Dalmacija Wine Expo, day 1
Posted on 6 May 2013
Greetings from Croatia. I’m in Makarska, a sea resort in Dalmatia for the Dalmacija Wine Expo, a dynamic event proposed and run by fellow wine writer and tireless promoter Saša Špiranec.
Surf&turf: the dramatic vistas of Makarska.
The scenery is fantastic. Makarska lies on the Adriatic but has imposing 1500-meter mountains immediately behind. My hotel room balcony has stunning views of these Dynaric Alps as well as the nearby islands of Brač and Hvar. It almost feels like a vacation, especially with the 30C temperatures and people relaxing on the beach.
Makarska: Early May fun on the beach.
I’ve kicked off tasting some 70 wines from Dalmatia, chiefly from their flagship grape Plavac Mali. Related to Zinfandel and Primitivo, it is a wild animal that’s difficult to tame. It regularly goes over 16% alcohol and the tannins can be punishing. It makes Primitivo and Zinfandel look like well-behaved boarding school boys.
Saša Špiranec introduces Plavac Mali
But Plavac is improving. Increasingly it is made into a more balanced and drinkable style. Saša Špiranec conducted an interesting seminar showing some top bottlings from the 2010 vintage. Producers such as Grgić, Korta Katarina and Bura are making brilliant wines that deserve more international recognition. Althoigh tasting beyond that dozen leading estates later at the Expo, I’ve also found some evil wines too. More on my tastings in the next few days. In the meantime do follow me on Twitter.
Carić: an example of very good Plavac Mali.
Disclosure: my trip to Croatia is paid for by the Dalmacija Wine Expo.