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Every January there’s a gathering in Osijek dedicated to celebrating Croatian wines and the surrounding regions named WineOS. January 2020 marked the sixth edition of the festival. In addition to Croatian wines, there were selections from Hungary, Serbia, and Bosnia Herzegovina to taste.

Here are my biggest takeaways from this sixth edition of WineOS. These are grapes, wines, and styles you should seek out if you make it to the region.

Graševina

Graševina is the most widely planted grape in Croatia. It’s a grape that goes under a myriad of names including Olaszrizling, Italian Riesling, Welschriesling, Grašac, Laški Rizling, and more. The grape is Croatia’s most planted variety.

Kutjevo (Slavonia) is considered the spiritual home of the grape but there are also fine examples being made along the Danube in Baranja county and around the city of Ilok. The latter two areas give warmer, meatier examples with lower acidity while wines from Kutjevo show herbal and grassy notes.

 

Croatian Graševina is an ongoing story and the wines continue to improve. I generally prefer examples from Kutjevo where you can find everything from sparkling to botrytized sweet wines. The fresh examples of Graševina are wonderful with fresh seafood from the Dalmatian coast and come in at lower price points than other white Croatian wine staples like Malvazija Istarska and Pošip.

Wine Recommendations: Antunović Graševina 2018, Adžić Graševina 2018, Krauthaker Mitrovac 2018, Perak Mitrovac 2018, Kutjevo Degotho Graševina 2018, Belje Graševina 2018, Sontacchi Graševina 2019, Kolar Graševina 2018, Buhač Graševina Izborna Berba Bobica 2018

Continental Red Croatian Wine

The majority of Croatian wine production in Slavonia and the Danube is white but there are some delicious reds being made too. The Central European grapes Frankovka (Blaufränkisch) and Zweigelt may be best suited for the region’s climate but many producers still opt to give Bordeaux varieties and Pinot Noir a go.

 

The reds in this region continue to improve. At the moment, they offer the best bang for the buck as far as red Croatian wines go. I would like to see more of a focus on regional blends like the Feravino Miraz Cuvée, Enjingi Venje, and Iločki Podrumi Kapistrani Crni, all of which contain Frankovka and or Zweigelt.

There are several delicious, fruity reds made from Bordeaux grapes. In terms of varietla wines, there are a handful of fine Cabernet Francs, which makes me wonder why more producers don’t focus on the grape. Don’t miss the TRS Cabernet Franc if you can find it.

Wine Recommendations: Feravino Miraz Cuvée 2017, Krauthaker MERCS 2017. Iločki Podrumi Kapistran Crni 2018, Buhač Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Sontacchi Pinot Noir 2017, TRS Cabernet Franc 2016, Belje Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2016, Enjingi Venje Crno 2009

Bosnia Herzegovina

Surprisingly, my biggest takeaway at WineOS 6 wasn’t Croatian wine.

There were 12 producers present from Bosnia Herzegovina, all of them from Western Herzegovina. All of them were pouring their wines made from Žilavka (white) and Blatina (red). It was the first time I had such an extensive tasting of the wines since the Blaž Festival 2018.

I noticed a vast improvement in all of the producers present at the show, especially the examples of Žilavka. It’s a white grape with enormous potential and when I tasted through the samples a few years ago, almost everyone was using it to make simple, fruity innocuous whites. It seems like that is all in the past.

 

The newest vintages of Žilavka are full in body and have salty, savory notes with substantial texture. Some producers like Marjanović and Škegro macerate the grapes to extract even more flavor. Others that barrel ferment or barrel age their Žilavkas are dialing back on the oak, resulting in wines with more balance.

Wine Recommendations: Marjanović Žilavka Selekcija 2018, Vino Milas Žilavka 2018, Škegro Krš Orange Žilavka 2017, Vilinka X-Line Cuvée Red 2015, Brkić Plava Greda 2017, Carska Vina Blatina 2017

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If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Croatian wines, look no further than wineandmore.com With an abundance of options from different winemakers, it’s easy to find exactly what your palate desires. Not sure which bottle is best for you? Try out one of their curated wine cases and discover the perfect vintage for any occasion!

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Are you ready to discover the wonderful world of wines? Come join us at wineandmore.com and let’s explore the incredible selection of delicious wines together! We can’t wait to share our passion for wine with you!

Thanks to WineOS who provided entrance and accommodation. The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post WineOS 6: Croatian Wine & More appeared first on Wine Travel.

During the Fall of 2018, we attended the Blaž Festival in Medjugorje, Bosnia Herzegovina. It was the third rendition of the annual festival that focuses on showcasing the local varieties Blatina and Žilavka. We’re big fans of the region and these wines, so it was a no-brainer for us to attend when we received the invite. Nearly all of the quality producers of BiH (Bosnia Herzegovina) were present at Blaž.

Blatina & Žilavka

Blatina and Žilavka are two unique grapes from Herzegovina. The region has a long history of wine production, dating back at least 2000 years to Illyrian times. That being said, wines from these grapes are not well known on the world stage.

Blatina is one of my favorite grapes from the Ex-Yugoslavia region. It creates medium-bodied reds with juicy acidity and distinctive mineral flavors. The wines are low in alcohol and retain a fantastic level of natural acidity, which is unique for the latitude (Herzegovina is approximately the same latitude as Rome, Italy).

The flowers of the Blatina vine are female, meaning they need a different variety to pollinate. For this reason, many producers plant Alicante Bouchet or another local variety known as Trnjak in their Blatina vineyards. Wines made from Blatina tend to taste like an imaginary cross between Sangiovese and Gamay. Oak aged versions tend to taste like rich wines made from Blaufränkisch. The wines are usually fruity and complex.

Žilavka is a unique grape that has few equivalents. The grape creates wines with high alcohol and surprisingly bright acidity. Žilavka vines tend to do well with the warm, Mediterranean climate of Herzegovina. Many producers told us that during drought periods, the only green of the landscape is from the Žilavka vineyards. The closest comparison for the grape that we have is Vermentino from Sardinia, thanks to the pine, ripe fruit, Mediterranean brush flavors that are accompanied by an oily mouthfeel.

Blaž Impressions

The Blaž Festival really impressed us. We had no idea what to expect and when we got to the venue we were blown away. The lighting was stellar and there was live music in addition to finger foods and cheeses. The organization was top notch and the organizers plan to do more Blaž events in the region including Sarajevo (BiH), Belgrade (Serbia), Split, and Zagreb (Croatia).

Wines made from Žilavka showed the weakest in our opinion. Too many producers use aromatic yeasts and the wines taste industrial and lack personality. Many of these wines taste like they could be any grape. If the target market is mass produced, low cost, fresh whites than this is no problem. However, if producers want to show off Žilavka’s potential, we’d like to see more examples made with indigenous yeasts and bottled unfiltered like the excellent wines from Brkić.

Wines made from Blatina, Trjnak, and Vranac are a different story. We tasted a number of exciting wines from all of these grapes. Blatina does well as a fresh wine and takes to oak surprisingly well for a medium bodied wine. Vranac (also spelled Vranec in Macedonia/FYROM) is mostly cultivated in Eastern Herzegovina but there are also a number of delicious examples in Western Herzegovina too. It’s a grape that we are big fans of and the potential is barely scratched.

We feel the grape Trnjak has the most potential to make deeply colored, highly structured, and age-worthy reds. This may be the regions ticket to serious and complex reds that can surprise a lot of drinkers. It will be exciting to return to the region over the coming years to see how winemakers continue to improve.

Here were our favorites from Blaž.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks

You can find out more about our scoring system on the Wine Rating page.

Žilavka

• Marjanović, Žilavka 2017

Marjanović has changed their labels for both the Žilavka and Blatina since we last tried them. Even though the label has changed, the quality still remains high. This wine is full of pine, ripe pineapple, Mediterranean brush, and mineral notes. It’s dry but has a bigger body with an oily mouthfeel. While it’s simple and delicious, the wine is big enough to stand up to chicken. Tart with a medium finish. 87/100

• Buntič, Žilavka 2017

The Buntič Žilavka (along with the examples from Brkić) is distinctly different from many examples of the grape. This wine has character, it feels unfiltered and isn’t as sterile as many renditions of Žilavka. There are notes of white flower, white peach, minerals, and yogurt. The wine tastes a little raw and edgy, yet contained. It is a wine for the geekier palate.  87/100

• Brkič, Greda 2015 & Mjesečar Žilavka 2016 

We’ve written at length about Brkić, in particular, the Plava Greda and Mjesečar Žilavka. There’s a reason for this. Josip Brkić is perhaps the name when it comes to wines in Western Herzegovina. He creates wines with character and soul.

The Brkić Greda is Žilavka that has been on its skins and lees for two years in the barrel. It’s unfined and unfiltered. There are notes of pine, sage, green guava, white flower, and oak. The wine is full bodied with a low level of tannins. For a big wine, this has bright acidity and lingering finish. 90/100

This is the fourth vintage we’ve tasted of the Brkić Mjesečar Žilavka and it never disappoints. It’s made by placing whole berries into Bosnian oak and letting the wine ferment naturally. It’s then bottled under the full moon. This is an orange wine but a fresh one at that with notes of pine, lemon, yogurt, and almond. This beauty has texture and a long finish.  91/100

• Čitluk, Žilavka Barrique 2015

The Čitluk Žilavka Barrique wine is aged for six months in 225L oak. The wood integration is fantastic in this wine. Notes of honey, white flower, lemon balm, and white peach take center stage. It’s a full-bodied white that shows fantastic balance. The wine isn’t overly complex but it’s a pleasure to drink. It’s a good example of fine oak integration in a white wine.  88/100

Blatina

• Carska Vina, Impero Blatina 2015

Carska Vina wines are dependable vintage after vintage, especially the basic Blatina. The Carska Vina Impero Blatina is aged in oak for over a year, it’s the reserve red wine of the estate. There are notes of sweet cedar, sour cherry, tobacco, and violet. It’s juicy and medium bodied with soft tannins with a long acidic core. The wine is not overly complex but it’s a lot of fun to drink.  87/100

• Nuič, Blatina Barrique 2015

Vinogradi Nuić is another producer that is focused on high quality and it shows across the portfolio. The basic Blatina is delicious and the Nuić Blatina Barrique takes it up one notch. We’ve had several vintages of this wine in the past. There is a lot of wood on the nose but that disappears on the palate. It’s lighter in color for a wine aged in oak. Flavors of sour cherry, mineral, and green herb emerge on the palate. It’s a juicy wine with soft tannins. It’s very reminiscent of a Sangiovese from Emilia-Romagna, Italy.  87/100

• Vina Rubis, Veteribus Blatina Barrique 2015

Vina Rubis is a newcomer on the scene and we were pleased with their Žilavka and both the Vionica and Veteribus Blatina offerings. The Vina Rubis Veteribus Blatina Barrique has a lot of oak on the nose but it is charming. It is aged in French oak. Notes of sour cherry, sweet cedar, tobacco, mineral, and a touch of brett dominate the flavor profile. It’s medium bodied and juicy, similar to a southern Italian Negroamaro. Some may find it a tad woody but therein lies its charm for me.  88/100

• Čitluk, Blatina Grand Cru Special Edition 2011

Find Čitluk wines at wineandmore.com 

Blatina usually creates medium bodied, juicy table wines. The Čitluk Blatina Grand Cru Special Edition is one of the few serious examples of Blatina that we have come across. It has more structure than normal Blatina-based wines and we wouldn’t be surprised if there is a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon blended in.

The wine has notes of red plum, maraschino cherry, cedar, and tobacco. It smells ripe and big but is actually medium-bodied on the palate. It smells and tastes like a Chianti Classico with a silky mouthfeel with round, developed tannins. It has a lingering finish but I would have loved to know this wine at a younger age. If you find it, drink it up now.  91/100

• Škegro, Carsus Blatina 2016

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Škegro is a fairly new producer on the scene but they’re already producing some delicious wines. We’re fond of this wine in addition to the Krš Orange Žilavka. The Carsus Blatina is aged in oak for twelve months. This new vintage takes the bottling to new heights.

Most Blatina wines are dominated by red fruit flavors, this one is more on the dark fruit spectrum. Other flavors include sweet cedar, black licorice, and minerals and while the wine smells rich and bold, it’s juicy and medium bodied. A touch of Syrah-like citrus peel emerges on the finish with soft tannins.  89/100

Photo from the Škegro Family Winery Facebook Page.

Other Grapes

• Nuič, Trnjak 2015

Trnjak is another local grape of Western Herzegovina and it’s often planted with Blatina to help in pollination. This bottling may be the finest example that we’ve tasted of the grape and it really shows off the potential. The Nuić Trnjak is deep and dark in color and rich in extract. The flavors are made up of black plum, dark cherry, and sage. It’s round on the palate and plush without being sloppy – it feels similar to Merlot. The sweet tannins and fantastic oak integration finish off the package. A wine with big fruit and nuances.  91/100

• Vukoje, Vranac 2015

Radovan Vukoje actually makes the finest Žilavka we’ve ever tasted, the Carsko Vino Grand Cru. Unfortunately, it wasn’t at the show to taste. As good as that wine is, Vukoje is pretty darn good in Vranac too. The Vukoje Vranac is an entry-level bottling with ripe red fruits, sweet cedar, sage, and earth notes. It’s full bodied but the high acidity softens the mouthfeel. All of the acidity here screams for food. This isn’t as serious as the Vukoje Vranac Rezerva but it’s delicious and fun to drink.  88/100

• Andrija, Vranac Selekcija 2013

A big and round red wine, the Andrija Vranac Selekcija is pitch black with a lot of extract. The alcohol is high at 15.8% but it works well in the wine. There are notes of raisin, black plum, cedar, and orchid flower in the wine. It’s a full-bodied, quasi-jammy, monster of a wine. Very good oak integration and round tannins. It’s not the type of wine that we like to drink on a normal basis, but it’s very well executed for those who like this style.  89/100

The finest selection of

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    Do you want to try Bosnian and Herzegovinianwines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Bosnian and Herzegovinian wines, look no further than wineandmore.com. With an abundance of options from different winemakers, it’s easy to find exactly what your palate desires. Not sure which bottle is best for you? Try out one of their curated wine cases and discover the perfect vintage for any occasion!

************

Want to learn more about wine?

Are you ready to discover the wonderful world of wines? Come join us at wineandmore.com and let’s explore the incredible selection of delicious wines together! We can’t wait to share our passion for wine with you!

Cesarica Hotel provided us with two nights of accommodation for the Blaž Festival. Please note that the opinions expressed are our own and have not been paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Bosnia Herzegovina Wine – Blatina & Žilavka From The Blaž Festival appeared first on Wine Travel.

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The dark-skinned grape Vranac (pronounce Vrah-nahts) is largely believed to be indigenous to Montenegro but also found in the surrounding areas such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Vranac usually delivers wines that are deeply colored with juicy acidity. The best examples of Vranac can have mid- to long- term aging potential.

Vranac has a clonal relationship with Kratošija—also known as Tribidrag, Crljenak Kaštelanski, Primitivo, and Zinfandel. The name Vranac translates to “black stallion”. True to its name, many producers say that cultivating this grape is akin to taming a strong and wild mammal. The shoots grow vigorously, and the vines produce a lot of berries. As such, extensive pruning is required to reduce the crop in order to improve wine quality. In the cellar, acidity is a challenge, making it hard to produce a balanced Vranac wine.

 

As a flagship grape of Montenegro, it should be no surprise that the country’s biggest winery, Plantaže Winery, has over 1,600 hectares of Vranac planted. These vines are used to supply more than half of the winery’s nearly 2,000,000-liter annual production. However, it is North Macedonia—where the grape is spelled “Vranec” (pronounce Vrah-nehts)—that has the most Vranac plantings in the world. Vranac is also widely cultivated in Eastern Herzegovina, where it is sometimes made into high-quality red wine. The grape is also planted in southern Croatia, and it is mostly used for blending and making bulk wine; although a few producers, like Vinarija Grabovac, can make some commendable examples.

We’ve come across two general styles of Vranac during our research trips. The first has high extraction, dark fruit flavors, and plenty of oak. This style is the most prevalent in North Macedonia and Eastern Herzegovina. For wine lovers who enjoy rich Californian and Australian reds, this style of Vranac might appeal to them. The second is widespread throughout Montenegro. It’s juicier and more red fruit-driven than the first style. This style of Vranac can taste similar to some of the reds from southern Italy, which is across the Adriatic Sea from Montenegro. This is the style that we prefer although there are noteworthy examples of both styles from all of these Vranac-producing countries.

Here are 16 Vranac/Vranec blends and varietal wines to try.

Vranac from Bosnia-Herzegovina

• Tvrdoš Monastery Vranac 2013

Tvrdoš is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in the Trebinje Valley in Eastern Herzegovina. The monastery has a rich history that dates back to the 15th century. The Tvrdoš Monastery Vranac is its flagship wine. Elevated acidity combined with the flavor profile makes the wine redolent of a tart, forest berry pie (a freshly baked one no less). It is important to note that there are significant vintage variations for this bottling: we’ve tasted several outstanding vintages of this wine and a few less so. As it seems, the challenge is having a good fruit-acid balance.

• Vukoje Vranac Rezerva 2010

The Vukoje Winery is widely considered to be the finest producer in Herzegovina. It makes several Vranac-based wines. The Vukoje Vranac Reserve is a polished interpretation. The blackberry-dominating profile is brightened by a blueberry hint, along with notes of chocolate milk and freshly tilled soil. A medium-bodied wine with soft and sweet tannins. The acidity is slightly elevated, and it has enough extract to age well in the medium term. This would make an impressive first impression for people who are new to Vranac.

Vranec from North Macedonia

• Brušani Vranec Barrique 2011

Orce Dimitrievski makes a mere few thousand bottles of Vranac and Stanušina in the basement of his home. He uses solely the grapes from his family’s vineyards in the southern part of North Macedonia. Orce loves Chateau Musar (Lebanon) and tries to make Vranac in the same style and with the same philosophy. The result is Brušani Vranec Barrique, a wine that is wildly expressive on the nose, with notes of dark chocolate bar, leather, plum jam, and dark berries. The vanilla flavor is quite pronounced on the palate, but otherwise, the oak integration is applaudable. It’s round in the mouth with some tannic strength that adds to the length. This wine will need more time to stretch out before revealing its full potential.

• Brzanov Vranec Elixir 2012

Brzanov is another small winery, which is a rarity in North Macedonia. The Elixir line includes the reserve wines of Brzanov. This is a big and powerful wine at over 17% alcohol; the alcohol is fairly integrated. Bouquet of charred wood, chocolate, blueberry, and tangy berry pie. The palate is dominated by rich texture, dark fruit flavors, and pronounced acidity. The slightly grippy end-palate adds a welcoming facet to the wine. 

• Chateau Kamnik Terroir Vranec Grand Reserva 2012

Chateau Kamnik wines available at wineandmore.com

This is one of the two “Grand Reserva” wines made by Chateau Kamnik, the most famous and respected producers in North Macedonia. A trip to the country is incomplete without a visit to Chateau Kamnik. The Chateau Kamnik Terroir Vranec Grand Reserva is made from late-harvest Vranec grapes. Dense and concentrated at 16.2% alcohol, the wine has an inky purple hue and is extremely viscous. The bouquet is significantly more robust and complex than other Vranec wines, with notes of berry jam, sour plum, and white flower. On the palate, it appears fresher and chirpier than on the nose, with a spike of blueberry flavor, balanced acidity, and tannins that are young but round. The alcohol is nicely supported.

• Popova Kula Vranec Perfect Choice 2013

Located in the Demir Kapija village, the Popova Kula property comprises a winery, hotel, and restaurant. The Popova Kula Vranec Perfect Choice shows notes of plum, leather, pepper, and earth. The enamel-eating acidity would appeal to those who enjoy highly acidic and tart red wines.

• Stobi Vranec Veritas 2011

Located next to the ancient city of Stobi, Stobi Winery produces close to five million bottles of wine every year and maintains good quality across the board, along with a few outstanding bottlings. The Stobi Vranec Veritas is a beautiful wine made from 100% Vranec. Deeply colored, viscous, and intense but not overbearing, this example stands out from the rest because of its brightness. The acidity is high but integrated. The tannins are grippy, and the finish is long and polished.

• Tikveš Barovo Red 2013

Founded in 1885, Tikveš is the oldest winery in Southeast Europe. The Tikveš Barovo Red is a reserve bottling. A blend of 50% Vranec and 50% Kratošija (Zinfandel), the berries are sourced from vineyards in the abandoned village of Barovo. The bouquet shows chocolate, dark fruit, caramel, and pepper. The palate is rich and bold with red fruit and dak fruit. The long and spicy finish makes this wine a notch above most Vranec wines. The Barovo Red has been one of our favorite North Macedonian wines year after year.

• Tikveš Bela Voda Red 2013

Another reserve red wine from Tikveš Winery, the Tikveš Bela Voda Red is a blend of 50% Vranec and 50% Plavac Mali. The berries for Bela Voda are sourced from the village of the same name. This is a dense, rich and structured wine with broad shoulders. Flavors of tobacco, chocolate, dark fruit, cedar, and spice. The tannins are round and chewy. The finish shows length and clarity. In a way, this reminds us of a Chateauneuf du Pape. We can never decide if we like the Tikveš Barovo Red or the Tikveš Bela Voda Red more. (For wine label, refer to the photo above)

Vranac from Montenegro

• Buk Vranac 2012

The Buk’s vineyards are located in Crmnica, an area surrounded by mountains and rumored to be the birthplace of Vranac. This wine has interesting notes for a Vranac wine: on the nose, it’s smoky and gamey, with additional red-fruit and blackberry expressions on the palate. The integrated acidity accentuates the impression of an easy-drinking red wine with some bite.

• Krgović Arhonto Vranac Private Reserve 2012

Krgović is a producer that has impressed us with their entire lineup. The Krgović Arhonto Vranac Private Reserve is a straight-up delicious Vranac but not short of complexity. Notes of smoked meat, red fruit, pepper, and a hint of vanilla cream—with the fruitiness playing dominance on the palate.

• Milović Status Barrique 2007

Milović Winery is located in southern Montenegro, near Albania.  This premium Vranac bottling by the winery offers a quintessential “barrique-style” Vranac with flavors of caramel chocolate, forest berries, and black pepper on a medium body.

• Lipovac Amfora Tellus 2015

Lipovac is a new winery in Montenegro, and it has already received some international recognition. The Lipovac Amfora Tellus is made from 100% Vranac grapes. Fermentation, maceration, and aging one year) all happen in amphorae. This example of Vranac shows an unadulterated expression. There’s a sense of wildness in the flavor profile: forest berries, leaf pile, and lots of underlying earthiness. The acidity is juicy and the tannins are ripe and chewy. It’s rare to find a serious, structured and well-made Vranac that hasn’t undergone oak-aging. A fantastic proof that Vranac does not need to be “tamed” by oak to achieve complexity or polish. What an outstanding effort from a young winery.

• Plantaže Vranac Premijer 2009

Aged for four years in a combination of oak casks and steel tanks, and then three more years in the bottle. The Plantaže Vranac Premijer has a magnificent scent: mixed berry pie, violet, cedar, and a hint of cocoa powder. Tangy and juicy with the acidity under control. The silky mouthfeel is accompanied by a firm structure and a persistent finish. The tannins are buried by the intense fruit notes, while the oak impact is remarkably integrated. This is the top bottling of Plantaže and our favorite example of Vranac. We simply can’t get enough of this wine’s extraordinary balance and ampleness.

• Sjekloća Crmnički Vranac 2008

The Sjekloća Winery is the first registered private winery in Montenegro and produces only a few thousand bottles every year. Some of their vines are over 100 years old. The Sjekloća Crmnički Vranac is a blend of Vranac and a small amount of Kratošija (Zinfandel). A rich and full-bodied wine with a balanced interplay between the fruity and savory characteristics. The oak impact is coming together well at this age, and the wine is tasting surprisingly fresh for its age. This wine is absolutely worth seeking out.

Serbian Vranac

• Jović Vranac 2011

Jović is the name to know if you’re looking for Vranac wine in Serbia. A red fruit-driven wine with a good mid-palate attack. The acidity is integrated and controlled. Quite different in style from other Vranac wines, this plush and fruit-forward wine shows high drinkability.

• Aleksić Armanet 2011

Made by a winery in southern Serbia with grapes from North Macedonia, the Aleksić Armanet offers flavors of chocolate, cherry, plum, and raisin on a full body powered by 15% alcohol and biting tannins. Everything seems to come in jumbo size here, but nothing seems gratuitous. This will appeal to lovers of fruit bombs.

The finest selection of

Croatian, Serbian and Macedonian 

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    Do you want to try Balkan wines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Balkan wines, look no further than wineandmore.com With an abundance of options from different winemakers, it’s easy to find exactly what your palate desires. Not sure which bottle is best for you? Try out one of their curated wine cases and discover the perfect vintage for any occasion!

************

Want to learn more about wine?

Are you ready to discover the wonderful world of wines? Come join us at wineandmore.com and let’s explore the incredible selection of delicious wines together! We can’t wait to share our passion for wine with you!

You May Also Enjoy

• Three Macedonian Wineries of Note
• Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon Impressions
• Macedonian Wine Expert: Ivana Simjanovska
• Dušan Jelić: A Perspective on Balkan Wine

– Cover photo by Sunshine Soon, CC By 2.0.
– This article is based on our own opinions and is not associated with sponsorship or business promotions of any kind.

The post Vranac Without Borders: 16 Wines to Try appeared first on Wine Travel.

Hello! Welcome to As Drunk by Exotic Wine Travel, a weekly column where we feature interesting wines that we encourage you to seek out. The reviews featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or well-known wine regions. We hope that these wine recommendations will keep you gastronomically curious and your palate invigorated!

Brkić Winery

Bosnia Herzegovina is not the first country that comes to mind when talking about wine. However, there is a long history of winemaking there especially in Eastern and Western Herzegovina which both experience Mediterranean climates. There are some exciting wines being made there from indigenous grape varieties. Brkić is one of the producers leading the quality revolution.

Josip Brkić (in the photo above) makes around 25,000 bottles of wine from his family’s vineyards in Western Herzegovina, near Mostar. After his father passed away, Josip converted the vineyards from conventional to biodynamic farming. He works with two indigenous varieties, Blatina and Žilavka. His cellar is small, yet humble and he churns out some impressive juice. Josip’s amber wine Brkić Mjesečar is made from Žilavka and was among our top wines of 2016.

We first came across Brkić wines in the Spring of 2016 at a wine bar in Sarajevo. During a flight of local wines, the examples from Brkić stood out the most. We decided to visit the Brkić cellar and became hooked, we now make the effort to drink Brkić wines whenever we get the chance.

Blatina

The red grape that Brkić works with is Blatina. While the white grape Žilavka grows in all of Herzegovina, Blatina only grows in Western Herzegovina. The vines of Blatina only have female flowers and cannot self-pollinate. Because of this, Blatina is often planted with Alicante Bouchet, Trnjak, or Vranac, which means some of these grapes end up in wines varietally labeled as Blatina.

I became quite fond of the grape. The wines are soft, fruity, with a touch of earthiness. The flavors remind both of us as a mish-mash of Gamay and Sangiovese. What sticks out the most is the juicy acidity that these wines possess. With or without food, Blatina is easy to drink and is sure to please many palates.

Both the Brkić Plava Greda and Brkić Limousine are made with Blatina.

Brkić Plava Greda 2015

Light ruby in color. Beautiful nose of strawberry, raspberry, minerals, chocolate, and a hint of white pepper. This spent 18 months in oak and the wood doesn’t come up on the nose but shows up on the palate, it will settle down in time. Medium bodied with soft, fine-grained tannins. Drinking well now, but Plava Greda wines can age gracefully in the medium term and this vintage should be no exception. 

4.0/5

Brkić Limousine 2007

This is 100% Blatina hand selected and aged for 3650 days (10 years) in Slavonian oak. One 225 L barrel was made. It is dark and dense for Blatina. Full of chocolate, red fruit, and a touch of baking spice. Full bodied for Blatina and showing wonderful aging notes. The acidity is high and has preserved the wine well, it tastes much younger than 10 years old. Round and developed tannins with a long finish – it has the texture of a Rioja Gran Reserva.

4.2/5 

(You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

The finest selection of

Bosnian and Herzegovinian

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    Do you want to try Bosnian and Herzegovinian wines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Bosnian and Herzegovinian wines, look no further than wineandmore.com. With an abundance of options from different winemakers, it’s easy to find exactly what your palate desires. Not sure which bottle is best for you? Try out one of their curated wine cases and discover the perfect vintage for any occasion!

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Want to learn more about wine?

Are you ready to discover the wonderful world of wines? Come join us at wineandmore.com and let’s explore the incredible selection of delicious wines together! We can’t wait to share our passion for wine with you!

Disclosure: The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers.

The post Brkić Plava Greda 2015 & Limousine 2007 appeared first on Wine Travel.

Hello! Welcome to As Drunk By Exotic Wine Travel, a weekly column where we feature wines that are worth noting. The reviews featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or well-known wine regions. We hope that these wine recommendations will keep you gastronomically curious and your palate invigorated!
 

Škegro Krš Orange Žilavka 2015

Available at wineandmore.com

Western Herzegovina shares a border with the southern end of Croatia. All the winemakers in this part of Herzegovina are Croats (Eastern Herzegovina is primarily Serb). The area experiences a true Mediterranean climate and has a few of its own varieties, including the red wine grapes Blatina and Trnjak(pronounce Turn-yak), and the white grape Žilavka (pronounce Zhhih-lahv-kah).

Žilavka is identified as a high-quality wine grape in the book Wine Grapes. It produces full-bodied white wines with fresh acidity. The white wines made from Žilavka display floral and nutty aromas. All of these characteristics make the grape a good candidate for macerated white (amber/orange) wines. Despite Žilavka’s potential to make amber wines, there are only two examples currently on the market—this Škegro Krš Orange Žilavka and the Brkić Mjesečar.

Vinarija Škegro is a winery that makes three Žilavka wines and two excellent reds from the grape Blatina. This is their first attempt at an amber wine. Proprietor Bariša Škegro wanted to create a wine similar to what his grandfather drank. His late grandfather was also named Bariša and is featured on the label of the Krš Orange Žilavka 2015.

This wine represents a totally different style for Škegro. The rest of their wines are conventional in style. They are clean, fined, and filtered. The Krš Orange comes from fruit harvested from a single vineyard. It is a minimal intervention wine, which is fermented with native, wild yeasts. The fermentation starts spontaneously and no sulfites are added to the wine at any time.

The nose on this wine is intriguing. White flower and perfume notes jump out of the glass. This is low in alcohol, clocking in at 12.5% ABV. It has flavors of ripe apricot, autumn leaves, seawater, and perfume. It is juicy and easy to drink for an amber wine. The wine has a long finish and nice acidity with very low level of tannins. The finish has a faint touch of mousiness that comes with some sulfite-free wines. This flavor blows off as the wine breathes and is so faint, it will be undetectable to most palates.

A sensational effort. I would love to taste this next to a Radikon Ribolla Gialla.

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4.3/5 (You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

The finest selection of

Bosnian and Herzegovinian

wines available at:

Shipping is available EU-wide and to the UK.

Check out Wines Available in the USA.

************

    Do you want to try Bosnian and Herzegovinian wines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Bosnian and Herzegovinian wines, look no further than wineandmore.com. With an abundance of options from different winemakers, it’s easy to find exactly what your palate desires. Not sure which bottle is best for you? Try out one of their curated wine cases and discover the perfect vintage for any occasion!

************

Want to learn more about wine?

Are you ready to discover the wonderful world of wines? Come join us at wineandmore.com and let’s explore the incredible selection of delicious wines together! We can’t wait to share our passion for wine with you!

You May Also Enjoy

• 15 Amber Wines (Orange Wines) to Try in Croatia
• Amber Revolution by Simon Woolf
• Highlights from Orange Wine Festival 2017

Disclosure: We received this wine as a sample. However, the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers.

The post Amber Wine: Škegro Krš Orange Žilavka 2015 appeared first on Wine Travel.