Wine from Intuition & Terroir
Aleksandar Todorović is a second-generation winemaker who inherited his father's vineyards in the Župa subregion of Central Serbia's Tri Morave — a region historically known for its fruit orchards and wine. [^102^] Born in 1995, the same year his father Slaviša planted the first vineyard, Aleksandar grew up among the vines, took his first steps in the vineyard rows, and eventually studied fruit cultivation and winemaking at Serbia's College of Agrarian Studies. [^95^] His first harvest was in 2017. By 2018, he had transitioned the vineyards to organic, achieving certification in 2023. [^97^] Today, at just 25 years old, his wines — including the celebrated "333" orange wine — appear on prestigious wine lists across the world. [^95^]
Born in the Vineyard — 1995, the Year of the First Vine
Aleksandar Todorović's story begins in 1995, the year he was born and the year his father Slaviša planted the family's first vineyard in the village of Lipovac, in the municipality of Ražanj — a community known for its attitude towards nature and its deserved title of an ECO municipality. [^95^] [^97^] The vineyard grew with him. For as long as he can remember, it has been where he belongs. He took his first steps among the rows of grapes, played there as a child, and as the years passed, he worked and learned to love winemaking. [^95^]
His formal education came at the College of Agrarian Studies in Zemun, where he majored in fruit cultivation and winemaking. [^95^] But his real education was in the vineyard and the cellar, under his father's guidance. Slaviša built the foundation with experience; Aleksandar continues to build upon it with enthusiasm, innovation, and a stubborn commitment to natural processes. His first harvest in 2017 was the sign his father needed to hand over the reins without fear. [^95^] From that moment, Aleksandar has been the driving force of the estate, though the family remains deeply involved in every aspect.
Aleksandar's rise has been remarkably swift. At 22, he was already being described as among the youngest winemakers in Serbia — a "kid in the society of experienced winemakers," as one journalist put it. [^95^] By 25, his white wine "333" — a blend of Grašac, Župljanka, and Sauvignon Blanc — had been enlisted on the prestigious wine cards of fine dining restaurants across the world. [^95^] This is not the trajectory of a conventional winery; it is the trajectory of a young winemaker with intuition, courage, and an uncompromising belief in terroir.
"To be 'enlisted' on the prestigious wine cards of fine dining restaurants across the world, as is the case with the white wine '333', made by the young wine maker Aleksandar Todorovic from Razanj near Nis, is a fact worthy of respect. Especially when you are only 25 years old and have merely 3 harvests behind you!"
— Marko Marjanović, sommelier, vino.rs
Organic, Biodynamic & The ECO Municipality of Ražanj
The Todorović vineyards are situated in three locations around the village of Lipovac, in the municipality of Ražanj — a region in central Serbia known for its exceptionally high-quality and fertile land, and for its commitment to ecological preservation. [^95^] [^97^] The area has earned its title as an ECO municipality, and the Todorović family has embraced this ethos fully. In 2018, Aleksandar transitioned the vineyards to organic farming, and after a three-year certification process, the estate achieved official organic status in 2023. [^97^]
But Aleksandar's ambitions go beyond organic certification. He strives towards a self-sustaining and biodynamic property, achieved through introducing additional plant and animal species to enrich the soil, the vineyards, and ultimately the wine itself. [^95^] He follows biodynamic principles in the cellar, working according to the phases of the moon and using minimal sulfur — little to no SO2 added, only when absolutely necessary. [^95^] The commitment is towards organic production and the preservation of nature — not as a marketing strategy, but as a way of life inherited from the land and the community.
The estate currently has three hectares under vine, two of which are in full harvest, with the remainder being young plants that will soon reach maturity. [^95^] The varieties are chosen to express the best of the local climate: Župljanka, Prokupac, Grašac, and Tamjanika — all indigenous or historically significant varieties for the Tri Morave region. [^95^] [^97^] Aleksandar wants to present these local varieties to the world in full shine, grown entirely naturally to produce truly special, honest wines. There are no international varieties planted for commercial appeal; every grape in the vineyard has a reason for being there, rooted in the history and the soil of the place.
Three-year certification process completed in 2023. Organic preparations prescribed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Ecocert. No synthetic chemicals in vineyard or cellar. [^97^]
Following lunar phases for cellar work. Minimal or zero sulfur. Introduction of additional plant and animal species for self-sustaining ecosystem. Beyond organic, towards biodynamic. [^95^]
Village of Lipovac in a municipality with deserved ecological reputation. High-quality, fertile land. Community commitment to nature preservation. [^95^]
Župljanka, Prokupac, Grašac, Tamjanika — varieties native to or historically significant in Tri Morave. No international varieties for commercial appeal. Honest, local expression. [^95^] [^97^]
Intuitive Maceration, Serbian Oak & Birch & Zero Additives
Aleksandar Todorović's winemaking is guided by intuition rather than rigid rules. "I make all my wine by following my intuition," he says. "There are no hard rules as to how long maceration will last, or how long the wine will rest on the sediment, in the barrel or bottle." [^95^] This is not chaos; it is a deep trust in the wine's own evolution. Each vintage is different, each grape lot is different, and Aleksandar responds to what the wine tells him rather than imposing a predetermined formula.
His philosophy is simple and direct: "I help nature so that it gives me the grapes from my vineyards, which translates to the wine itself. After all, without good grapes there is no good wine!" [^95^] In the cellar, he strives to assist natural processes with minimal interventions, using traditional methods, little to no sulfur, and following biodynamic principles including the phases of the moon. [^95^] The wines are aged in barrels made of Serbian oak or birch wood — local materials that connect the wine to its place of origin. The ageing process lasts one to two years, with periodic bâtonnage (stirring of the lees) to build texture and complexity. [^95^]
Aleksandar's style relies on long maceration of white grape varieties and a minimalist approach, incorporating organic and biodynamic principles. [^105^] He is one of the few producers to use acacia barrels of 500 litres to age his wines — a distinctive choice that adds a particular aromatic and textural dimension. [^96^] His Ibis Beli 2019, made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, was aged in these 500L acacia barrels, demonstrating his willingness to experiment with materials and methods in pursuit of the purest expression of terroir. [^96^]
The "333" is his most celebrated wine — a split cépage of Grašac, Župljanka, and Sauvignon Blanc that has appeared on fine dining wine lists worldwide. [^103^] It is an orange wine that "asks a lot of you, but offers even more in return" — a wine for veterans of the orange wine style, with the structure, tannin, and complexity that comes from extended skin contact. [^103^] The Doodle White and Doodle Red (Prokupac/Merlot) are more recent additions — playful, accessible wines that maintain the same natural philosophy while reaching a broader audience. [^93^] [^98^]
"333" — "Grašac, Župljanka & Sauvignon Blanc — A Wine That Asks a Lot"
The "333" is Aleksandar Todorović's most celebrated wine — the cuvée that announced him to the international wine community and that remains the purest expression of his intuitive, terroir-driven approach. [^103^] [^95^]
Made from a split cépage of Grašac, Župljanka, and Sauvignon Blanc — three varieties that each contribute a different facet to the wine's complex personality — the "333" undergoes extended skin maceration that transforms it from a white wine into an orange wine of remarkable depth. The maceration length is not fixed; it is decided by intuition, by tasting, by the wine's own evolution. [^95^] Fermentation is spontaneous with wild yeasts, and the wine ages in Serbian oak and birch barrels for one to two years, with periodic bâtonnage, before bottling without fining, filtration, or added sulfur. [^95^]
In the glass, it is a wine that demands attention. The nose offers dried apricot, wild herbs, and the mineral imprint of Tri Morave's fertile land. The palate is structured, tannic, and evolving — an orange wine that "asks a lot of you, but offers even more in return." [^103^] It is not a casual wine; it is a wine for contemplation, for food, for the kind of drinker who understands that the best wines are conversations, not monologues. At 25 years old, Aleksandar placed this wine on prestigious wine lists across the world — a testament to both its quality and his conviction. Unfiltered, unfined, alive. ~€28–€38 / ~$30–$42.
The Aleksandar Todorović Range
Aleksandar Todorović produces a focused portfolio of natural wines from his 3-hectare estate in Lipovac, Tri Morave. All wines are organically farmed, hand-harvested, spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts, and bottled without fining, filtration, or added sulfur. Maceration lengths are decided intuitively, vintage by vintage. Ageing is in Serbian oak, birch, and acacia barrels. Prices are approximate and in EUR/USD.
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Retailers
East West Wines: https://www.eastwestwines.co/producers/todorovic
Momma's Grocery + Wine: https://www.mommasgrocery.com/product/todorovic-tasting/3894