SEB Winery, Vlorë: Albania's First All Natural Winery
Vlorë
Vincenzo Vitale was our sommelier before he was a winemaker. He is from Palermo, and he spent about twenty years going back and forth between Rome and Albania. He became so interested in Albanian wine that he wrote his thesis on it.
"We fell in love with these places, but perhaps even more so with the challenge of producing excellent natural wines in a country where this is anything but easy. We want to prove that the challenge can be won because this country has an immense ampelographic potential and centuries-old traditions."
Vincenzo Vitale
In 2018, he and his wife Daniela Fabrizi, also a sommelier, started SEB near Vlorë with Artan Balaj. It was the first winery in Albania to make only natural wine, and it is still small, about 12,000 bottles a year from seven hectares.
"The world we live in is an inheritance for our children, and SEB Winery represents our commitment to preserving it."
Daniela Fabrizi
SEB is also credited with bringing orange wine to Albania. Orange wine is made from white grapes left on their skins the way red wine is, which gives it an amber color and more texture. Their Plaku, which means "old man" in Albanian, is a blend of Shesh i Zi and Vlosh aged 16 months in chestnut barrels. Another of their wines, Sason, is named after Sazan, the island they can see from the vineyard.
We first knew Vincenzo as the person explaining Albanian wine to our customers. Now we carry the wine he makes.
At a Glance
Vlorë · Vincenzo Vitale, Daniela Fabrizi, and Artan Balaj · Natural wine from native grapes
Where to Start
Plaku if you like reds, or the orange wine if you want to try something new.