Six months after our first trip through Croatia, we were back in the country. This time, we attended the Zagreb VINOcom—the largest Croatian wine show held annually at the end of November, at the Esplanade Hotel in downtown Zagreb. Over 200 Croatian wine producers were present, along with many culinary stalls featuring cured meats, smoked fish, and other local food specialties. The conference was a great opportunity to taste the Croatian wines that we missed on our first foray into the country.

There are around 1,600 registered commercial producers in Croatia—mostly made up of small family wineries spread throughout the country. As such, it can be difficult to procure certain wines. Outside the capital city Zagreb, the few wine shops scattered throughout the country offer predominantly regional wines. If you are at a wine shop in southern Dalmatia, don’t expect to find Istrian wine. Domestic consumption is high; Croatians drink over 44 liters of wine per person per year. At this rate, it can be difficult for the local producers to keep up with the locals as well as the 10 million annual tourists they receive. Great Croatian wines get scooped up quickly.

Thankfully, the wines that we really wanted to try were all present at the event. Here are some highlights of Zagreb VINOcom.

Quest for Babić Solved

Plavac Mali is the star among the red varieties of the Dalmatian coast, but Babić has the potential to make excellent wine. There is not a large amount of Babić available, and only a handful of producers are making wine from it. Good examples of Babić are produced by Vinoplod, Piližota, Birin, Zlatan Otok, and Gracin.

The most esteemed producer of Babić is Dr Leo Gracin. Our previous attempt at tasting Dr Leo’s wines was futile. In May, while driving down the Dalmatian coast, we made a special trip to the premier Babić vineyard known as Bucavac (Booh-sah-vahts). You can take a look at the Bucavac vineyard in the short video below; be warned that Matt completely butchers the name of the vineyard…

We stopped by Gracin Winery in Šibenik after seeing the Bucavac vineyard. After a two-hour wait at the door of the winery, no one answered. Counting it as a loss, we moved on and accepted defeat. It really bothered us that we didn’t get a chance to taste the wine.

At the Zagreb VINOcom, we were thrilled to see the Gracin Babić available for tasting. After sampling the wine, we walked away thoroughly impressed.

• Gracin Babić 2013

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This wine has good integration of oak and fruit. The flavors are dominated by notes of rubber, sweet cherry, forest berry, and dried plum. The palate has a nice texture and earthy undertone. Fans of rustic Central Italian wines will love this. We think that the Gracin Babić can fool people into believing that it’s a Chianti Classico Riserva. The wine shares similar wild flavors that Plavac Mali gives, but it has much softer tannins than Plavac Mali. This is an excellent wine and worth the hype.

Grk, Grk, Grk!

Grk is a mysterious, rare grape originating from a small village on the island of Korčula. There are only a handful of producers making wine from Grk. The wines sell out quickly; producers can run out of stock by the beginning of August each year.

As a varietal wine, Grk tastes like Loire’s Muscadet but with a fuller body and tropical fruit flavors that Chardonnay can give. All of this is wrapped in a mineral-rich mouthfeel. It is a completely unique white wine.

The variety recently received some international hype last summer: Bono, the lead singer of the band U2, posted an Instagram photo of himself enjoying Croatian white wine; allegedly, he was enjoying a glass of Grk.

We are fans of the rich, fuller bodied, and mineral-driven Grk from Bire Winery. Frano Bire is the owner and his name is synonymous with Grk. Bire was at the show so we were able to re-taste his Grk, which—as always—didn’t disappoint. We also got a chance to try Grk from a different producer that impressed us.

• Zure Grk Bartul 2015 

An elegant and complex wine with notes of white flower, sand, and rock at first. There are layers of pineapple, peach and fruity freshness underneath the earthiness, but you really have to search for it. This is more of a thinking white wine. There is a lot going on here. 

Zure Grk Bartul | €25.99 |  Shop Here

Croatian Cult Wine

If there is a grape that defines Croatian reds, it is Plavac Mali. The definitive location for Plavac Mali is the area of Dingač. If there is a legendary wine from Dingač, it is Bura.

Croatians are very proud of Plavac Mali, which is the offspring of two local grapes, Crljenak Kaštalenski (also called Tribidrag and commonly known as Zinfandel) and Dobričić. This variety makes wines that are dense, tannic, and high in alcohol. We have tasted some great wines made from Plavac Mali, as well as some appalling ones. The most known Plavac Mali appellation is Dingač, which boasts some of the most impressive vineyard sites that we’ve seen.

In the spring of 2016, we made our way through South Dalmatia and met with many different Plavac Mali producers. We got a chance to taste the wines of many iconic Plavac Mali producers, but Bura eluded us. Bura produces just over 2,000 bottles of Dingač per year, and the wines are extremely difficult to get. The wines are made with minimal intervention and according to what the soil and climate offer in the year. In some years, Bura can be an off-dry wine and in others completely dry—as we were informed by renowned Croatian wine critic, Saša Špiranec.

• Bura Dingač 2014 

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Would this wine live up to the hype? It did and more so. This may be the finest Croatian wine we’ve tasted. The Bura Dingač is a fantastic interpretation of Plavac Mali with an inviting nose of floral perfume, bubblegum, and cherry. The palate is evolved and rich with predominantly cherry flavor. There is a spike of flavor intensity and acidity before the end-palate. The wine is tannic but countered by intense flavor and nice acidity. This is a masterpiece. Now if only it was easier to get your hands on it.

Jo Ahearne

We heard so many stories about a Master of Wine producing her own wine on the island of Hvar in Dalmatia. The island of Hvar is beautiful and has a long history of winemaking. Hvar is an easy place for someone to fall in love with, especially a Master of Wine. There are already a number of solid producers on Hvar including Zlatan Otok, Duboković and Tomić.

We did not get a chance to try Jo Ahearne‘s wines during our previous stop in Hvar and were glad that both Jo and her wines were present at the show. We got a first-hand account of how she fell in love with Hvar and her winemaking journey. We also tasted her rosé made from the grape Darnekuša, which is indigenous to Hvar. She also makes a beautiful Plavac Mali that has not been released yet. Both of these wines show a lot of promise.

• Ahearne Rosina Rosé 2015

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This is an interesting rosé made from the local variety Darnekuša. It has an intense cherry flavor as opposed to strawberry or strawberry cream that you normally find in most fresh rosé wines. A bolder and more serious rosé; this is meant to be more than just a summer quaffer.  It is textured in the mouth and balanced without any residual sugar.

• Ahearne Plavac Mali 2014

Find Ahearne wines at Wine&more.

An impressive Plavac Mali with smooth flavors. The wine manages to keep the wild characteristics of Plavac Mali while appealing to international palates. It is a very perfumed wine, with cherry and earth flavors and a touch of barnyard. This is an elegant Plavac Mali. The tannins are smooth, which makes it drinkable even if it is still young. 

The Grand Cro Room

The Grand Cro is an association of premium wine estates in Croatia. The current members are Bibich, Meneghetti, Dubokovic, Saints Hills, Boškinac, and Baković. All of these wine estates are in the coastal region, either Dalmatia or Istria. During our last trip in May, we got a chance to visit and/or taste wines from all of these producers except Baković.

At Zagreb VINOcom, there was a special room dedicated to just these estates. On the second day of the show, all six wineries opened large format bottles of their archive wines. The room was crowded and the thirsty lines were long but we managed to get a taste from each estate. All of the wines were excellent but two wines stood out.

Boškinac owner and winemaker Boris Šuljić pouring a double-magnum bottle of his Red Cuvée.

• Boškinac 2007 

Find Boškinac wines at wineandmore.com

The first time we heard about Boškinac winery was on an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. In the episode, a top Croatian chef claimed that the Boškinac Red Cuvée is considered to be Croatia’s top red wine. On our previous journey, we purchased and tasted a 2012 vintage. While that vintage made for a very good drinking experience, the 2007 is something special.

This is a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged two years in French and American oak. Amazing flavors of pencil lead, dried plum, dried cherry, and earth. The wine is rich and medium bodied with a long end palate and tangy acidity.

• Baković Plavac Murvica 2006 

We were very happy with the Baković 2015 Pošip but it was his top red that impressed us the most.

Baković is the newest member to the Grand Cro. This wine is made of Plavac Mali with a little Syrah, and a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon added to it. A great wine with flavors of sour cherry, flower, herb, earth, and spice. The wine still has a lot of life ahead of it as the fruit, acidity, and fine-grained tannins are all still there and accounted for. This is drinking very well but will get even better with age.

Slovenian Winery: Verus

In the corner of one room was a humble display of wines from Slovenia, all sporting screw-cap enclosures. We were drawn in by the kind-looking man pouring the wines. All of the wines showed great purity of fruit and real tension on the palate.

Verus winery is fairly new but has already drawn high praise from famous wine writers like Oz Clarke, Jancis Robinson and Steven Spurrier, and also Decanter Magazine. We tasted their Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. All the wines were well made and excellent, but one stood out above the rest.

• Verus Šipon 2016 

Made from 100% Furmint which is known as Šipon in Slovenia. This wine is full of oil, gas, smoke, with tart Asian pear flavors. It is extremely rich in the mouth. We love this full-bodied white wine.

The finest selection of

wines available at:

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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!

Credit: Featured image at the top of the article is taken from the Zagreb VINOcom Facebook page.

Please note that 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.

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After a whirlwind, two-month period launching our book Uncorking the Caucasus in Georgia and Armenia, we decided it was time to leave the region. Winter was starting in Tbilisi and the cold weather came quickly, so we jumped on a plane and headed to the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), or Macedonia for short. We had reason to go back to this tiny Balkan country; there was a special event taking place.

Downtown Skopje, Macedonia, the site of Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon 2016.

Our friend Ivana Simjanovska was instrumental in putting together the first Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon. We wanted to show Ivana support for all of the hard work that she put into making this idea a reality. The Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon was a well-organized tasting of nearly 20 Macedonian wineries, in addition to several other wineries from Serbia, Slovenia, and Italy. The Wine Salon was held on the weekend of November 11 & 12, 2016 at the Mariott Hotel in downtown Skopje.

The main room at the Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon.

It was a small but fantastic show. We had traveled through Macedonia earlier in 2016 so most of the wines were familiar to us. At the Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon, we got a chance to taste some new vintages and discover a few wines that we previously missed. The main ballroom was bustling but small enough to taste at every booth without much hassle.

Saša Špiranec and Igor Lukovic leading the workshop on Balkan indigenous varieties.

Master classes were conducted on the same floor during the event. They were the highlight of the Vinodonia Skopje Salon for us.
 

Indigenous Balkan Grape Varieties

This was a highly educational workshop about Stanušina from Macedonia, Prokupac from Serbia, and Plavac Mali from Croatia. Each grape was presented by a renowned wine writer of the same country of origin as the grape. Ivana Simjanovska presented two Stanušina wines, Igor Luković had four examples of Prokupac, and Saša Špiranec showed three wines made from Plavac Mali.

The first two glasses in the upper left are Stanušina. The next four moving left to right are Prokupac, and the final three on the lower right are Plavac Mali (one glass of Plavac Mali is cut off). Note the color differences between the wines, especially the much darker Plavac Mali.

Stanušina is a Macedonian variety with a clouded history. It produces lightly colored and low in tannins wine with medium-level alcohol, which reminds us of a much softer version of Grenache. There are only two producers making Stanušina wine commercially at the point of writing. Hopefully, this grape gains more traction as a worthy variety that produces elegant, lighter red wines; this would be a good contrast to most of the reds coming from Macedonia, which are ripe and massive.

Prokupac hails from southern Serbia. It is an ancient grape variety with some ties to the grape Kadarka. It is Charine’s favorite grape from Serbia and it’s capable of making serious wine. The best examples we tasted were from the Župa valley where fruit is sourced from old bush vines. We’ve had many different styles of wine made from this variety. When done well, it can taste like an imaginary cross between Rhône Syrah and Pinot Noir. It is a grape that wine nerds should definitely seek out.

Plavac Mali is Croatia’s flagship red grape. It is the offspring of the original Zinfandel (Tribidrag/Crljenak Kaštelanski in Croatian) and another local grape called Dobričič. We know this grape very well. At its best, the wine can have luscious notes of red fruit, perfume, and earthiness. At its worst, it can taste moldy, overripe, and rustic. The wine has the potential to make incredible wines but you have to sift through a lot of uninspiring examples in Croatia to come across the great ones.

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• Brušani Stanushina 2013

Light brick red in color with a nose of ripe cherry pie, clay, and cranberry juice. Flavors of red cherry, dirt, minerals can be felt on the palate with some light tannins. It is very complex for such a light red wine with tight tannins. The production is tiny and the winemaker finds his inspiration from Chateau Musar, so expect to find some volatile acidity and dirtiness in this wine. Still, the minerality of the wine is undeniably appealing. 

• Ivanović Prokupac 2015

Dragoslav “Gaga” Ivanović is a legend in South Serbia. When we were traveling through the country, someone referred to Gaga as a “Zen Master”. This is a blend of 85% Prokupac, 7.5% Merlot, and 7.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is dark purple in color with dark plum, blue fruit, and brown spice notes on the nose. The palate is rich with flavors of earth and dark fruit while staying tangy and acidic, with some tannic tug. A wine that is pleasurable now but is definitely worthy of aging. 

• Budimir Prokupac Boje Lila 2009 

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This is the third time we’re tasting this wine. The first time we tasted it, our initial impressions were very good but not exceptional. However, this time it really impresses us. Budimir is the only winery in Serbia to have their wines scored by Robert Parker.

This is 100% Prokupac, aged for five years before release. The dominant flavors are of earth, perfume, flower, and herb held together by a blackberry core. Good texture and a silky smooth finish.

• Miloš Stagnum 2007

Find Miloš Stagnum here.

One of Croatia’s cult wines, made from 100% Plavac Mali. Frano Miloš makes a range of varietal wines from Plavac Mali. He farms organically, employs natural yeasts, utilizes spontaneous fermentation, and believes in long aging. The 2007 is the current release. It has a nose of dried cherry, leather, rubber, mineral, and earth. On the palate, flavors of tangy cherry, leather, tar, and rubber emerge with nice acidity. The wine has rich flavors and is a throwback to the old-school style of winemaking.

Vertical Tasting of Chateau Kamnik Ten Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon 2004-2015

We visited Chateau Kamnik in April 2016 and tasted through their entire portfolio. A link to the article based on our initial visit is at the bottom of the page.

The Ten Barrels line from Chateau Kamnik consists of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah; the Syrah range is excellent as well. As the name suggests, there are only ten barrels of each wine made in a good year.

Macedonia receives nearly 300 days of sunshine each year. The country is at the confluence of Mediterranean and Continental climates which bodes well for grape growing. The thriving red grape is Vranec, but there is potential for many other red grapes to do well.

Eight vintages of Chateau Kamnik Ten Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon. spanning from 2004-2015.

With the high amount of sunny days paired with long, dry autumns in Macedonia, it’s not surprising to see many wineries with plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon. In this vertical tasting, we got a chance to taste eight vintages: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015.

The early vintages were balanced and had developed nicely. After 2009, the alcohol levels started rising and the wines showed riper fruit flavors and more oak. The wines of 2011 and 2013 were too ripe and big for us—that’s not to say that they are bad wines, it’s just a matter of preference. The 2015 vintage was a barrel sample and it showed a surprising amount of balance despite clocking in at 15.3 % ABV. The 2015 could shape out to be the best wine of the flight in the years ahead.

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Find Chateau Kamnik wines at wineandmore.com

• Chateau Kamnik Cabernet Sauvignon Ten Barrels 2006

Clocking in at 14.1 ABV, this wine is an absolute beauty. The wine has bright cherry, tomato leaf, sweet tobacco, and rubber. The notes on the nose are very focused. The palate is full of sour cherry, sweet tobacco, and mint. It is wonderfully balanced, refined, structured, and delicious. This is great wine, period.

• Chateau Kamnik Cabernet Sauvignon Ten Barrels 2007

At first, Matt detested this nose but it kept revealing more secrets as it opened up. Charine loved this from the start. The nose is full of sweet tobacco, crushed flowers, black licorice, and potpourri. The palate is dark and complex with black licorice, incense, potpourri, and black fruit. It is nice in a different way than you would expect from Cabernet Sauvignon. This vintage has developed more tertiary (aging) notes than the 2006 vintage, which is interesting. 

• Chateau Kamnik Cabernet Sauvignon Ten Barrels 2009

A higher alcohol wine at 14.7 ABV and has vanilla on the nose at first but opens with rubber, cherry juice, and brown sugar. The palate is full of black cherry, pencil lead, spice, and smooth tannins but the body is big and strong. This is big and fruit-forward but not overly bruising. 

At this point in the tasting, we could sense the new vintage was becoming bigger and the alcohol level rising.

Stobi Winery Private Reserve Wines

The last masterclass of the salon was by Stobi. This winery is relaunching their top wines under the label Private Reserve. Stobi produces close to 4.5 million liters of wine each year; all are bottled wine. The winery is in central Macedonia, next to the ancient Roman city of Stobi, a well-preserved site. The peacock on the Stobi label is taken from a mosaic found in the ancient city.

The Stobi Private Reserve Line.

We visited the winery and superb restaurant in the Spring of 2016. Anyone who visits Macedonia should eat at the Stobi restaurant! The wines of Stobi are very impressive, especially for such a big-production winery. All of their wines, including the basic one-liter bottles, are of good quality. The top wines are well made and of screaming values. The Vranec Veritas 2011 has received 90 points from Wine Enthusiast and is listed on Wine-Searcher at 17.99 USD.

The Stobi Private Reserve Line.

The problems that plague many Macedonian wines include flavors that are too ripe, over-extraction, and poor oak management. These are not problems at Stobi. Balance is displayed in these Stobi Private Reserve wines—a rarity in a country where wines routinely reach 15-17% ABV. There are no blockbusters in the Stobi portfolio (yet) but all of their wines are very good at fair prices.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S PICKS

• Stobi Acacia 2013

Made from 100% Chardonnay. This wine is aged for eight months in Acacia and French oak. It has a nice dandelion color and the nose is very pleasant with yellow flower, pear, melon, and crushed white flowers. The palate is similar to the nose with a touch of pineapple. This is crisp and delicious for a wine aged in wood. Easy to understand and satisfying.

• Stobi Axios 2013

Made of 100% Merlot. The wine is aged 18 months in oak and is full of chocolate, pencil lead, and plum. The palate adds flavors of earth, pepper, capsicum, and slate. It tastes a lot like a lean, right bank Bordeaux. A well made and easy to drink wine.

• Stobi Aminta 2013

A blend of 34% Vranec, 33% Merlot, and 33% Cabernet Sauvignon. This spends 24 months in oak and has a nose full of chalk, red fruit, chocolate, and herbs. The palate is tangy with red and black fruit, blueberry, mineral, and a nice mid-palate spike. The wine is delicious, unique, yet strangely familiar. 

Thanks to Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon

We would like to extend a special thank you to Ivana Simjanovska and the team at Vinodonia. They provided us passes to the event and workshops. It was a fun event and we hope to make it to another one in the coming years.

We interviewed Ivana Simjanovska about Macedonian wine on our website in a previous article. You can learn more about Vinodonia on their website. We’ve also written an in-depth piece about the wines of Chateau Kamnik.

The finest selection of

Croatian, Macedonian

and Serbian wines

available at:

Shipping is available EU-wide and to the UK.

Check out Wines Available in the USA.

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

    Do you want to try Croatian, Macedonian or Serbian wines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Croatian, Macedonian or Serbian 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: 
Barovo Tikveš: World Class Wine from Macedonia
10 Plavac Mali Wines to Try (Besides Dingač And Postup)

Disclosure: We were given complimentary passes to the Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon. However, the ideas expressed in this article are personal opinions and not associated with any other sponsors or business promotions.

The post Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon Impressions appeared first on Wine Travel.