Zlatan Plavac Grand Cru – Croatia’s Extraordinary Red Wine
A view of of Hvar by the coastline. The island is located in the Adriatic Sea, off the Dalmatian coast.
Overview
Zlatan Plavac is a rare full-bodied wine from the Dalmatian island of Hvar in Croatia.
The wine is made from selected grapes of the variety Plavac Mali, a blend between Zinfandel and Dobricic grapes.
Croatian wine has a long history dating back to 5th century B.C. Recent historical findings suggest that wine in Croatia existed hundreds of years before the rise of the Roman Empire.
Zlatan Plavac Grand Cru 2003.
Today, there are over 300 geographically defined wine regions in Croatia. The majority of Croatian wines is white, with the remainder being red, and a small percentage of rosé wines. In 2005, Croatia ranked 21st among wine producing countries with 180,000 tonnes.
On the islands and the Dalmatian coast, indigenous grape varietals, microclimates and the unique nature of the vineyards have lead to some highly individual wines, and some of Croatia’s best known such as Zlatan Plavac Grand Cru.
Plenkovic Winery
Plenkovic Winery is one of Croatia’s leading wineries. The vineyards are located on the steep slopes of Hvar. Grapes are picked manually and there are absolutely no chemicals used for spraying. Only a small selection of grapes are used to ensure its quality.
In addition, the winery is currently in the process of obtaining the Croatian Organic Certificate.
Plenkovic Winery
http://www.zlatanotok.hr
Taste Profile
Full-bodied, rich, strong and ripe with powerful tannins. Flavors of plum, exotic berries, flowers, and dried fruits. Contains 15% alcohol.
Further Information
For more information regarding Zlatan Plavac Grand Cru and Croatia’s wine region, you can visit these websites as listed below.
A Mouthful of Wine: Hvar Island, Home of Croatia’s Grand Cru
http://mouthfulofwine.typepad.com/a_mouthful_of_wine/2007/08/hvar-island-hom.html
Tony Aspler: A Wine Lover’s Diary, Part 246
http://www.tonyaspler.com/pub/articleview.asp?id=1887&s=5
New Wine.com: Sampling Croatia
http://www.winenews.com/croatia.htm
Island Hvar
http://www.hvar.hr
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- Glossary of Wine Terms
- Austria’s Wine Regions
- Austrian Wine Seminar at London International Wine Fair
- Riesling – Germany’s Famous White Wine
Category: Wine
While Zlatan Plavac is a great wine, it’s unfortunate that it gets all the attentionin Hvar as there are a great many more wines which are excellent from that island, as well as the few that are produced in neighboring Bra?. I assume it has mostly to do with Plenkovi? finding the ability to export and the others not, but the grapes on the islands are of outstanding quality and depth.
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Hi Miquel,
Thanks for your comment. I certainly agree with you. There are so many great wines in this region and Croatia. As you’ve mentioned importing these wines is difficult for many reasons. Zlatan Plavac is a rare wine therefore its not heavily produced (to ensure its quality). There is also a significant lack of information available to consumers especially in North America. Hopefully, tourism in Croatia continues to grown and more emphasizes is placed on these wines. Perhaps, sometime in the near future.
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