A method is described for direct electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric (ETAAS) determination of cadmium in untreated samples of wine. Pyrolytic graphite tubes and graphite tubes with standard L'vov pyrolytic platforms were tested as atomizers. The detection limit achieved was 0.08 microg L(-1) Cd in wine. The relative standard deviation for the concentration range from 0.2 to 10 microg L(-1) Cd ranged from 1 to 7%. The accuracy of the method was confirmed by comparing the current results with those found for wet digested wine samples and by the analysis of spiked samples. By applying the proposed method it was found that the cadmium concentration in Macedonian wines ranges from 0.10 to 0.90 microg L(-1).