My expectations weren't high in visiting this site and sadly this came to fruition. Reading the previous comments, I was still expecting that some of the site would be 'open' to visit and explore the history including commercial ventures / museums to explore surrounding the wine making history and reason for this nominated site. Sadly, we walked around what I would describe as a "renovated" ghost town that was all locked up.

We visited this site on a Thursday in late July, which I would have expected things to be open. ie It was not a weekend or sometimes Mon - Tues closure days, which we have encountered at other sites. It was obvious that the area has been closed for some time and there were no signs indicating when, or even if, some of the wineries / buildings / restaurants would be open. No physical museum or information on the history of the site at all. We came across to other groups of people that were also wandering around perplexed about the site. The only information available was a map of the site and previous usages of building located in the small town on top of the hill as well as a sign indicating that it had been refurbished with funding by the EU. The cynic in me would say that it was funded to provide a tourist attraction rather than protect heritage in that area and the investment has failed to attract the tourists, so it lays dormant …

It seems the tradition of growing vine and making wine around Negotin, a small town in the East of Serbia bordering Bulgaria and Romania, dates back from Roman times. This led to the development of wine cellars, but mots of these settlements are now lost or were destroyed. The most remarkable of the few remaining ones (from 19th and 20th centuries) is in Rajac – a village which gives its name to one of the Serbian wines. We made a stop there in summer 2022.

The wine cellars, or “Pivnice”, form a distinct, geographically separated settlement : the village is in the valley from where a small winding road leads to the cellars on top of the hill, overlooking the valley. When arriving, you would believe to have reached the next village but actually all the buildings are wine cellars only. They have square or rectangular plan, with one level only (although a handful for them have two levels), partly dug into the ground, probably to keep a more stable temperature inside, which is best for wine storage. Wine is still made here and can be tasted and purchased in a few of them. From the heat and sun outside, a few seconds were needed to adapt to the rather dark, tempered cellars when going in, and to safely walk down the few steps. Whether you like or dislike a food or a wine is a very personal thing as usual ; these wines were quite unusual and pleasant. …