📍 Southern Albania

Southern Albania is a historic wine area in the south of the country. It includes the districts of Berat, Përmet, Leskovik and Vlora. This is hilly and mountainous land with hot dry summers, cool nights and winters that sometimes bring snow. Grapes have been grown here for centuries, and winemaking traditions pass from family to family.

Berat is an old town under UNESCO protection, surrounded by vineyards. Përmet and Leskovik lie closer to the Greek border, at altitude, and are known for dry whites and reds as well as sparkling wines. Vlora sits by the coast, closer to the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea, so the climate there is milder.

The main local grape of the area is Debina. It is a white variety that gives fresh wines with apple and citrus notes, including sparkling ones. Besides it, the red variety Shesh i Zi grows here, producing wines with cherry flavour and soft tannins.

For comparison with its neighbours: in the north of the country wine is made mostly around Shkodër and Lezhë from the Kallmet grape, while across the border to the east and south lie the Greek regions of Epirus and Macedonia.