Their story began on the island of Grand Cayman, where Goran and Rene met in 1998. He was a doctor, and she gave diving lessons to tourists from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania... They met through a mutual friend, soon got married and had two beautiful children, Luka and Angelia. This family spent eight wonderful years with their two children and Nikola and Hana, their children from previous marriages, in the paradise of the Cayman Islands.
"After Goran's shift at the hospital, we often sat and talked about what it would look like to have our own vineyard and what we would like to do, if we had the chance to choose," Rene Radević begins his story.
"Right here I have to say, 'Be careful what you wish for,' because in 2004, Hurricane Ivan, as a category five hurricane, hit and destroyed our beautiful house on the island of Grand Cayman. That was the sign after which we decided to stop talking about our dream and simply make it come true. Goran took us to Montenegro, I saw the country and realized that it would be nice to raise our children here, while at the same time living our dream".
Rene points out that she was immediately attracted to rural areas in Montenegro.
"Goran had some family land in Rogami, so we decided to build our dream vineyard there," she says, adding that they wanted their children to feel like they were part of the land, the community, and to be an integral part of what they were trying to do. achieve.
The Radevićs run their business from their home, so they literally live where they work. Customers are invited to visit and tour their vineyards, which not only "tell" their fantastic story, but also allow each visitor to receive a detailed description of the wine production process during the tour. Visitors also taste all the wonderful products that this fantastic family produces on their farm, which are of course produced without the use of pesticides, herbicides or insecticides.
"Anđelija and I keep bees on the farm, so it is important to "stay green" and organic, not only for the sake of the bees, but also for everything else we produce."
That's why Rene hopes that other agricultural producers will follow in their footsteps and decide not to use chemicals that have a very harmful effect not only on the environment but also on us.
Describing life in the countryside, Rene points out that the only real disadvantage of this way of life is that there are not enough people who would be part of real numbers and statistics, and who would make things happen in a timely manner. In this context, Rene tells us that not long after their arrival in Montenegro, a railroad crossing was built over their property, where her husband Goran and daughter Anđelija were hit by a train. Her husband Goran fought for his life in the hospital for three months, while Rene took care of finishing their house, drove the children to and from school, of course according to separate schedules, and at the same time managed their family business.
Fortunately, and miraculously, daughter Angelija was not seriously injured, except for a concussion and a few stitches. Although the railroad crossing was built due to a petition signed by the villagers, the work was never fully completed, nor was adequate signaling, an alarm, a ramp...anything that would make the crossing safe and secure for use. Rene, remembering all the troubles with this crossing, goes on to tell us:
"We had many meetings with engineers working on the railway, and with officials in the government regarding the completion of this crossing. There is a problem with fog in the morning when it is impossible to see anything coming from any direction on the tracks. Not to mention the accident that almost took the lives of my husband and daughter, as well as the fact that it is the entrance to our property, to our house, to our vineyard, our business, to our showroom that many people visit and come to us every day to trade. Their answer was that "the crossing is good enough", to which I replied "obviously not considering the accident that happened there".
And of course, nothing has been finally resolved, so Mrs. Radević, somewhat resignedly, says that it is a shame that such a position has been taken, especially if you take into account the fact that her husband Goran and she brought all their capital and knowledge to this country, as well as other the resources they had and for which they had worked hard for years. Nevertheless, Rene points out that "to raise our children here and start a business in Goran's homeland, which has become even more famous around the world thanks to wine enthusiasts, to create a "cult wine" that is sought after by many lovers of the highest quality wines and which, in addition, brings visitors to Montenegro from of the whole world was apparently not enough for the adequate construction and installation of one railway crossing".
However, there are certainly many more quality reasons to support life in the countryside, which is why our hostess Rene points out the wonderful symbiotic relationship between life in the village and life in the city. Here, in Rogami, they have created something that people in the city want or long for, whether it is buying wine, brandy, port or cognac, or the opportunity to escape from the busy life and come to enjoy a quiet space where they can literally feel their shoulders relax while trying the award-winning products of the Radević family. On the other hand, they are very easily and simply, in just ten minutes, in the city and have the opportunity to, like all other city residents, enjoy socializing, shopping and the multitude of events that only the city can provide.
Rene especially points out that living in the village gives a real sense of belonging, because there is always the possibility that, due to the fast pace of the city, one can get lost in that way of life.
"To lose the floor, says Mrs. Rene, I think you can lose the feeling for everything you are connected with in nature, especially if you are constantly surrounded by noise, pollution and concrete. People in the rural environment rely on their observations of weather, temperature and other signs that nature provides, because their existence depends on it. When you live in the city, those things don't matter except to remind you to take an umbrella or an extra piece of clothing so you can comfortably get to where you're going."
Speaking in general about nature, the connection between man and nature, the need to respect nature, she points out that their children have learned the importance of existing in harmony with nature, not against it.
"Because regardless of how early in the morning, how late at night, how cold or very hot, the work had to be done, or the family business will suffer", categorically asserts Mrs. Radević, stressing that the chores around the property were extremely important for their children. because they made them feel that they are an essential part of everything that is needed for a family to succeed.
Their children, she says, had their tasks before and after school, every day of the week, and when customers came they were expected to help in any capacity. Harvest time was the time when the children of the Radević couple had to put their socializing aside and were expected to work in the heat just like everyone else. It helped build strong characters and instill a strong work ethic in them.
"Our son Luka is 20 years old today and studies oenology and viticulture at the University of Belgrade, so that one day he can take over the family business and continue what we started, while Anđelija is working on a career as a medical worker and plans to become licensed in Europe and America", says Rene with pride.
Impressions about Montenegro are still exceptional
Even after so many years, Rene is full of impressions about our country.
"Montenegro is a stunningly beautiful country. Being there gives you the opportunity to breathe, it gives you space to grow up and a real sense of self-worth and achievement when you become self-sustaining. There is a real sense of community here, we help each other and use a system of exchanges between neighbors that will always, without thinking, come to help if you need it. For example: the neighbor's sheep graze the grass on our land, we benefit from the fertilizer and do not have to mow the grass. Our neighbor, in turn, gives us yogurt and cheese. I also remember that just a few years ago we needed people to help in the vineyard; a storm was coming that put our harvest in danger. The whole neighborhood gave up their work and came to our aid. We keep the wine we made from that harvest in a special place in our wine cellar, as a reminder of what the people of the village have done for us.
Every few years we are also inundated with fires that threaten our farms and community homes, all due to human carelessness. And each time, without thinking, the villagers band together to help fight against the fiery element. My eyes fill with tears every time I think of those moments and how lucky we are to live where we do, among the people we share this wonderful farming community with."
We look forward to the progress of Montenegro
Montenegro is a small country with incredible wild beauty and many precious resources. We have noticed, however, that some people tend to use the villages and river belts as their personal dumping grounds for the disposal of construction materials and other products from the cities. We all have a choice in how we treat the land, the waters, and each other on this earth.
Goran and I were lucky to have lived in many places and experienced different cultures, that's why we deeply believe that Montenegro is a pearl in the sand that should be carefully preserved and protected. We look forward to seeing the great things that will happen to this country and we will certainly strive to contribute in our own unique way to its development and do what we can to ensure a future for our children and future generations to come to this beautiful country we call home.
Bonus video:
