I was taken aback by the fresh bursting red fruit, bright acidity, and dusty minerality of this wine, my introduction to “Plavka”. Who knew such a grape existed? Lest I appear unschooled in Croatian wine, allow me to confess. I am. The Plavka was something I had not tasted and it surprised and delighted me. I had never heard of the Plavka grape (no surprise). The Vina Delmati grapes come from 50-year-old vines from the Jezero region, which lies between Dubrovnik and Split with proximity to the Adriatic Sea. The Plavka was fermented and aged for 18 months in concrete tanks. The result and my impressions?
It’s a medium-bodied, well-balanced red wine with integrated tannins and a long finish. This is an easy wine to love, and I did. I experienced unfamiliar characteristics, complexity, and distinctive spicy notes which reminded me of Spanish Grenache, but not exactly.
Vina Delmati takes its name with an homage to the Dalmatian peoples of coastal fame. They farm 200 hectares (about 500 acres) of karst vineyards (think limestone or dolomite) on their estate.
The wine sang along beautifully with roast chicken and mixed lettuce salad with balsamic vinaigrette. I have another bottle waiting in the wings which will fly the next time this simple repast is mentioned. This winemaker interview is coming soon. Stay tuned.