Originally published May 2021.
“Vino treba slugu, a ne gospodara” (A vineyard needs a servant, not a master). This old Croatian saying, which has been handed down by winemaking families for centuries entails the single most important truth about wine making: it’s darn hard work handling a vineyard year-round in order to arrive at a fine end product.
While the PropChrons readership is supposedly rather familiar with the well-known wine regions of France and Italy, Croatian winemaking is often overlooked. Most of Croatia’s vineyards are rather small, hence production and export activity are equally rather limited. However, winemaking in this part of south-eastern Europe has an equally long history and prize-winning quality compared to its better-known cousins further westwards along the Mediterranean coast.
Since quite a few tourists pass through Zagreb on their way to the Dalmatian coast, I suggest a stopover in the area to sample the variety of wines available in the city’s vicinity by taking a guided wine tour, for instance with Ivana and Ksandro at InZagreb.com. For those with just an evening to spare before heading to the coast, the scenic Bornstein wine bar is highly recommended to start your Croatian wine journey, accompanied by fantastic homemade cheese samplings.
How did wine make its way to this part of southern Europe?
The Illyrians, who settled in Dalmatia during the Bronze and Iron Ages, already managed to grow grapes. However, serious cultivation of vineyards and wine production started only when the Greek settled on the Dalmatian islands around 1,800 years ago, as passed down to us by the Greek writer Athenaeus, who marvelled about the quality of wine produced on the islands of Hvar, Korcula and Vis. Throughout the following centuries, no matter who ruled the lands, winemaking has been ingrained in local culture.
Let’s look at the major wine regions Croatia has to offer.
Source: vinacroatia.hr
Let’s start in the eastern part of the country, also known as Slavonija. With its wide and fertile plains sprinkled with small hills in between, ideal for winemaking, along with the Sava, Drava and Danube rivers, the sparsely populated land has been worked by humans for more than 8,000 years. Rich in culture, (food anchored) traditions and customs, the Romans treasured the area for its wheat and wine-growing potential.
Slavonija is mainly known for its refreshing Graševina variety of white wine. Its main appellation around the city of Kutjevo was fittingly labelled as Vallis Aurea (Golden Valley) by the Romans. Other major varieties include the fruity Frankovka (Blaufränkisch) red wine grown around the Danube River, as well as the aromatic Traminac (Gewürztraminer) grown mainly in the Ilok appellation close to the eastern border region. Apart from these three majors, smaller quantities of a variety of whites (Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Savignon Blanc) and reds (Cabernet Savignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Zweigelt, Purtugizec, Pinot Noir and Syrah) can be found.
Next stop are the wineries of the Croatian Uplands, the region surrounding the country’s capital, Zagreb. Characterised by fairy-tale nature, with rolling hills and little family-owned vineyards, appellations include the Medimurje, Zagorje and Plešivica sub-regions, the latter one resembling a miniature Tuscany.
Well-known international varieties dominate the vineyards of the Uplands, including Pinot, Riesling and Savignon. Compared to Croatia’s coastal region, reasonably chilly winters preserve intense aromas and high acidity levels. The topographic peculiarities of the region provide long annual sunshine exposure and winds to ensure extensive and drawn-out ripening processes. Another interesting aspect of the Plešivica sub-region is the calcareous soil similar to France’s Champagne region, which favours the production of sparkling wine. An exquisite example is the Šember Qvevri sparkling wine aged in an amphora.
Moving south-westwards, our next stop is the Istria and Kvarner regions, where warm Mediterranean air meets the cooler climate of the Alps. With its specific red soil, rich in iron oxides, two white wines, Malvazija Istarska and Žlahtina, as well as the red Teran variety, dominate local vineyards. Malvazija Istarska, a fresh, dry white wine predominantly grown in Istria’s cooler climate, tends to have a fruity aroma, mostly resembling peach, citrus or banana. Žlahtina, an old native variety, on the other hand, has a light aroma and makes an excellent aperitif or great complement to the rich cuisine of fish and seafood found in the region. Last but not least, the red Teran is a staple of Istrian winemaking, with a naturally high acid level, and a specific and aromatic flavour of red fruit and pepper.
Other varieties of the region include well-known grapes like Muscat and Chardonnay, but also Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The last stop on our wine tour takes us to Dalmatia, the cradle of Croatia’s vineyards with its rich history, including the world’s oldest cultivated vineyard at Stari Grad Plain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located on the island of Hvar. Other major appellations include the island of Vis and the Pelješac Peninsula. Dalmatia is known as the origin of the Zinfandel variety (native: Crljenak) popular in American vineyards. The best-known variety of the region is probably the red Plavac Mali grape, which produces wines ranging from opulent and boozy varieties on the sea-facing side, all the way to lighter ones used to make table wines further inland. Other well-known varieties include Babic, Tribidrag (Zinfandel) and Pošip.
Having sampled the country’s liquid gold, some readers may be inclined to add winemaking in Croatia to their list of hobbies – even if only as an excuse to come back regularly for more tasting tours.
Price points of vineyards range from less than €10,000 in Slavonia to six-figure-plus vineyards on the sunny island of Hvar.
In any case, there is always a friendly neighbour to lend a helping hand in making that first berba (wine harvest) and subsequent winemaking in your very own konoba (wine cellar) a successful and lasting experience.
Enjoy!
