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Wines of the week: Eight wines from Croatia and Slovenia

Travel to a pair of former Yugoslavian republics through your wine glass, handpicked by Terry Kirby

Friday 07 June 2019 14:37 BST
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These wines are made from grapes such as grk, malvasia, rebula and plavac mali
These wines are made from grapes such as grk, malvasia, rebula and plavac mali

The countries of the former Yugoslavia were torn apart by a brutal post-communist era war which ended only in 2001. But, nearly two decades on, two countries in particular – Croatia and Slovenia – have recovered and appear to have grown stronger and more prosperous, particularly benefitting from tourists who appreciate their excellent food, their olive oil and, of course their wines. Sadly, production in these countries is small and very few of their mostly excellent wines make it to these shores.

A couple of years ago I was on the Croatian island of Korcula, which is pretty much the only place the grape grk is grown, where a small number of producers create exceptional and distinctive whites of powerful, full bodied, nutty, aromatic flavours, perfect with the local seafood. But unless you are going there yourself, you will have to take my word for it because grk is pretty difficult to find in the UK.

So, what can we find here? You have to hunt around a bit, but importers Croatian Fine Wines have been established precisely to bring some of the region’s wines to these shores and out of a number of their wines I tasted recently at the London Wine Fair, the standout whites included the scented Iločki Podrumi Traminac Select 2016 (£13.50, croatianfinewines.com & £17.99, novelwines.co.uk) made from the local floral, spicy version of gewurztraminer, so the flavour palate is packed with lychees and touches of quince while staying dry and clean, so excellent with any seafood – and the extraordinary Malvasia Amphora Kabola 2015 (£34.99, croatianfinewines.com), an orange wine made in the gorgeous northern region of Istria from grapes still in their skins, fermenting in natural yeasts in buried clay amphora, as was the custom in ancient times.

Oak ageing for several years gives even greater complexity, all delivering smoky, nutty, spicy, sherry-like flavours. Malvasia is a key grape in both countries: a very old variety that makes both dessert wines – known in Elizabethan times as Malmsey – and sometimes deeply aromatic and savoury wines. Just over the border in Slovenia, from the Brda region the Atelier Kramar Bohem 2016 (£25.80, pullthecork.co.uk) is a biodynamic, natural, low sulphur wine made from malvasia and a portion of the Italian friulano variety. Both these are powerful, distinctive individual wines, ideal as aperitifs or with richer seafood dishes.

Apple flavours and loads of lychees either side of some purple-hued blackness

For slightly more everyday drinking, try the Krasno Sauvignon Blanc Ribolla 2018 (£9.99 or £7.49 if bought as part of six bottle purchase, majestic.co.uk) a winning mix of sauvignon blanc and another key Slovenian grape, the brilliant ribolla or rebula, which gives rounded structure to the sauvignon blanc, and the whole delivers clean, fres, apple flavours; an excellent summer garden guzzler, for vegetable dishes, goats cheese and simpler fish dishes. For two more rebula suggestions, see my column of a few weeks ago here. But the Slovenians can do great things with more orthodox grapes: try the Decanter World Wine Awards gold medal-winning Gasper Pinot Grigio 2017 (£13.20 exelwines.co.uk or the 2018 £74 for six, thefinewinecompany.co.uk) for a full bodied and spicier than normal take on the Italian staple.

There is not much sparkling wine in the region – although a lot of prosecco is consumed – but what they do produce is excellent, such as the Gourmet Rose 2013 (£22.99, novelwines.co.uk & £23, croatianfinewines.com) from the Istenic area. Made using the champagne method from pinot noir grapes it is rich and creamy, with lovely red berry fruit flavours.

When it comes to reds, the emphasis is on heavyweight styles, with high alcohol and plenty of hefty black fruit, ideal for barbecues or substantial meat dishes. The southern Dalmatian region of Croatia, between the ancient cities of Split and Dubrovnic, is home to the plavac mali grape and some of the best reds. The unusual Dingac Matusko 2013 (£26.99, croatianfinewines.com) has some sweet notes penetrating the rich, layered, dark red fruit, which gives a port-like quality and stems from plavec mali’s heritage as a cross involving zinfandel, as well as some floral hints. Open well in advance and drink with a big steak. For something slightly more budget from the same region but equally concentrated and full bodied, try the Korlat Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (£16.87, amazon.co.uk & £20.20, buyfinewine.co.uk), violet hints, amid the purple-hued blackness.

Now, anyone help me find any grk?

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