel, are scattered around two pools and a shared entertainment area. Villa Cermeniza runs to 70 m² with a king bed and hot tub; smaller villas such as Krstac and Lisicina hold two guests in 25 m². The restaurant serves carp and trout pulled from the lake, along with prosciutto, cheese and bread made in house, and vegetables from the grandfather's own garden. Guests cycle or kayak out from the resort, paddling the channel that opens onto the lake, or take a boat past Lesendro fortress through water lilies and reed beds thick with pelicans. Virpazar village is close by, and the coastal towns of Bar and Kotor are reachable within a couple of hours by road. It is a working vineyard first, a resort second.