The “Zinfully” Intriguing I Am Tribidrag Conference Prepares to Host Some of the Wine Industry’s Biggest Names
By Cliff Rames
It’s been over 15 years since we learned of Zinfandel’s origins in Croatia, where 15th century documents identify the nearly forgotten wine grape variety by its ancestral name, Tribidrag. Today, the revelation continues to resonate in vineyards, wineries and wine glasses across the globe—Zinfandel has finally come home.
The story of Zinfandel’s repatriation is one of deep roots, old vines, and forgotten vineyards—a fascinating script with an amazing cast worthy of a Hollywood movie treatment. Cheekily referred to as “Zin Quest”, it is an epic tale of intrigue and modern forensic detective work that spanned two continents and involved a team of UC Davis researchers, headed by Dr. Carole Meredith, and two Croatian grapevine geneticists, Professor Edi Maletić and Professor Ivan Pejić.
Hollywood movie aside, if you haven’t yet read the story or require a refresher, check out my Zinfandel in Croatia: A Sort of Homecoming article, which I chronicled in 2014 for The SOMM Journal and later republished (with permission) on this blog.
Better still, make plans to attend the first-ever I Am Tribidrag International Conference! This two-day celebration and immersion program into the amazing story of Tribidrag/ Zinfandel/ Crljenak Kaštelanski will be held April 27-28, 2017 in Split, Croatia at the five-star Hotel Park, just a few short miles from the Kaštela vineyard where the “Original Zin” vines were discovered in 2001.
The I Am Tribidrag conference will feature an exciting program of guided tastings, supplemental wine tours and excursions, and lectures by several winemakers and distinguished authorities in the industry, including: Dr. Meredith; professors Maletić and Pejić: California winemakers David Gates (Ridge Vineyards) and Joel Peterson (Ravenswood Winery); botanist and grape geneticist (and co-author of Wine Grapes) Dr. José Vouillamoz; and Italian winemaker Lisa Gilbee.
Jancis Robinson, Master of Wine, will also be attending as a special guest. Described by Decanter magazine as “the most respected wine critic and journalist in the world”, Robinson has authored several books, including The Oxford Companion to Wine and The World Atlas of Wine (with Hugh Johnson). Ms. Robinson also co-authored the book Wine Grapes, which authoritatively defers to “Tribidrag” as the historical and rightful name for the variety also known respectively as Crljenak Kaštelanski, Primitivo, and Zinfandel (in fact, if you turn to the entries in the book for those varieties, Robinson directs you to “See Tribidrag”).
With an incredible line-up of speakers, the I Am Tribidrag Conference is a must for any Zinfandel advocate, wine lover, history buff, or student of ampelography (the field of botany concerned with the identification and classification of grapevines). Guided, comparative tastings of over 20 different wines will showcase how variations of terroir impact the character of Tribidrag grown in different areas of Croatia and benchmark regions like California and Italy. A series of extracurricular wine tours and excursions will provide guests with an introduction to the Dalmatian landscape that Zinfandel calls home.
Here is the conference program schedule:
Day 1: Thursday, April 27, 2017
16:30–18:30: Registration
18:30–19:00: Opening ceremony, presentation of the Programme and Speakers
19:00–20:00: Story of Tribidrag (Prof. Carole Meredith, Prof. Ivan Pejić)
20:30–23:00: Buffet dinner and tasting of indigenous Dalmatian varieties
Day 2: Friday, April 28, 2017
10:00–11:30: Zinfandel in the United States, with tasting (D. Gates, J. Peterson)
11:30–12:00: Coffee break
12:00–13:30: Primitivo in Italy, with tasting (L. Gilbee)
13:30–15:00: Lunch break
15:00–16:30 Tribidrag in Croatia, with tasting (Prof. E. Maletić, G. Zdunić)
16:30–17:00: Coffee break
17:00–18:30: Tribidrag in the Rest of the World, with tasting (J. Vouillamoz); Special guest Jancis Robinson
Up to 150 guests are expected, and tickets are selling fast. To reserve your spot at the conference, please follow this link: http://tribidrag.org/prijava-registracija/?lang=en
I hope to see you all in Split, where we can raise a glass and unanimously declare, We Are Tribidrag!
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The I Am Tribidrag Conference is organized by the Tribidrag Association of Zagreb, Croatia. Founded by wine enthusiasts Davorka Krnić-Trick, Fani Prodan,and Iva Drganc, in collaboration with Edi Maletić and Ivan Pejić. The association’s mission is to promote the native wine grapes of Croatia in partnership with other wine enthusiasts and renowned wine experts.
For more information, please visit www.tribidrag.org, or email info@tribidrag.org.
For further Information about accommodations and available wine tours, please contact mice@globtour.hr
Uncorking Croatia 