Ep 371: The Wines of Croatia

<p>Croatia is a small country with unlimited wine potential. With a 2,500-year history of winemaking, this beautiful nation has coast, islands, and inland hills, all with unique soil types that make its growing conditions unlike anywhere else in the world. The four main regions make distinctive wines using indigenous grapes and although the industry is just getting back on its feet after a century of war, socialism, and poor viticulture, Croatia is a country on the ascent, and one you should know about! </p> <p><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/3.png" alt="" width= "422" height="280" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style= "font-size: 8pt;"><em>Dubrovnik in Dalmatia</em></span></p> <p>These show notes really have to be a list of places and grapes, to help you figure out what the heck we were saying on the show. So here it is, as promised:</p> <p> </p> <p><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/wine-map.png" alt="" width="488" height="274" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style= "font-size: 8pt;"><em>Source: Croatian Chamber of Economy and Croatian Premium Wine Imports</em></span></p> <p><strong>Continental/Inland areas</strong></p> <p><strong>Croatian Uplands:</strong> The cool, hilly areas around the nation’s capital of Zagreb</p> <ul> <li><strong>Whites:</strong> Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, <ul> <li>Furmint (Hungary’s grape used for Tokaji, known as Pušipel or Moslavac),</li> <li>Škrlet (like Grüner Veltliner)</li> <li>Sparkling wine production using traditional method with long lees aging</li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Reds:</strong> Pinot Noir, Purtugizec (Blauer Porturgieser)</li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><strong>Slavonia:</strong> A flatter area that goes east from Zagreb to where the Danube hits Serbia. It has Gently rolling hills but the area is famed from the Slavonian oak for (especiall