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Traditional wine production in Croatia

Presented by Zadar – HTUŠ eTwinners

Croatia is home to three major wine producing areas:

Southern Dalmatia is centered around the Peljesac Peninsula and its

protected appellation called Dingac, just an hour drive north of the City

of Dubrovnik. Plavac Mali grape is king here! Plavac Mali also thrives on the

neighboring Island of Hvar, and Makarska Riviera (near Split) is becoming

famous for producing Croatian Zinfandel (locally known as Crljenak

Kastelanski). The best white wine of Southern Dalmatia is made from Posip

– a local grape variety producing full body, sunny and mouthwatering wine

to accompany the just-caught seafood of the Adriatic. Island of Korcula, the

birth place of Marko Polo, is known for producing the best Posip wines.

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Istria and the Northern Coast is where crisp and aromatic white wines

are made. Istrian Malvasia deserves special attention as it is possibly the

best dry Malvasia you will find anywhere. Istrian Peninsulaprovides the

ideal terroir for Malvasia grape and Yellow Muskat (Muscat Blanc a Petit

Grains). The main local red is Teran (similar to Refosko), the wild and acidic

variety, which shows best when blended with Merlot or Cabernet.

Continental Croatia supplies the winemaking world with Slavonian

oak. Slavonia is located South of bothAustria and Hungary and just like its

neighbors produces excellent cool climate reds and whites. Zweigelt, Pinot

Noir and Blaufrankisch as well as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio

thrive here. Grasevina (also known as Welschriesling) is traditional, and

pairs well with the foods of the region, such as Croatian fish brodet or

chicken paprikash, for example.

The Dalmatian Wine making Tradition

2200 BC Illyric tribes were the first Dalmatian wine makers.

390 BC The winegrowing tradition is developed during Greek colonization.

339 BC Dalmatia becomes part of the Roman Empire and wine becomes

part of the Dalmatian lifestyle.

4th century AD Recognition of Christianity. The Church develops its

expertise in winemaking.

1400 The first laws on wine production and quality control are written in

Dubrovnik Republic.

1797 Before the fall of the Venetian Republic, production of wine in

Dalmatia reaches 21 million gallons per year.

1870 Phylloxera destroys vineyards in France and Italy. Both countries

begin to import Dalmatian wines.

1875 1900 Croatia produces 26 million gallons of wine per year.

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1920 1940 Wine production reduced to 18 million gallons per year after

Austro-Hungarian Empire begins importing Italian wine.

1945 Beginning of Communist regime; collectivization of land destroys the

wine industry.

1991 Croatia becomes independent; new market economy stimulates

tremendous growth of private sector and quality over quantity in

winemaking.

1997 Croatian wine makers produce 620 different kinds of wine from 54

grape varieties.

Croatia Wine Regions

As in France, wines are strictly labeled according to their origin. There are

some 300 official wine regions divided generally into coastal and interior

wines. The majority (67%) of wine is white and produced in the interior

while 32% is red and produced along the coast. Rose is relatively rare.

Croatian Grapes

Although there are hundreds of grape varieties in Croatia, experts agree

that the red Plavac Mali grape produces the best red wine. Plavac Mali is

genetically identical to Zinfandel grapes which clearly come from Croatia,

not Italy as has long been thought. Croatia's sparkling Prosecco wine

comes from Bogdanusa, a white grape. Malvazija from Istria

and Posip from Korcula produce Croatia's most renowned white wines.

examples of good practice:

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Family tradition of manufacturing wine barrels

goes back in 1918. Real production begins in 1948. From the tough

beginnings, when barrels were completely made by hand, through the years

the method of processing the wood has modernized, but until today, the

manufacture of barrels stayed manual.