Indigenous Croatian White Case

Sladić Ante Winery is a family winery in Plastovo, on a hill above Skradin, near the Krka National Park. They uncompromisingly believe in indigenous varieties and invest enormous effort in vineyard and wine cellar while respecting tradition and nature. It is a winery with a long tradition and great passion for winemaking. The microclimate at an altitude of 250 m created by a unique combination of River Krka and the Adriatic Sea. Enriched with the soil formed under the influence of the sea and a river that once ran in that area has produced a lot of limestones and a mixture of different soil that gives minerality and allows creating wines of various styles and qualities. The Debit variety that was once a currency for payment. It has a fabulous history where it won many awards, was exported to France and Italy, and even Marshal Marmont was drinking it.

Family Josić from Osijek in 1999 bought an old wine cellar from 1935. They have restored it, equip it with modern technology while preserving the traditional look of the wine cellar. At the same time, they bought around 1.6 hectares of old vineyards. Josić Wines are made from authentic Baranja varieties that ripen in ancient vineyards on Banova kosa. The restaurant and winery are located in the ambiance of the so-called Sarduk, in the idyllic Baranja village Zmajevac. Sarduk is a Turkish name for the characteristic opening in the hill with wine cellars buried in the ground, so-called gators. Characteristic for Sarduk is that the temperature is consistent at any time of the year,  between 12 and 15 degrees Celsius. Ideal for wine.

Young and talented natural winemaker, Ivan Kosovec is working on a revival of Škrlet, an indigenous varietal from the region of Moslavina. It was a vine that only grows in this hilly area and nowhere else in the world, the grape is an unknown varietal outside of this region. The grape has tiny red “freckles” so Škrlet is derived from the German word “scharlach”, meaning a speckled or dotted surface that are reminiscent those of a Scarlet fever rash. Driven by his passion on hands off winemaking Kosovec made this ordinary, almost forgotten, table grape into something extraordinary not only reviving the planting of more vines but also the elevation of taste and structure of days past.

Roxanich winemaking. Roxanich wine philosophy doesn’t strive to merely satisfy the norm and is not interested in certificates and adhering to just the formal rules of the game. In Roxanich winery a holistic approach is honored, with the balance in life that translates into every aspect of one’s work, especially the creation of wine. They are living proof that this is the only way to make truly natural and honest wine. “Our wine is for a discerning person. An inquisitive soul. Someone who needs to know what they are drinking, how it was made and how its creation affected the planet.”

Pošip is one of Croatian white varieties with the greatest potential. This wine comes from Korcula, the old vineyards that are traditionally the best microlocation for growing Posip. The winery is from the island of Brač, unique and famous for its white stone (Stina). Many famous Croatian poets, authors, sculptors, and painters were born on Brač. Brač stone has always been a source of inspiration due to its beauty, but it is also a symbol of hardship when it comes to viticulture and viniculture. And that is where the inspiration for the name STINA comes from. In the Dalmatian dialect, this word means stone, the strongest symbol of the island of Brač.

Inspirational wines from the inspirational Island of Korčula. Winery Toreta is a family „boutique“ winery that produces wines from autochthonous grape varieties such as Pošip, Rukatac, and Plavac. The story of Toreta starts in the wine cellar of the Baničević family where true love and virtuosity of winemaking have been present for generations. They have been exploiting this gold-colored elixir from their hundreds of years old vineyards. In the wine cellar Toreta except for wine tasting, you can also view the collection of tools and equipment from the past that was used for wine-producing and you can hear stories of their family tradition.