Croatia Wins Big at the 2016 Decanter World Wine Awards

Croatia’s wineries garner a total 63 medals, with Veralda winery from Istria taking a coveted Platinum – Best in Show medal. 

London, June 14, 2016: Decanter magazine, one of the world’s most respected wine publications, today announced the winners of the 2016 Decanter World Wine Awards. The competition, held each year in London, received over 16,000 entries from around the world. You can scroll through the lists of all winners here.

With the judging completed, we are so happy and proud to announce that Veralda winery, located in Brtonigla in the Istria wine region, was awarded the coveted Platinum – Best in Show medal for its 2015 “Istrian” red – a wine produced from Teran (which Decanter refers to as Refosco) – in the Best Single Varietal red category. With 95 out of 100 points, Veranda “Istrian” was one of only 31 wines to receive the top tier Platinum – Best in Show prize!

Sunday Snapshot: Zagorje

Zagorje is a wine growing region nestled in the cool, green rolling hills of northern Croatia, just beyond the capital city, Zagreb, and Medvednica mountain. Slovenia lies to the north.

The region is noted for the cultivation of cool climate grapes, about 90% of which are whites varieties such as graševina, pušiplje (aka moslavac or šipon), kerner, gewürztraminer, müller-thurgau (aka: rizvanac), yellow muscat, pinot blanc, pinot gris, riesling, sauvignon blanc, and sylvaner.

Red varieties include blaufrankisch, gamay, pinot noir, portugieser, cabernet franc, and cabernet sauvignon.

Enjoy the view – and try to taste these refreshing and food-friendly wines if you can! Cheers!

photo © Cliff Rames

Sunday Snapshot: Old Cellar at Iločki Podrumi

Iločki Podrumi, located in the town of Ilok in the Srijem wine growing region of northeastern Croatia, administers one of the oldest wine cellars in Croatia, dating back to the 15^th Century.

Iločki Podrumi produces wines made from graševina, traminac (gewürztraminer), chardonnay, frankovka (blaufränkisch), and cabernet sauvignon, as well as specializes in award-winning late harvest and ice wines.

For more information, check them out here: http://www.ilocki-podrumi.hr/

(Photo: © 2013 Cliff Rames)

Slopes Fit for a Queen: Zdjelarević Hotel & Winery – in Pictures

 

(All photos ©2012 Cliff Rames)

Last month, two editors from Wine Enthusiast magazine, Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen (aka the World Wine Guys), visited Croatia to receive the Golden Pen Award from the Croatian National Tourism Board for their article called “Croatia – In Living Color”, which was published in the September 2011 issue of Wine Enthusiast.

After receiving the Golden Pen Award (“Zlatna Penkala”), the Wine Guys toured a selection of wineries, vineyards, hotels, restaurants and other sites in the continental region of Croatia.

The Wine Guys were escorted by Cliff Rames, sommelier and founder of Wines of Croatia, who along the way captured a few snapshots of their journey. We will be sharing an assortment of Cliff’s photos with you over the next few weeks, including this collection of shots from Zdjelarević winery in the Slavonski Brod wine-growing hills of the Slavonia region of northeastern Croatia.

Zdjelarević Hotel & Winery – directed by winemaker Davor Zdjelarević – cultivates 10 hectares of its own vines as well as another 20 hectares of vines under lease, which allows the winery to produce up to 150,000 bottles of wine per year. Among its best loved wines are the Nagual Grand Cuve Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot and Nagual Grand Cuve Chardonnay/Sauvignon labels, as well as the Klink@ line of early drinking wines designed to appeal to Generation X consumers.

(Photo courtesy of Zdjelarevic winery)

According to the winery, Queen Elizabeth II is said to have enjoyed Zdjelarević’s 2009 Chardonnay – a wine produced from vines that overlook the long sloping hills that meander southeastward toward the town of Slavonski Brod and the Sava river – an area not generally recognized for its world class wines. It looks like Davor Zdjelarević is trying to change that.

The property also includes a hotel with 12 rooms and three apartments and a gourmet restaurant where guests can dine like a king – and drink like a queen! 🙂

Room with a view!

Davor Zdjelarevic (left); Cliff Rames

Images from the Wine Roads of Croatia #9 – Meneghetti “Stancija”

“Field of Dreams”

Meneghetti estate vineyards, Bale, Western Istria wine-growing hills, Istria sub-region, Coastal Croatia.

Located in the Istrian hinterland, 2 km away from the Adriatic Sea and 20 km from Pula, Meneghetti winery and estate grows the indigenous malvasia istriana grape, as chardonnay, pinot blanc, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and refosco.

Wines produced by Meneghetti include:

~Meneghetti White (blend of chardonnay & pinot blanc)

~Malvazija (malvasia istriana)

~Meneghetti Red (blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon & cabernet franc)

~Merlot

~Meneghetti Sparkling (blend of chardonnay & pinot blanc)

Meneghetti also operates a lovely “stancija” – a beautifully restored country guest house where visitors can enjoy the Good Life – Istria style – while dining on locally-inspired culinary creations skillfully prepared by head chef Jean-Yves Messmere and drizzled with Meneghetti’s own extra virgin olive oil.

Or you can simply loiter on the veranda, listen to the summer cicadas, breathe in the fragrant aromas of Mediterranean herbs, and slowly sip a cool glass of Meneghetti sparkling wine whilst gazing across the vineyards as they peacefully soak up the warm Istrian sun.  🙂

Bonus photo!

“Under the Istrian Sun”

Text & photos © 2012 Cliff Rames