Croatia: A legacy reclaimed

Croatia just might “fight its way back” to being a serious player in the wine world, said John Mariani in Bloomberg.com. “Cheap bulk wine” became Croatia’s specialty after many quality vineyards were torn out by government fiat during the 20th century, but the nation has a long history in viticulture and is beginning again to produce wines worthy of notice.

2008 Matosevic Winery Alba Antiqua ($23). This powerful white, made from the Istrian malvasia grape, has an “unusual, highly floral” aroma due to acacia-barrel aging.

2008 Saints Hills Dingac Plavac Mali ($65). Plavac mali is a forebear of the zinfandel grape. This “big-bodied wine” is made in low yields and gets “plenty of minerality” from the Dingac region’s steep terraced vineyards.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Though few other Croatian wines are available in the U.S., Trapan is another winery to watch for as the industry expands its reach.