📍 Elbasan

Elbasan is a hilly wine area in central Albania, at 300 to 600 metres. The soils drain well, which suits structured reds. A 2016 review of Albanian viticulture puts Elbasan among the four counties with the biggest grape harvests, next to Fier, Berat and Vlorë, and together those four grow more than half of the country's grapes.

Oddly, more of this fruit goes into raki than into wine. In 2012 Elbasan households made 12,351 hectolitres of raki against 1,219 hectolitres of wine. Winery wine is a small business: in 2013 wineries here produced 628 hectolitres, three percent of the national 22,352.

The local speciality is white Pulës. It grows in Berat, Elbasan and Mallakastër and shows a golden or chestnut colour, a floral bouquet with a herbal note like mountain tea, 12 to 14 percent alcohol and fresh acidity. Serve it with fish, white meat or soft cheese.

Compared with its neighbours, Durrës makes about sixteen times as much winery wine, while Tirana is in the same small league at 520 hectolitres. South in Berat, Pulës is on home ground. All of this falls under Central Albania.