The HiStory
Legend has it that Croatian wine dates back to the Ancient Greek settlers, meaning that we've been enjoying this delicious drink of Gods in our little country called Hrvatska for some 2,500 years now.
And oh boy, did we get good at making it!
While not world-famous (yet!), Croatian wines, more often than not, are beloved after just one sip. You see, our winemakers are, generally speaking, born into it. As most of the wineries are family-run businesses, today's winemakers have spent their childhood running through vast vineyards, picking grapes, and learning how to create the divine from something so simple.
So yes, we are very proud of our wine-making tradition and heritage. We can write you a whole book about it, and while there are many books and research you can dive into, we're going to give you a small introduction to some of our most famous indigenous grapes as a small start.
Literally translating to small blue, Plavac Mali is our most renowned indigenous grape variety. And you guessed it – its grapes are small and blue!
An offspring of Zinfandel and Dobričić, two ancient Croatian grape varieties, Plavac Mali dates back centuries, with some information on its cultivation dating back all the way to the Middle Ages. Primarily grown along the Dalmatian Coast, especially on the Pelješac Peninsula, the flavors of this wine range widely based on the amount of sun it gets, the type of soil, and of course – the production process. Generally speaking, it’s known for its dark berries notes, with hints of spice and Mediterranean herbs. But they range from lighter bodies to full and robust ones with firm tannins and impressive aging potential!
We have three major positions on the Pelješac Peninsula that significantly influence the taste of the wine. The Plavac position is in the valley where the grapes don’t get as much sun, making the wine light and fruity – best compared to Pinot Noir. The Postup position is located on the inland side of the hill, where the grape gets approximately 8-10 hours of sun in a day, making the wine medium to full body with more spicy notes – best compared to Cabernet Sauvignon.
Probably best known is the Dingač position, located on the seaside at 45° hill where the grape gets a huge amount of sun, including the sun reflection of the sea and stones. This makes Dingač deeper and more robust, with smoky notes and hints of chocolate – best compared to Malbec and Riojas.
Even though it was recognized as an important wine in Croatia only approximately 50 years ago, Pošip is well known as a high-quality indigenous wine. Back in the day, you could find Pošip only in Čara and Smokvica villages on the island of Korčula. Right now, it’s kind of spreading, so you can find it on Pelješac Peninsula, Hvar, and Brač as well, but the main growing region remains the Korčula island.
The grape of Pošip was cultivated for centuries by local winemakers, resulting in their high pride in its production and flavors. It’s also the first Croatian white wine with a protected geographical origin. And true enough, the grape grown in Čara and Smokvica always thrives, producing top-quality wines.
With its crisp and smooth profile, Pošip offers flavors of ripe peach, apricot, and citrus zest, similar to the flavors of Sauvignon Blanc.
The story goes something like this: We had the grape many, many years ago, and at one point many roots became sick. In order not to lose it, we sent some to Italy, but the label got lost and they declared it as Primitivo after crossing it. The vine was then brought to California where it became Zinfandel. In the end, we managed to save some of the original vines, and we still call it Crljenak or Pribidrag, even though we often refer to it as Zinfandel to make it easier for incomers.
If you had Zin or Primitivo before, you have the idea of the flavor palate, but be prepared – the Croatian one is a bit more robust, with rich flavors of dark berries, black pepper, hints of spice, smooth tannins, and velvety texture.
We dare you to say it fast three times! Just kidding… you can simply call it Zinfandel, as that’s what it is.
Native to the Dalmatian Coast, particularly in the region around the town of Kaštela near Split, Crljenak gained international recognition due to its similarity to the Californian Zin. After many guessing who had it first – Croatia, Italy, or California, the DNA testing was done and their shared ancestry was confirmed – tracing its way back to Kašteli.
Malvazija takes us to another major wine region of Croatia!
Located on the northern-east peninsula of Istria is the homeland of our indigenous grape Malvazija. It was believed that Malvazija is genetically related to the big family of Malvasija, but a recent DNK analysis declared otherwise.
Istrian Malvazija is best compared to Pinot Grigio's style of wine. It’s a very fresh, crisp, and easy-drinking wine. So easy we call it breakfast wine! The flavor depends on the position in Istria it was grown on, but it’s generally a rich combination of fruity and floral aromas, with notes of apple, peaches, and minerality.
While it’s mostly drunk as a fresh wine, it also has a great aging potential for those who prefer a bit funkier taste to their whites!
While maybe not so famous, it’s still deep in our hearts. Babić grape has a long history in the Dalmatian region, where it’s been cultivated by local winemakers for centuries now. Today is
mainly grown in Northern Dalmatia, especially around the towns of Šibenik and Primošten.
A son grape of the Plavac Mali, this grape variety is prized for its ability to thrive in the region’s rocky limestone-rich soils, where it produces bold and earthy red wines. Babić is renowned for its distinctive character full of flavors of dark cherry, plum, and dried herbs, with spicy acidity and structured tannins.
The flavors are so distinctive and unique, that it makes it hard to compare it to some other world-recognized wines. We guess you’ll just have to visit us and try it yourself. ;)
Even though Graševina is not an indigenous sort, we treat it as it is. The origin is not yet declared, and while it has many similar attributes to the Riesling, we’re not completely sure whether they’re related or not.
Either way, Croatians loved the grape so much that they even gave it a completely new name to create the difference. In the northern continental part of Croatia, Slavonia, over 50% of wine yards are filled with Graševina, providing us with delicious wine across the country. There are three major growing regions for this specific wine, and the grape is suitable for late, selected, and ice harvest.
The flavor palate ranges depending on all these factors, but it still resembles the Welschriesling a lot, it’s just not as sweet. It’s more on the semi-dry side, with incredible fruity notes full of apples and citrus, with delicious acidity and minerality to it.
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